The European Union wants its peoples to feel more united—and getting its 18-year-olds on the road to meet and learn about each other is one way to do it.
The European Commission, the EU's executive, is taking applications that will give up to 12,000 teenagers an Interrail pass allowing them to travel free for up to 30 days between April and October of next year. Although the pass is expected to mainly cover rail travel, bus and ferry travel is also included.
Applications are open until Dec. 11, and are limited to nationals of the 28 EU countries who will be 18 by December 31. A jury will select winners from all countries and they will be notified in January. A similar program operated last summer.
For Britons, it will be their last shot at a pass, because the UK is scheduled to leave Europe next April, but for others it may be only the beginning; there are proposals to expand the program even further in the future as part of schemes that allow university students to study at schools in other European countries.
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