Irish 18-Year-Olds Offered Free Inter-Rail Tickets for EU Travelling

A lottery opens this morning allowing Irish 18-year-olds the opportunity to apply for free inter-railing around the EU zone next year.

Under the DiscoverEU initiative, anyone currently aged 18 and who is an EU citizen can apply for one of 60,000 free travel passes on offer.

The scheme aims to get young people interested in exploring their neighbouring EU nations.

Applications open at 11am this morning and close on October 26th.

Along with those who are currently 18, anyone who was eligible at the time of the two rounds of 2020, which were cancelled by the pandemic, can also apply.

Those who win a pass can use it to travel across the EU accompanied by up to four friends. All travelling under the pass must be undertaken between March 1st, 2022 and February 28th, 2023.

The DiscoverEU initiative encourages its successful applicants to act as a "Discover EU Ambassador" and "report back on your travel experiences through social media tools like Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using #DiscoverEU."

Applications can be made at europa.eu/youth/discovereu_en

As part of today's budget announcement, young people in the 19-23 age bracket are expected to receive a 50% discount on public transport. The move comes as many students are reporting struggling with rising rent and education costs.
 

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