Suitcases packed for 41,000 young people, ready to explore Europe with DiscoverEU

Brussels – Growing up, travelling, and getting to know Europe. Perhaps to become more European. A total of 40,912 18-year-olds have been selected to receive the pass allowing them to travel free of charge across all Member States: the European Commission announced today (8 June) the results of the March 2026 round of DiscoverEU, the initiative under the Erasmus+ programme that offers young people the opportunity to explore the continent. The programme was open to young people born between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008, residing in EU Member States or in countries associated with Erasmus+. The winners will now have the chance to travel across Europe between July 2026 and September 2027, with a strong preference for train travel. 

The initiative has an educational dimension: training courses are planned before departure, along with meetings in various European cities to encourage exchange among young travellers. Since its launch in 2018, over 2 million young people have applied for a pass to travel across the continent. 

Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture and Sport, warmly welcomed the new recipients: “A DiscoverEU pass is not just a ticket, but an invitation to experience first-hand the cultural richness and beauty of Europe. To the thousands of young people selected today, I would like to say: Europe is waiting for you. Bring your curiosity, bring your ambition, and turn this journey into a story worth telling,” he emphasised. 

According to the figures in the call, Italy is one of the leading countries. The official DiscoverEU website shows the breakdown of passes across Member States. For April 2026, Germany leads the group with 6,986 tickets available, followed by France with 5,660 and Italy with 4,994. Rounding off the top five countries by number of opportunities are Spain, with 3,979 tickets, and Poland, with 3,184. At the opposite end of the ranking, the smallest numbers are for North Macedonia, with 18 passes, followed by Liechtenstein and Serbia, both with 19, while Malta and the pair of Iceland and Luxembourg bring up the rear with 47 and 58 travel passes, respectively.