A ticket to Europe: how improved connectivity changes life for the next generation of Ukrainians

Today, reliable transport links and the ability to travel are essential for the development of Ukraine’s young people. Without a high-quality transport infrastructure, Ukrainians cannot attend universities, find employment or take part in exchange programmes with their peers in the EU. Amid the ongoing war, transport has taken on a different role and importance – as a means of evacuation from dangerous areas, or as an opportunity to return to life in de-occupied territories.

In this article, dedicated to Europe Day, I wish to explore the opportunities and best practices available to Ukrainian youth within the EU and outline areas that could be further developed jointly by Ukraine and the European Union.

Young people and transport policy

Governance based on involving residents in decision-making processes is recognised as best practice. Involving young people in transport planning – through youth councils, participatory budgeting or digital feedback platforms – improves the alignment of policy with actual usage patterns and fosters civic engagement.

Large international organisations usually provide a space for young people to put their ideas into practice. For example, the International Transport Forum (ITF), which includes EU countries and Ukraine, holds an annual summit where transport ministers meet with academics, industry leaders and civil society representatives to discuss key policy challenges facing the sector. The ITF runs a Young Researchers’ Award to recognise the outstanding achievements of young researchers.

At the local level in the EU, the role of young people in transport-related changes is also significant. For instance, Paris has the Conseil Parisien de la Jeunesse (Youth Council), which regularly provides recommendations on urban policy, including mobility. At the same time, the city implements one of Europe’s largest participatory budgets (Budget Participatif), where young people actively submit projects related to cycling infrastructure, road safety and public space. Other innovative and sustainable mechanisms where young people’s voices are heard in transport policy also exist in Berlin, Barcelona, Helsinki, Tallinn, Warsaw and other cities.

Such approaches demonstrate how the systematic involvement of young people – through institutional and financial mechanisms – can directly influence transport decisions and urban development.

For Ukraine, youth participation in transport policy plays a particularly important role, given the challenges of reconstruction and recovery. For example, the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine recently announced the creation of the Youth Council – a new consultative and advisory body designed to strengthen youth participation in the formulation and implementation of state policy.

(Trans) national mobility

The EU has now established a network of TEN-T transport routes, which are of paramount importance for the mobility of passengers and freight. Through continuous analysis and modelling, the Union is better able to prioritise investment in the development of roads connecting major business centres, residential areas and leisure facilities. This, in turn, promotes economic growth by ensuring young people’s access to the labour market, as well as enabling them to purchase goods or access basic services (education, healthcare, social protection).

Furthermore, TEN-T policy also addresses the development of cross-border mobility, facilitating barrier-free and rapid border crossings. Finally, by promoting green technologies in transport corridors, the EU aims to achieve a low-carbon economy that works for the population and causes less harm to the environment.

Expanding Ukraine’s role in the indicative maps of the Trans-European Transport Network, particularly routes through major cities such as Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa, enables greater investment in transport links and the removal of logistical barriers. This also allows young people living near these cities to enjoy a better travel experience within the single European network.

The changes resulting from investment in TEN-T routes are already visible to young people today: Ukraine has received a European gauge railway line to Uzhhorod, which improves connections with the EU; a similar line to Lviv is currently under construction; and there are plans to extend the network to other major border cities such as Kovel and Chernivtsi.

Urban mobility

The best EU practices that Ukrainian cities are beginning to adopt for youth urban mobility are based on multimodality – the integration of public transport (buses, trolleybuses, trams, metro), micro-mobility options (bicycles, electric scooters) and pedestrian infrastructure into a single ecosystem that operates on the principle of a single electronic ticket.

In addition, to encourage young people to make multimodal journeys and reduce their financial burden, discount schemes are in place in a number of EU cities. For example, in Vienna, pupils and students under the age of 24 can purchase discounted annual travel passes, which provide access to travel between educational institutions or work and their homes.

By purchasing a digital travel pass, young people not only have the opportunity to save money on their journeys, but also gain access to various modes of transport for their own travels.

Apps providing access to multimodal travel, the best known of which is ‘Kyiv Digital’, are already available in the vast majority of Ukrainian regional centres. Importantly, these systems also offer discounted travel for students, with a 50% reduction on ticket prices.

In addition, cities are developing and implementing Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans. These are planning documents for the development of the urban transport system, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their physical or financial circumstances, is able to move around the city comfortably and efficiently. This is also an important issue in the context of developing barrier-free routes that can be used by young people affected by war or certain illnesses.

Educational and professional mobility

Erasmus+

Thanks to Erasmus+, young people in Ukraine are offered opportunities for academic and professional mobility, ranging from short-term exchanges and work placements to full-time study at European universities, while young people from EU countries have the chance to discover Ukraine as part of the shared European educational area.

In this sense, the transport component – air, rail and intercity routes – becomes a critical factor in the accessibility of these programmes, bridging the gap between education systems and fostering sustainable, integrated links.

Erasmus+, which has long been available to Ukrainian youth, effectively transforms mobility into a tool for long-term integration, where the movement of students and young professionals shapes individual experiences and fosters a network of mutual understanding and cooperation between the EU and Ukraine.

DiscoverEU

The programme for travel within the EU, available to young people from Ukraine as part of Erasmus+, deserves special attention. It enables young people to learn more about the Union’s culture and history through access to travel.

The programme is open to applicants aged 18 and over. If selected, participants receive a travel pass (primarily for rail travel) allowing them to travel around Europe independently or with friends for a specified period.

Such an experience fosters the development of key skills – notably independence, responsibility and problem-solving abilities – as well as shaping a sense of European identity and encouraging active civic participation.

Conclusions

Thus, mobility is a priority for Ukrainian youth when it comes to realising their potential and the opportunities available in Ukraine and the EU. Affordable and efficient transport helps young people overcome geographical and social barriers, making the European space more integrated and interconnected.

The experience of EU countries demonstrates that investment in youth mobility is an investment in human capital and the long-term sustainability of society. Consequently, the development of integrated transport solutions between Ukraine and the EU can serve both as a practical response to current challenges and as a strategic foundation for deeper integration, the expansion of opportunities, and the creation of a shared mobility space.

In the context of Europe Day, this underscores the central idea of community — a Europe that develops through the free movement of people, the exchange of knowledge and shared experience.