Last chance to win one of 15,000 free EU travel passes

A total 15,000 travel passes that allow free travel across Europe for 18 year olds on trains, buses and ferries are up for grabs - but time is rapidly running out for adventure-minded teenagers willing to become DiscoverEU Ambassadors to enter.

To be eligible for one of the passes entrants must be 18 years old on July 1, 2018, and an EU national with a current passport or valid ID card. They must also be able to travel for up to 30 days between July 9 and September 30, 2018, visiting up to four EU countries - and, as a DiscoverEU Ambassador, share their experiences or European travel online with pictures, video and blog posts.

The closing date for entries is Tuesday, June 26, 2018 (12noon CEST).

Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navracsics, said: "DiscoverEU offers an excellent opportunity to young people to explore Europe through a personal journey in a way that no book or documentary can.

"I am confident that this experience will make a positive change - for the young people participating and for the communities they visit."

To enter the draw for one of the 15,000 passes on offer log on to the DiscoverEU website here, answer five questions related to the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 and 2018 European Year of Cultural Heritage, EU initiatives targeting young people and the upcoming European Parliament elections - and then, in a final 'lucky guess' question, estimate how many other European 18 year olds have entered.

A further 5,000 travel passes will be up for grabs in the autumn.

The European Commission has included the DiscoverEU initiative in its proposal for the next Erasmus programme. If the European Parliament and the Council agree, an additional 1.5 million 18 year olds are expected to be able to travel between 2021 and 2027, supported by a budget of €700million.