(closed) Win a Trip to Relive Your Eurail/Interrail Adventure! 🚆✨

I went on my first Interrail trip at the age of 51. I had never done a trip like that when I was younger, and at fifty, it felt like now or never. I set off on the journey alone. My route took me through Sweden Dennmark, Germany the Czech Republic to Poland, and from Poland through Bratislava, Vienna, and Budapest to the lovely city of Ljubljana in Slovenia. After Slovenia, I spent a few days in Italy. From the too-hot Southern Europe, I continued through the Riviera and across France to Scotland, and finally to Ireland, to the city of Galway before returning home in Finland. My first trip lasted six weeks.

Along the way, I stayed in many wonderful places, mostly in hostels. I also met interesting fellow travelers at these accommodations. Some memorable moments from the trip include a Dixie jazz band playing on the Charles Bridge in Prague, the chilling reception area of Mengele at Birkenau, Miramare Castle in Trieste, the charming villages of Cinque Terre, Parc de Bercy in Paris, the stunning Edinburgh, and Galway Bay—the one mentioned in my favourite Christmas song.

My first Interrail trip was truly the journey of a lifetime!
The second time I used an Interrail pass was last year, when I traveled with my daughter to Rome and Mainz. It was wonderful to share the journey with my beloved daughter and to teach her the tricks of traveling by train.

This autumn, my daughter and I are planning to explore the Baltic countries, although I don't think the Interrail pass covers that region yet. We're really looking forward to the opening of the new rail connection from Tallinn to the rest of Europe, as it could become a more convenient route from Finland—especially since the ferry ride from Helsinki to Tallinn is so quick.

Starting Interrail travel at fifty has definitely turned into a lasting habit for me. Since I don't fly, I also plan to use an Interrail pass for my upcoming work trip to southern France in the spring.

The Baltic states are covered, although trains are fairly cheap there, so a pass may not always be worth it.

I went on my first Interrail trip at the age of 51. I had never done a trip like that when I was younger, and at fifty, it felt like now or never. I set off on the journey alone. My route took me through Sweden Dennmark, Germany the Czech Republic to Poland, and from Poland through Bratislava, Vienna, and Budapest to the lovely city of Ljubljana in Slovenia. After Slovenia, I spent a few days in Italy. From the too-hot Southern Europe, I continued through the Riviera and across France to Scotland, and finally to Ireland, to the city of Galway before returning home in Finland. My first trip lasted six weeks.

Along the way, I stayed in many wonderful places, mostly in hostels. I also met interesting fellow travelers at these accommodations. Some memorable moments from the trip include a Dixie jazz band playing on the Charles Bridge in Prague, the chilling reception area of Mengele at Birkenau, Miramare Castle in Trieste, the charming villages of Cinque Terre, Parc de Bercy in Paris, the stunning Edinburgh, and Galway Bay—the one mentioned in my favourite Christmas song.

My first Interrail trip was truly the journey of a lifetime!
The second time I used an Interrail pass was last year, when I traveled with my daughter to Rome and Mainz. It was wonderful to share the journey with my beloved daughter and to teach her the tricks of traveling by train.

This autumn, my daughter and I are planning to explore the Baltic countries, although I don't think the Interrail pass covers that region yet. We're really looking forward to the opening of the new rail connection from Tallinn to the rest of Europe, as it could become a more convenient route from Finland—especially since the ferry ride from Helsinki to Tallinn is so quick.

Starting Interrail travel at fifty has definitely turned into a lasting habit for me. Since I don't fly, I also plan to use an Interrail pass for my upcoming work trip to southern France in the spring.

 

I forgot to mention earlier that I would like to organize a course on Interrailing—for my young students or for adults in my city. Are there similar courses elsewhere, and are there any ready-made materials available for this?”

Hi all,

I'll tell about my very first solo trip to Switzerland.
I left half september to avoid the summer heat and crowd.
On day one, my journey started in Arnhem (Netherlands), where i took the ICE to Frankfurt. Unfortunatly train had a delay (good lesson to keep your calm and look into your next connection).
At Frankfurt station I had some time to spare for a coffee and a look around.
After this, my trip continued to Zurich where i would stay for 5 nights.

On day 1 I went sightseeing in Zurich city. What an amazing city it is. It felt safe, cozy and such a nice vibe.
Even when it was rainig, i had the most fun. Took the Polybahn for a good view over the city and also took the boat for a roundtrip on Zurichsee.
Walked trough a nice park and visited the Chinagarden, the most pieceful garden in town.

On day 2 I went of to Schaffhausen and Neuhausen am Rhein to visit the biggest waterfall. Such a spectacel to see!
This location is great for a beautiful hike and boattrips near the waterfall.

