# #Europe in the news

November 1, 2026 at 04:07 PM

> European Gas Prices Hit Four-Year High at €100 · EU Offers 41,000 Free Train Passes to Youth · Catholic Church Membership Drops in Austria

[European Gas Prices Hit Four-Year High at €100](<https://austriareport.com/article/european-gas-prices-hit-four-year-high-at-100-79533072>)
*November 1, 2026 at 04:07 PM* - Natural gas prices surged to 2022 levels following regional conflict, driving up household energy costs and increasing poverty risks.

[EU Offers 41,000 Free Train Passes to Youth](<https://austriareport.com/article/eu-offers-41-000-free-train-passes-to-youth-8c820b23>)
*October 1, 2026 at 01:13 PM* - The European Commission opens DiscoverEU applications for 18-year-olds to win travel passes across 36 countries starting March 2027.

[Catholic Church Membership Drops in Austria](<https://austriareport.com/article/catholic-church-membership-drops-in-austria-cf190f1f>)
*September 23, 2026 at 02:39 PM* - Austria's Catholic Church saw 66,930 departures in 2025 as total membership fell to 4.49 million despite rising contribution revenues.