Deadline to enter draw for a free Europe rail pass is fast approaching

Travel-hungry young Europeans have under 24 hours to get their hands on a free rail pass.

The deadline for entering the draw is midday on Wednesday (March 29).

There are 35,000 passes available, which grant holders up to one month of free travel on Europe’s rail network.

The pass allows young Europeans to “discover Europe’s stunning landscapes and its endless variety of cities and towns”, according to the official website.

You can apply online via the European Youth Portal.

Applicants must be aged 17-18 and will need to answer five quiz questions, alongside a tiebreaker, as part of the process.

Winners will get a rail pass that they can use to either:

• Travel via rail to two countries (or two cities in the same country), outside of their nation of residence, for up to a month, with a fixed itinerary.

• Travel via rail to an unlimited number of countries for up to a month. Only seven of the days can be designated travel days.

The pass can be used between June 15, 2023, and September 30, 2024.

Applicants must be born between July 1, 2004, and June 30, 2005, and be citizens of an EU country or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia or Turkey.

Students who are legal residents in an EU country and part of an Erasmus+ programme at this time are also eligible.

Group applicants are also accepted, allowing up to five people to apply together for the pass.

Winners are invited to share their experiences online using the #DiscoverEU hashtag on social media.

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