EU Commission: Free travel for students using Europe’s InterRail system
EU Commission: Free travel for students using Europe’s InterRail system
The European Commission said on Monday it would give free international trips to up to 7,000 school students. However, the Commission will not be giving away 5.4 million European 18-year-olds free InterRail tickets.
The Commission said it had earmarked 2.5 million euros ($2.7 million) to offer an initial 5,000 young people the opportunity to visit other European countries within it’s EU borders. Last year, the European Parliament passed a resolution proposing that all 18-year-olds to be given free InterRail tickets, which are passes allowing travel across Europe’s rail network. The Commission estimated that such an initiative would cost between 1.2 and 1.6 billion euros ($1.30-$1.74 bln) a year. The Commission, however, shot down the resolution, saying that this kind of “funding is currently not available.”
According to Reuters, students can apply before June 30 through online exchange program eTwinning for travel between August 2017 and the end of 2018. The free tickets have a value of up to 530 euros ($575). Meanwhile, here in the U.S., students who use Amtrak get…..15% off the lowest value or Flexible Fare.
If you’re a European student you should apply via eTwinning as soon as possible since quantity is limited to 7,000 students and to be fair, if I were a student I would jump on this in a heart beat.
What are your thoughts? I, for one, would not want my money going to a bunch of 18 year olds getting a free trip on my dime. But that’s just me.
Source: Reuters
