Disclaimer: the Fix Pass is no longer available for DiscoverEU participants who applied in October 2025 onwards. It remains available for participants who applied in October 2024 and April 2025.
The Fix Pass, also known as the fixed travel option or point-to-point ticket, is one of the two main travel options offered to DiscoverEU participants who applied in October 2024 and April 2025. It is suited for those who have a clear, limited itinerary and wish to visit one or two destinations in neighbouring countries.
Key Features and Limitations of the Fix Pass
- Travel destinations: The Fix Pass allows you to visit a maximum of two destinations outside your country of residence.
- Journey duration: Each one-way trip must be less than 18 hours long, and all journeys must take place outside your home country.
- Class and budget: The pass is booked in economy class, with a total travel budget capped at €283.26.
- No extra reservation costs: One of the main advantages of the Fix Pass is that there are no additional reservation fees for the included journeys.
- Important limitation: Once your tickets are issued, your itinerary is fixed. Changes to travel dates or destinations are not possible after booking.
The Booking Process and Timeline
When completing your booking form, you will be asked to provide details such as departure and arrival dates, countries, and cities for each leg of your journey. You may also specify preferred train numbers. It is important to note that the desired trip is subject to constraints related to budget, time, and ticket availability. The contractor cannot guarantee that your preferred itinerary can always be realised.
After submitting your booking form, you will be contacted by the DiscoverEU Travel Team approximately three months before your departure date to begin your travel booking, as many European trains cannot be booked further ahead than this.
If your travel plans cannot be accommodated within the Fix Pass framework, the Travel Team may suggest switching to the Flex Pass or offer alternative routes.
Changes, Cancellations, and Withdrawals
The Fix Pass is strictly non-transferable. Each ticket is nominative and cannot be transferred to another person under any circumstance. If you wish to withdraw before your tickets are booked, you can do so, and your spot will be offered to someone on the reserve list. However, once tickets are issued, changes are not possible. If tickets have not yet been issued, you may contact the Travel Team to request modifications.
For group travel, if a member cancels before tickets are booked, the rest of the group can still travel. The Fix Pass allows group travel, but each member must be awarded and submit their own booking form.
Practical Advice
The Fix Pass is primarily intended for rail travel. Exceptions for buses or ferries are possible only in specific cases, such as for island destinations or when budget constraints make rail travel impossible. The Fix pass is best suited for those who want a simple, short, cross-border trip and do not require the flexibility to change plans after booking. For a more flexible travel, the Flex Pass may be a better fit.
You will find below the difference between the FIX and the FLEX Pass:
How do Passenger Rights work for FIX travellers?
As a European citizen, you have Passenger Rights, which allow you to claim compensation for delays or cancellations. If you travelled with the FIX option or a self-purchased train ticket, the railway company listed on your ticket is responsible for handling claims, which must be submitted within 90 days. Compensation may cover unavoidable expenses like accommodation or transfers, though strike- and weather-related disruptions are generally excluded.
If you are currently travelling and are experiencing an issue, then please check this article for the steps you can take. If you've already finished your trip, you can submit a claim directly with the railway company mentioned on your ticket.
How long will it take to be compensated?
With some railway companies, you can be refunded immediately (particularly if your train was cancelled). More often though, it can take a few weeks or a couple of months to be refunded. The wait can be particularly lengthy in case of a national strike, as there is a high volume of claims.
How will I receive my compensation?
If you purchased the train ticket yourself, you can receive your reimbursement via your PayPal account, bank account, or in the form of vouchers. Keep in mind that it can take up to a month for your claim to be processed.
If the train ticket was provided by DiscoverEU for the fixed travel option, the reimbursement might be sent to us first, and we will then send it to your PayPal or bank account.
How I can submit my claim?
Each railway company has its own procedure in terms of compensation. You can find below a list of railway companies from which you can ask for a refund. On each page, the procedure to submit your claim will be explained:
- ÖBB: on this page of their website.
- SNCB: on this page of their website.
- SNCF: on this page of their website.
- Trenitalia: on this page of their website.
- Renfe: on this page of their website.
- Thalys: on this page of their website.
- Eurostar: on this page of their website.
- Deutsche Bahn: on this page of their website.
- SBB: on this page of their website
For any other railway companies, please check the website of the relevant company.