On day 3 I took the train to Arth-Goldau (with some amazing views), to hop on the mountain train to Rigi Kulm.
Queen of the mountains, this mountain top is absolutely worth a visit!
To make my journey more interesting, I took the train from Rigi Kulm, to Vitzau (other side of the mountain). From this station, you have a good connection with a boat, wich will bring you to Luzern.
This boat will take an hour and give you some beautiful views on houses and mountains.
The boat arrives next to the station of Luzern and it is a short walk to the city.
On my way back to Zurich, I took a little detour to visit Rapperswill, a small town with a nice icecream vendor.

On day 4 I had a journey that did not see a train.
A mountainlake called Klöntalersee, so magical blue, you have to see it to be amazed.
After the lake, the journey continued trough the Pragelpass and it was the best ending of a first solotrip.
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My first journey made such a huge difference in my life, the feeling that you can do so much more than you think.
I would recommend everybody to visit Switserland, for me it was instant love.
 

This year I will return to Switzerland and push the limits of train traveling by completing the Grand Train Tour. This way i will see so much of Switserland.
At 9 stations, you can optain a booklet and a local stamp.
Such a fun way to travel…..and for my cheese fans, there is also a Cheese pasport.

Thanks for reading and looking at the pictures.

I have started my first Interrail trip this summer and I have only completed half of my journey so far. I have been traveling solo and have been to the Netherlands, Belgium, France and England. What I enjoyed most is all the new contacts I have made. I have traveled with not only a backpack but also a rolling travel bag and therefore needed help sometimes with placing it on the luggage rack above the seats on the trains. Having to ask people for help with that led to many nice conversations and exchanged phone numbers. 
I really enjoyed traveling alone but it also has some downsides which is why I would love to do my next trip with my mom. She has not been traveling much lately but she would surely enjoy after some encouragement to just jump into this adventure. 
Here are some pictures of my trip so far:

Rotterdam 

I really liked this train station in Rotterdam 

 Amsterdam

Antwerp central station (also very beautiful)

Antwerp 

First train I took in England (the seagull greeted me really loudly😂) 

London Transport Museum  

 London

 Broadstairs

Herne Bay 

Paris 

 Strasbourg

This was one of the last trains I took. I really found the “Zug macht Pause” (=“train is taking a break”) display funny

Hi!🚂 My name is Klára and I went interrailing with my friend Tereza this summer.

We were lucky enough to receive an interrail pass through DiscoverEU and we wouldn’t hesitate to go again. It’s great that the EU provides young people with such an opportunity. Thanks to this pass we were able to visit Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, Nice, Milan and Venice. I will never forget watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night or the sunrise swims in Nice. 

We were able to discover so many cultures and meet so many amazing people. It truly was the trip of a lifetime. 

I truly hope everyone gets an opportunity like this at least once in their life, because I will hold onto these memories forever.

I could share hundreds of photos, but instead I’ll leave you with this short video that captures how amazing our trip was. Here it is.

Klára and Tereza from Czech Republic🌍

Hi I’m Madi!

A 21 year old uni student from Australia with an incurable travel bug.

I had my first taste of Europe and the Eurail over Christmas 2024. My mum (who I inherited said travel bug from… must be hereditary) had always dreamed of making it over to the other side of the world as it’s a big feat to get there from down under. Finally in a position to take myself, my younger sister, and my partner over with her for an unforgettable winter wonderland trip! 
 

we started the journey in Germany eating our way through bratwursts and schnitzels at magical Christmas markets and feeling like little kids again reliving the magic of Christmas surrounded by snow and flashing lights (not something we were accustomed too back home with our hot christmases and inescapable sand everywhere). We spent Christmas Day in Fussen, Bavaria, exploring the neuschwanstein castle and substituting our Christmas lunch tradition back home for make shift picnic at the bottom of the castle in front of an icy picturesque lake (and of course a bottle of Veuve). From there we made our way to Switzerland where we stayed in Zermatt. Zermatt felt like a magical fairytale town that didn’t make any sense to be real, even thinking about it now feels like my imagination picturing the snowy ice capped mountain in circling us or the view from the edge of town overlooking the wooden chalets as the towns lights began turning on as the sunset behind the Matterhorn. 
 

