Free Week of Train Travel and Hostels for Under-30s: How Portugal's ANDA Programme Works in 2026

Portugal is giving young people a free week to explore the country by train. The ANDA Conhecer Portugal programme, relaunched on March 24 by the Movy cooperative (formerly Movijovem), offers seven days of unlimited CP train travel and six nights of free accommodation at Pousadas de Juventude (youth hostels) across mainland Portugal.

The programme is open to all residents of Portugal aged 18 to 30 — including foreign nationals with legal residence. The first batch of 10,000 vouchers is available now, with a further 20,000 to be released in phases throughout 2026.

What You Get

Each voucher includes:

• Seven consecutive days of unlimited train travel on CP (Comboios de Portugal) regional and intercity services across the mainland network
• Six nights of free accommodation at any Pousada de Juventude in the national network
• Valid until July 4, 2026 for the current batch

The programme effectively functions as a domestic Interrail pass combined with free hostel beds. For context, a standard week of Interrail travel in Portugal would cost around 100 to 150 euros, and youth hostel beds typically run 15 to 25 euros per night. The total value of each voucher is roughly 200 to 300 euros.

How to Apply

The application process is entirely online:

1. Go to andaconhecerportugal.pt
2. Authenticate using your Chave Movel Digital (Portugal's digital mobile key, linked to your citizen card or residence permit)
3. Fill in required personal details: email address and phone number
4. Request your voucher, which will be sent to your email

There is no cost, no lottery, and no essay required. Vouchers are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis within each release batch.

What Changed for 2026

The programme ran in previous years with all vouchers released at once, which led to a rush that locked out slower applicants. This year, Movy is staggering the releases: 10,000 now, with 20,000 more spread across the year. As David Costa from Movy's commercial department put it, this gives "an opportunity to more distracted young people who miss the chance" and reduces the pressure of a single launch window.

The other significant change relates to train bookings. In last year's edition, participants could not reserve seats in advance — tickets had to be purchased on the day of travel at a physical CP ticket office, which caused confusion and made it difficult to plan multi-day itineraries. Movy says "things are better" this year, though has not explicitly guaranteed advance booking will be available for all routes. CP's booking systems for regional services remain a work in progress.

Limitations

There are some important caveats:

• Mainland only. The programme covers continental Portugal. Residents of the Azores and Madeira are eligible but must arrange and pay for their own travel to the mainland. Movy has acknowledged this gap and suggested that the government should work with SATA and TAP to create a supplementary programme for island residents.
• Chave Movel Digital required. You need an active digital mobile key to authenticate. If you are a foreign resident who has not yet activated yours, you will need to do so at a Loja do Cidadao or through the autenticacao.gov.pt portal. This can take a few days if you have not set it up before.
• Youth hostels only. Accommodation is limited to the Pousada de Juventude network. These are generally clean and well-located, but they are shared dormitory-style facilities, not private hotels.
• Age limit is strict. You must be 30 or under at the time of application.

Is It Worth It for Expats?

For young expats living in Portugal, ANDA is one of the better government-backed perks available. It is a genuine opportunity to see parts of the country that most Lisbon or Porto-based residents rarely visit — the Alentejo interior, the Minho north, the Beira Baixa. Portugal's rail network is not extensive, but it covers the main corridors well, and the hostel network fills in the gaps.

The programme also dovetails with Portugal's push to develop domestic tourism and distribute visitors beyond the Lisbon-Algarve axis. Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Margarida Balseiro Lopes attended the launch, framing ANDA as an example of "public policies that generate real impact, promoting mobility, sustainability and inclusion."

If you are under 30 and have a Chave Movel Digital, there is no reason not to claim a voucher. The worst case is a free week of exploring a country that rewards getting off the beaten path.