If you want to travel between France and Germany this summer, you might be in luck because 60,000 free train tickets will be available later this year. The rail scheme was announced over the weekend by the transport ministers of both countries, Clément Beaune and Volker Wissing.
The initiative’s goal is to promote travel and cultural exchange between France and Germany.
“To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty, 60,000 tickets will be made available free of charge, subject to terms to be announced soon,” Beaune and Wissing said in a joint statement.
Beaune also stated that the initiative is in line with France’s climate ambitions and aims to encourage more young people to take the train. Tickets are available to those under the age of 27.
The scheme will be financially supported by national rail services Deutsche Bahn and SNCF.
So far, what do we know about free train tickets in France and Germany?
Half of the tickets will be available in France, while the other half will be available in Germany. They will allow young people to travel by train to another country and then travel around while there, similar to an Interrail ticket.
Wissing announced the initiative on Twitter. It will be open to young people under the age of 27. According to French media reports, travelers hoping to take advantage of the scheme will likely have to enter a lottery for the tickets.
Further information on who will be eligible and how to apply has yet to be released.
New train lines between France and Germany are being planned
Wissing and Beaune also announced the launch of a new TGV train route between Paris and Berlin in 2024. Currently, travelers between the two capital cities must change trains at a different station, such as Cologne or Frankfurt.
Passengers would be able to complete the journey in about seven hours thanks to the new high-speed link.
The new routes, according to the transport ministers, are just another step toward establishing a single rail network connecting the two countries.
France’s other initiatives to promote train travel.
When it comes to transportation, France is taking the climate crisis seriously.
The government announced a ban on certain short-haul flights in December.
In addition, the country is collaborating with Ireland to launch a combined train and ferry ticket that will allow travelers to travel between the two countries without taking a flight.
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