The little girl in me then had her dreams come true when we arrived in Paris for our longest stay of the trip. Seeing the Eiffel Tower with my own eyes was a surreal feeling I’ll never forget, and made even more magical watching it sparkle at night from a floating restaurant on the Seine enjoying the best burrata and duck that still make my mouth water just thinking about it, or the orange cocktail that I ordered a few too make of… we stayed in Paris for New Year’s Eve where we watched the fireworks and welcomed the new year 2025 in standing in front of the Louve before wandering back to our hotel along the river as more celebrations and people lit their own fireworks as we passed by. 
 

we finished our whirlwind of a trip with a quick teaser of London and Edinburgh before finishing off our trip with some Amsterdam fun along the camels and more stroopwaffles and frites than one person should be able to stomach. We used the Eurail pass for all of our travel days, filling the time with snacks and way too many games of uno (I definitely won the most games overall obviously).

Returning home to the other side of the globe after 24 hours of flights, us Aussies will remember this trip for the rest of our lives. It opened up the rest of the world to us and sparked the initiative for my partner and I to plan our own grown up trip to Italy which we successfully managed in July of this year. Now we’re already planning and budgeting for our next. The world hasn’t seen the last of us, and we definitely haven't seen the last of the world yet!

Why I want to take a Eurail trip again, and leave the kids behind to go with my husband…

France, Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and Switzerland — Just the Two of Us

As an Australian, travelling through Europe by train has always held a special magic for me. The thought of weaving through picturesque landscapes, hopping between vibrant cities, and soaking up diverse cultures is an experience I always got excited about however was never able to afford the time or expense to go until last year.

In December 2024, in my 50th year and my eldest daughter’s 21st year, I was finally able to afford the long journey from Australia to Europe with my children Ella (14) and Madison (21). We left my husband at home to look after our other children, our two fur babies: Prince (our toy poodle) and Buster (Ella’s cat).

Having done a Eurail trip before, I know how rewarding and memorable the journey can be — and that's exactly why I want to do it again, this time with my husband by my side, just the two of us. We’ll leave the kids at home to look after the fur babies now that Madison is an adult.

Rediscovering Adventure as a Couple

Sharing these adventures with my husband allows us to reconnect in a way that's sometimes hard in the bustle of everyday life. Without the responsibilities and distractions that come with travelling as a family, we can focus on each other and rediscover what makes our relationship special. Wandering hand in hand through the streets of Paris, Amsterdam's canals, the historic sites of Berlin, the scenic beauty of Switzerland, and the charm of the UK offers us a chance to make new memories together — just as a couple.

A Different Pace and Style

As parents, travelling with children is wonderful in its own way, but it often means compromise: slower schedules, family-friendly activities, and the constant need to keep everyone entertained and happy. With just my husband, we can be spontaneous — taking detours, lingering in art galleries, enjoying long café lunches, and perhaps even indulging in a late-night stroll without worrying about tired teenager’s growing pains in their legs. This kind of trip lets us tailor our journey to our own interests and pace.

Shared Interests and Experiences

There are certain experiences that are simply more enjoyable when shared with a partner who appreciates the same things — whether it's sampling local wines in France, exploring the museums of Amsterdam, taking in the breathtaking scenery from a Swiss train carriage, or relaxing in a cosy British pub. Travelling as a couple enables us to seek out activities and destinations that appeal to us both, making the trip uniquely ours.

Time for Ourselves

As parents, it's easy to put the kids first and forget about our own needs for rest, relaxation, and fun. A Eurail trip gives us a rare opportunity to focus on ourselves, enjoy each other's company, and return home refreshed. The children will have their own adventures while we have ours, and we’ll come back with stories to share and new energy for family life.

Why Not Bring the Children?

Don’t get me wrong, I had the absolute best experience travelling with my children last year. We made memories to last a lifetime, arriving in Paris we travelled on our Eurail Global pass over a three-week period through Christmas and New Years to Cologne, then to Nuremburg, Zurich, Zermatt, Paris for New Years Eve, London, Edinburgh, Amsterdam and back to Paris before flying over 24 hours all the way back home to Australia.

We enjoyed the white Christmas which we had only ever seen on movies, with a truly unique and magical Christmas Day picnic visiting Neuschwanstein Castle. We laid out a picnic of local produce and popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate being together and sharing this memorable unique experience. We enjoyed every train journey between each of the destinations in our itinerary. We selected hotels that were conveniently located to the train stations so that we could enjoy as much time as possible exploring and experiencing each location, rather than flying and losing time transiting to airports and waiting for planes. Travelling by train allowed us all to enjoy the scenery, whereas if we had hired a vehicle, the driver (me), would have needed to focus on the road.  

Our time together was special, with memories we are all grateful to have and to hold onto. Some memories were captured in photos, which I have shared to further paint the picture of our trip and our experience. As the designated photographer, travelling with teenagers sometimes involved taking many many many shots to ensure they are “insta” worthy

. In all seriousness though I am so grateful to have had this experience with my two daughters and to have captured so many in photos that I often look back on fondly.

