DiscoverEU frequently asked questions!

Hello friends! My name is Erdem. For those of you who don’t know me, let me introduce myself briefly, and let’s move on to questions. I am one of the first Turkish youths to participate in the DiscoverEU project and take an Interrail trip in April 2022. Since then, I have been providing information for both those who are about to embark on the journey and those who haven’t yet. Additionally, I give conferences on many activities under the Erasmus umbrella, such as Erasmus+ and ESC opportunities. Recently, I also founded the Kovan Youth group, where I write Erasmus projects and inform young people about them. As of today, we also have an office for our Social Entrepreneurship at BTM in Istanbul’s Fulya district. We welcome anyone who stops by 😇

When will the winners of the Interrail tickets for DiscoverEU 2023 be announced?

We have a detailed article about this. You can read it and get information. DiscoverEU results will be announced on January 10th.

If my visa application is rejected, will DiscoverEU refund the fee?

Yes, it will be refunded. If you apply again, it will also be refunded. Additionally, your health insurance is also covered by DiscoverEU.

What should we pay attention to when creating a route?

When creating your route, you may need to pay attention to many things like, whether the countries you are going to visit are expensive or not, train schedules, whether it includes the places you want to see, whether you can go and come back within the day limit of your Interail ticket, etc.

After the DiscoverEU winners are announced, we, as the Kovan Youth Youth group, plan to provide consulting services on a variety of topics such as creating a route, applying for a visa, and travel guides. You can take advantage of one-on-one consulting if you want, or you can also perform all the steps yourself by reading them on our website, www.kovanyouth.com.

The Interrail ticket that DiscoverEU gave us is a 30-in-7 ticket. What does this mean?

We can summarise the 30-in-7 ticket phrase like this: you have the right to travel for 7 days within 30 days. For example, if you boarded a train at 7 am today, you can take as many trains as you want during the day. One day will be used up in any case, but if you change trains or make a transfer after midnight, a new travel day will be subtracted. Also, you must complete this 7-day travel right within a month. This is how the 30-in-7 ticket can be explained in more detail.

In what cases does DiscoverEU cover your airfare?

In cases where the journey by train from the city where your residence is located to the nearest European city exceeds 18 hours, DiscoverEU will cover your airfare to and from any European city of your choice. To find out if your airfare will be covered, you should send an email to hello@start-discover.eu, mentioning the city where your residence is located.

It is said that for trains, we need to make a reservation in addition to the ticket. How can we make the reservation?

Yes, reservations are required on many trains. In Turkey, you must go to the train station and do it in person. It can be done at Halkalı or Sirkeci. In Europe, you can do it online. I did it in person during my trip. If you want, you can do it that way too. The trains that require reservations are shown on the DiscoverEU Travel App.

When will we be able to use the DiscoverEU Travel App during our DiscoverEU trip?

Winners of the Interrail ticket will receive an email within 1-2 weeks. You need to confirm your identity by filling out the form in the email. After you confirm your identity, you can download and use the DiscoverEU Travel App.

When should I set out on my trip after winning an Interrail ticket?

Your Interrail ticket is valid for one year, You can set out on your journey at any time between March 2023 and March 2024. I would recommend setting out in summer time. Hostels will be cheaper in the winter, but it may also be colder and you may have to stay in a hostel every night. In the summer, you can sometimes spend the night outside too. It’s up to you.

When are visa fees reimbursed?

First, you pay the visa fee to the consulate and submit your application along with the required documents. Then you receive approval or rejection. In either case, you inform DiscoverEU of the situation by writing to them. This way they can process a refund to you. Before paying the visa fee, it’s always a good idea to email hello@start-discover.eu to inform them of the situation.

Which visa should I get?

As you will be traveling to multiple countries during your DiscoverEU trip, we recommend that you get a Schengen visa. We, Kovan Youth Group, will provide consulting for visa issues, you can reach us by sending an email from the contact section. You can also research it yourself and make the application. Kovan will soon have contents on visa process.

I am a holder of Green Passport, do I need to do anything before traveling abroad?

If you are a holder of a Green Passport, you don’t need to do anything. You can leave the country by paying the airport tax. If you want to pass through customs more easily, you can request a letter of invitation from DiscoverEU with your name and passport number.

I have other questions. How can I get answers?

I answer questions that come in through my Instagram and YouTube accounts as soon as possible. Also, if you leave your questions in the comments section below this post, it would be great. Our team will respond within 24 hours. This way, everyone can benefit from reading each other’s questions.

Wish you all a happy trip🥳