It was an ambitious itinerary, and we covered a lot of Europe on our very first European sampler experience. Our trip was not all exploring however, there were some long periods of travel and thankfully travelling by train made it easy and enjoyable. We came prepared for these long periods of travel. We had packed a deck of UNO cards to play on the trains, downloaded music and movies and travelled with a packed picnic that we were able to lay out on the tables in the four seat configurations we had pre-booked. We laughed, we sang and danced (well I did, and the kids rolled their eyes at me as teenagers do) and we ate, drank and were all so merry.

Undoubtedly the trip was transformative, for each of us very differently. Although we travelled together, with ages ranges from 50, 21 to 14 our experiences and observations were so very different. I had one wish for this trip, to experience snow falling and was so excited to have my very first experience of snow falling while we were in Edinburgh, this is not an experience that you’d have living in Queensland, Australia. My eldest daughter and her boyfriend have already had a return trip this year, travelling to Italy together. The travel bug is real! My younger daughter is now wanting to plan another trip for us together to travel by train around Italy. Our experience travelling to the literal other side of the world has opened our eyes to new ways of life, new languages and for me an interest in history. The world is truly our oyster, and we are all very hungry for more travel adventures.

Why us

We adore our kids and love travelling with them, but this time we’re after something a bit different: a romantic getaway, a chance to strengthen our bond after being together 25 years, and a time to simply enjoy being together as a couple. The kids will have their own holidays in future — and when they're older, we'll embark on another grand European train adventure as a family, perhaps with grandchildren too…. For now, this trip is about us, and I can't wait to see what memories we create reliving the European train journey together.

• Our trip from France (even: TOULOUSE!) only by train to Denmark, Germany and Sweden was unforgettable because train = really travelling, instead of planes which are only consumption! taking time for travelling is so important! We also could chose our destination( Malmo from Copenhagen) at the last minute. SO GREAT. Unforgettable trip!

• I want to share this experience with my all Instagram followers to convince them that train is so great and more funnier than flying!

• We travelled from France to Germany via Cologne and Hambourg , then to Denmark via Odense and Copenhague and then to Malmo (Sweden). See our photos! Everywhere it was magic with EURAIL + E-Bikes

• Cecile & Stephane From France (Toulouse)

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

   

Pages from my Eurail summer

When I turned eighteen, my high school classmates and I decided to try our luck by entering the European contest that offered Eurail tickets to eighteen-year-olds.Our idea was simple but special: to use that once in a lifetime chance to celebrate the end of high school and our graduation together.

Six of my friends and I were among the lucky winners, and so, at the end of the summer, we set off on our journey.

We left our island, Sardinia, behind its turquoise sea and scorching days, carrying more excitement than clothes in our backpacks.

A flight took us to Milan, the starting point of our adventure. Its central station became our gateway to Europe.

From there, we boarded our very first train: a night journey. To save money (and for the thrill of it), we decided to spend those uncomfortable hours on regular seats instead of sleepers. At dawn, with sunlight filtering through the windows and our backs still sore, we woke up in Budapest.

Now, imagine six young girls trying to agree on a single itinerary—it wasn’t easy.

But I had one goal: to visit Budapest, and with a bit of persistence I managed to convince everyone.

The city charmed us right away. It was vibrant, glowing in golden light that made every corner look picturesque. In August, the weather was perfect, and our days drifted by in a mix of walks and laughter.

The last day there was unforgettable. My friend Sara and I went off on our own to visit the famous baths, and later we spent the afternoon near the Fisherman’s Bastion. At some point, we realized we were somehow stuck on that side of the river. A little nervous, we called the other girls who were across town. In the end, we gave up and sat on the grass. Soon after, the sun set and the sky lit up. Without knowing it, we had arrived in Hungary on St. Stephen’s Day, the national holiday. Fireworks, music, crowds of people. An unexpected kind of magic, one of those nights you never forget. 

Our second stop was Vienna. We arrived late at night, tired. Only the next morning, walking among the grand white palaces glowing in the sun, did we realize where we were: it felt like stepping into the art history books we had pored over during five years of school. Monuments, squares, and museums were finally in front of our eyes. And in the evening, we discovered the city’s playful side: the Prater amusement park brought us right back to childhood.

Next, it was time for Prague. A city that looks like a painting with its Gothic towers. We loved it in the summer, but I’ve already promised myself I’ll come back in winter, when the cold and Christmas markets make it even more magical. Here, more than in any other city, we got to experience the nightlife, and between pubs and clubs, we met guys and girls from all over Europe.

In the afternoon, we caught yet another train and stopped in Hannover, a quick stop just to break up the long train journey. We didn’t expect much, but there we discovered the best kebab of our lives, eaten in the Turkish neighborhood near the station.

Almost at the end: Amsterdam, the only city all six of us had on our wishlist, and it even exceeded our expectations. The canals, the narrow streets crowded with bicycles, the tall, narrow houses, the art, and the energy at every corner made us want to stay longer, but the train was waiting to take us to the last capital on our route.

And then, Paris. We all knew the city already, but it was truly perfect. We visited every museum almost like running a marathon, went shopping, and admired the big boutiques. By now, we had met so many people from all over the world, and feeling like we were in a movie, we organized a picnic at the foot of the Eiffel Tower with other backpackers. Everyone brought something to snack and drink, and we shared our stories, our lives, each of us speaking English with the accent of our hometown. I will always treasure that moment in my heart and wish I could frame it on my wall.

This trip was the perfect chance to discover my independence: for the first time, I felt in control of my time and my choices.

I realized that what truly makes me happy and what I want to do in life is to travel, to get lost in the stories of strangers, to meet people and discover tales I would never know if I stayed in one place.

Today, I’m ready for a new Eurail journey, with a more mature perspective and a different awareness: to keep exploring, but with more experience, new ideas, and new itineraries in mind.

Although my first experience gave me something deeply personal, I would love to share a second trip with the boy who was my classmate back then, who stayed home because he didn’t win the contest. Now we’re a couple and love traveling together. It would be the perfect chance to pass on to him the passion for backpacking, long train rides, and a little adventure tucked in our pockets.

Hi, my name is Sophie, I live in The Netherlands and have been traveling by train on my own since I was 9 years old. It started with taking the train to my grandparents during school holidays, they lived at the other side of the country. Not long after that I travelled to concerts in Europe, quick city-trip getaways or visiting friends abroad. Train traveling is a big part of my life, it’s my freedom.

Early 2022 I decided to go for my first Interrail trip. I bought the 15 days in a row pass at Schiphol Airport (wanted a paper pass!) and left on my birthday and honestly, I couldn’t have given myself a better birthday gift. The trip was one of the best trips of my life! Almost 5.400 km with 34 trains through 12 beautiful European countries. From Den Haag to Berlin to Warsaw to Krakow to Wroclaw to Prague to Vienna to Bratislava to Budapest (with a OneRepublic concert) to Zagreb to Ljubljana to Sevnica to Ljubljana to Venice to Verona to Bergamo to Nice to Lyon to Brussels to Antwerp back to Den Haag. What an adventure that was!

And no, I didn’t spend all my time in trains, I still made 30.000-40.000 steps each day! I wanted to make sure to see, explore and experience as much as possible. I love viewing points, so that’s where I went to in almost every city. And of course.. the food!! From birthday ice-cream at Hard Rock Café Berlin to schnitzel in Vienna to pizza in Venice to dining at Retek in Budapest with my Hungarian friend.

As I am a lady solo-traveller with a love for nature I take only day trains to not miss out on any scenery. During my travel from Zagreb to Ljubljana the border patrol caused some delay, so I arrived late. I had a feeling I had missed a lot of beautifulness so the next morning I went back halfway, to Sevnica, to check the route by daylight and yes it was so worth it!

But my all-time favourite is the Côte d’Azur line, the coast route near the Mediterranean is absolutely gorgeous. The plan was to go to Geneva, but one of my best friends moved to Nice short before that, so I decided to visit her. The moment I arrived in Nice, it felt like I could breathe for the very first time. It was a special end to an amazing trip.

Christmas 2024 I went back to Nice and took the train to Monaco and back to relive a part of that Interrail trip.

The urge for another Interrail trip got bigger and in May this year I had my second Interrail trip. Again, I went to Schiphol Airport to buy a paper pass, 22 days in a row this time. Starting 2 days before my birthday, destination: UK and Ireland. Compared to the 2022 trip, this one was a bit more train life to the next level: 6.000 km with 60 trains, 2 ferries and some busses. From Den Haag over Wellingborough to York, via Carlisle & Newcastle to Edinburgh, via Aberdeen to Inverness to Loch Ness to Wick, via Thurso to Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh to Perth to Glenfinnan to Fort William to Mallaig, via Crianlarich to Oban to Glasgow to Cairnryan to Belfast to the Giant's Causeway to Coleraine to Belfast, via Dublin to Galway to the Cliff's of Moher to Mallow to Killarney & The Ring of Kerry to Cork to Glendalough & Wicklow Mountains to Dublin to Holyhead to Liverpool to Manchester to Chester, via Swansbury & Llandrindod & Llanelli to Swansea to London back to Den Haag. Of course, I had to finish this trip with a Hurts concert in London.

A special moment was at the Stena Line between Cairnryan and Belfast. There were very few passengers on the ship and at one point I was alone at the sundeck, looking at a gorgeous sunset, having a real me-moment.

This trip had its personal challenges, battles, frustrations and lessons, also because I was pretty sick the first part of the trip, but had to continue. The main point is to keep seeing the beauty through the struggles. Solo-traveling has taught me more about myself than anything else and it only makes me stronger. I am at my best when I am wandering. And honestly.. the scenery of the Scottish Highlands and the many clear lakes make you forget about all your worries! I grew up in FarmVille, but I’ve never seen so many animals out in the open as during the train ride from Edinburgh up to Wick.

I am still amazed that I could do both routes as planned and all that with almost no delay. And... almost no rain!!! The sun was there every single day.

There is one thing I want to share and that is to encourage every single one of you to go on a solo trip at least once in your life. Don’t let anyone stop you to go for whatever you want or wherever you want to go.

These trips, the experiences and memories, will always stay with me in my heart and mind! (and on my skin as I dedicated a tattoo to each).

I was mid-planning for my next trainlife to the next level trip, when I saw this competition and decided to try my luck and enter. It would be a double win, for my love of travel and to use it for my 40th birthday trip. Thank you Eurail/Interrail for making all of this possible.

ps. I've over 17.000 pics of these trips, but I tried to make a selection :)

Hello all!!!

My name is Roisin, I am a 44 year old Mammy to Sophie and Ted and married to Dave. We are from beautiful Ireland and love nothing more than travelling. I am working in a hospital here in Dublin since 2019 so after Covid, all staff that worked during the pandemic were given 1000e for our hard work. Luckily I saw the anniversary of Interrail online with 50% off tickets so with the money we booked the passes. Myself and the hub went many many moons ago 2001 and 2002  but always remembered the fun and exciting experience. 

So off we went. I was a little nervous with the app as I was use to the paper ticket style but the app was class! So easy and great information on it about miles travelled and countries visited etc.

We had an absolute ball. Was so much handier with the Internet on the phones for booking accommodation and looking up sightseeing excursions and directions lol. I've memories from Prague and Rome just going off with some strangers in the train stations for accommodation!! Like a scene from taken! Eeeeek!! Still alive though!! Best experience ever! 

So happy the kids have had this cool experience and will definitely look at more adventures with interrail in the future :) 

Check out one of the photos below. My hubby is actually blending in with trains upholstery! Shoes and top! Lol

Hi, my name is Laurenz and at the moment I'm sitting in the train from Stockholm to Oslo.

I just finished school and together with my friends I'm exploring northern and western Europe by train.

We started from our native country Austria to Poland to Lithuania to Lativa to Estonia to Finland by ferry then to Sweden and by bus to northern Norway to Lofoten, which has been my highlight so far.

Our trip will continue to Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France and I'm really seeing forward to the experiences waiting for us there.

Before our departure in Wels we had mixed feelings as we were very excited and nervous, but also unsure about our package as we have to pack summer clothes for Poland in August but also warm things for Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle, and all of this is on your back for the next two months.

But so far I can say it's a great experience. I'm having the time of my life at the moment. All worries and responsibilities from daily life is paused. The only deadline you have to meet is your next train and in our case catch the next too good to go package. That's how i define freedom!

I share this experience with my friends from school. A trip like this welds together like nothing else can do. My next trip I will definitely plan with the squad again!

You can't define interrail on one kind of travelling. It's all in one. From visiting museums toexploring cities, but also hiking and bathing in the 10°C cold sea at Lofoten with great view. For saving time we crossed the Finnish-Swedish border by a 1.5 hour walk. Who can say they went to Sweden by foot? Not many people I guess😉

All I was reporting right now was just 2.5 weeks of 8 weeks in total. I could tell a thousend more stories, but instead the rest is on the following pictures:

(PS -->check out our instagram account @interrailmause)

Hi, my name is Elisa and a couple of years ago I went on my first Interrail trip. At the time, I was struggling with my mental health during university. I had been stuck on my thesis for months and felt completely drained, so I decided to take some time off and travel on my own.

It wasn’t a long or carefully planned trip with lots of destinations. I just wanted to go with the flow, wander, and find some peace because of my situation. I started in Paris, wandering the streets, stopping for boeuf bourguignon in small cafés, and visiting museums. Visiting the Cernuschi Museum was a highlight for me, I’ve always loved Asian art, and walking through the galleries reminded me of the creative side of myself I hadn’t felt in a while.

From Paris I headed into Switzerland. In Lausanne, I visited the Olympic Museum and found the stories of athletes really inspiring. I even swam in the cold waters of Lake Léman, which was refreshing and felt like a reset. Near Montreux, I hiked through hills covered in wild daffodils and then took the historical panoramic train up to Gstaad, and next to wander around the castle of Gruyère. 

In Zürich, I joined a chocolate tour and visited the Lindt museum, tasting more chocolate than I probably should have, and explored the city’s small museums. Along the way, I stayed in hostels in Paris, Lausanne, Luzern, and Zürich, meeting other travelers and swapping stories over morning teas (because I don’t drink coffee 🥲)

After about ten days of traveling, I was on a train through the Swiss mountains, sitting by the window, watching lakes, peaks, and forests pass by, when I finally opened my laptop. For the first time in months, I started writing again. Seeing the scenery and feeling the rhythm of the train helped me find focus, and slowly I began to feel like myself again.

Traveling is often seen as running away from problems, but for me, it helped me see myself from a different perspective, gave me hope, and slowly rebuilt my self-esteem.

By the time I returned home, I could finally pick up my thesis and start making progress. The trip gave me space to breathe, explore, and reconnect with what I enjoy. That’s why I would love the opportunity to experience it again, to go with the flow, and discover new cities and countries 🥰

 
Ciao! 👋🏼 

We are Emanuela and Fernando, two young Italians who have been together for almost nine years. Traveling has always been a cornerstone of our relationship, something that defines us as a couple and constantly enriches our bond.
Our Interrail through Scandinavia was an unforgettable and deeply transformative journey, not only because of the places we visited but above all because of the personal meaning it carried. The idea of traveling across those countries by train came from Fernando’s father’s dream, who had long wished to explore those lands but, due to illness, never had the chance. When his health declined, we both felt the need to turn that dream into reality, to make him live it through our eyes and share it with him, even from afar. Every city, every landscape, every encounter was also for him, and that is what made the experience so unique and unrepeatable.
It was moving to know that while we were discovering new cultures, he was moved along with us. We will never forget his smile when we sent him a picture of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, a moment that held all the beauty and strength of that special bond.
Our journey took us through wonderful destinations: we started from Salerno, and even the long train ride to Milan already felt like part of the adventure. From there, we continued on to Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Bergen, Oslo, Gothenburg, Hamburg, and finally back to Milan. Each city left a different mark on us: the vibrant modernity of Berlin, the joyful embrace of Copenhagen during the LGBTQ+ Pride that we experienced with enormous enthusiasm, the majesty of the Norwegian landscapes that seemed like paintings.
We didn’t just travel to receive, but also to give. From Italy, we brought with us a small symbol of our homeland, Campania: the cornicino, a traditional good-luck charm. In every home that welcomed us, we left a piece of our story by gifting this amulet—simple and heartfelt—as a gesture of gratitude. It was our way of saying “thank you,” of intertwining our roots with those who opened their doors to us, of bringing a fragment of the South into the lands of the North.
Bergen stayed in our hearts more than any other place. Its quiet streets, its serene atmosphere, the genuine smiles of the people we met, and those simple yet unforgettable moments—like tasting the best salmon sandwich of our lives or sharing beers on an old pier with strangers who, in just a few hours, became friends—will forever be part of us. It was in Bergen that Fernando decided to mark his skin forever with a memory of this journey: a tattoo of one of its landscapes.
Emanuela also chose to carry this experience on her skin, tattooing the route of our Interrail in rainbow colors. That rainbow, which we so often saw outside the train window, became a symbol of our journey: a sign of joy, freedom, and unity, reinforced by the unforgettable experience of Pride in Copenhagen.
This trip taught us that true wealth lies in simplicity. We learned to savor every moment, to appreciate the beauty of small things, to take nothing for granted. It showed us that behind every culture there are people ready to welcome you with warmth, to share smiles and stories, to leave us with memories that changed us from within.
Today, if we could, we would relive every moment of that journey and repeat it a thousand times. We would love to share it again with Fernando’s father, even if only through our words, because we know that for him it felt a little like being there. And we would love to relive it together once more, as adventure companions, continuing to build memories that will stay with us for a lifetime.
Interrail is so much more than simply moving from one place to another by train: it is an experience that opens your mind, teaches you to live in the present, and invites you to be surprised by the unexpected. It is a journey that transforms you and that, for us, gave us the greatest gift of all: making Fernando’s father happy before he left this world, filling our hearts with emotions that we will carry with us forever.

Thank you for reading our story, and we wish all fellow Interrailers a journey that may help them discover themselves.

Emanuela & Fernando 🩷🌈

My Interrail trip was unforgettable because it let me see Europe in a way no other journey could. Every train ride felt like opening a new chapter. Different languages, new landscapes and a new culture waiting at the next stop. Even when things went wrong, there was always some twist that turned it into a funny story. That’s the magic of Interrail. It keeps surprising you.

I’d love to share this kind of adventure with my partner. Traveling together makes everything more exciting, whether it’s trying food we can’t even pronounce, or getting lost in a town we didn’t mean to visit. Interrail isn’t just about reaching a destination, it’s about the little things you remember along the way.

On my last Interrail, I crossed France, Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Spain and Slovakia in less than twenty days. I didn’t just stick to the big capitals. I ended up in villages like Coo and La Gleize, places that most people have never even heard of, but which had their own charm.

The food was a big part of it too. In Brussels, I basically lived on waffles for a couple of days (and I have no regrets). In Poland, I ate at a traditional milk bar (or bar mleczny) where the menu was cheap, simple and honestly delicious. It felt like a crash course in local life.

Of course, not everything went smoothly. One day we visited a tank museum in Munster, a small village, only to realize our hotel booking was actually in Münster (the big city!), like 200 kilometers away. What a blunder! But somehow, with a mix of last-minute trains and a bit of running, we made it to the hotel. That kind of chaos became part of the fun.

And then there were the people. One night I shared a room with about twenty travelers from all over the world. It was noisy, messy, and absolutely unforgettable. You start the evening as strangers and end it swapping stories, snacks, and Instagram handles.

That’s what makes Interrail so special. It’s not just a trip across Europe, it’s a mix of random encounters, good food, mistakes that turn into stories, and the thrill of always being on the move. It’s the kind of adventure you never really stop talking about.

I can’t wait to see where the tracks take me next.🚠

Two years ago, I went interrailing for the first time with my sister, and it completely changed my life. In just a few weeks I created so more memories and friendships than I ever thought possible. I made friends I would never have otherwise met (Melissa, Emily, Harry and George- you know who you are!). I bring up my interrailing experience all the time to the point where my friends are probably fed up of hearing about it, which is why I’d love nothing more than to make new memories with them and show them how magical it is.

Interrailing forces you out of your comfort zone in the best way and I couldn’t be more grateful- I was far too shy to strike up a conversation with strangers or stay in hostels but would never hesitate to do anymore. I’ll never forget meeting two girls in Amsterdam and reuniting with them later in Italy. Interrailing gave me confidence, friendships, and experiences I never could have found at home.

I would love to go travelling again with my best friend who didn’t get the chance to come with us the first time. We are both obsessed with watching Race Across the World and have always dreamed about being able to experience a trip similar to it. I worked for a year to be able to afford my first trip with my sister who was lucky enough to win a free pass through a competition. We both come from working-class backgrounds where travelling around Europe together was always a pipe dream we wouldn’t be able to afford. That’s why winning this pass would mean the world: it’s more than a trip, it’s a chance to live out a dream we never thought possible.

On my interrailing trip we started in Amsterdam and loved the gorgeous architecture, so much so that I am returning for a getaway this winter. We took a day trip to Zaanse Schans to see the windmill village and a fascinating live clog-making demonstration. We then travelled to Zurich, where there was an abundance of natural beauty in the public parks and stunning views on the uetliberg (although the hike to the top was hard to appreciate in 35 degree heat). Next up was Lake Como in Italy with stunnning blue waters and the best pasta in the world that I still think about and have never been able to recreate. After swimming in the beautiful blue lake waters I took up wild swimming as a new pasttime, though it is hard to compare the Welsh dips in the freezing cold Atlantic ocean to Lake Como in the summertime. We then travelled to Milan where we met up with some friends we made in Amsterdam for a daytrip shopping in the fashion district. I would absolutely love to go back to Milan as even though we were able to spend 3 days there, I still was left with an uncompleted itinerary. As a history nerd, the preserved renaissance era buildings like the Duomo and Cripta di San Sepolcro fascinated me and I would love to go back and visit inside the Duomo, which we unfortunately didn’t have time for on my trip. We also took a day trip to Bologna to eat Spaghetti Bolognese as a mandatory right of passage and climb the Asinelli Tower which had such gorgeous views photos could never do it justice. Finally, we spent our last day in Paris and visited the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, but I would love to go back for a longer stay to see Notre Dame cathedral in all of it’s glory. 

To be able to do it all again, this time with my best friend by my side, before we graduate and life carries us in different directions would mean more than I can ever put into words. It wouldn’t just be another trip. It would be the chance to create stories we’ll tell for the rest of our lives.

​Hi, my name is Laurenz and at the moment I'm sitting in the train from Stockholm to Oslo.
I just finished school and together with my friends I'm exploring northern and western Europe by train.
We started from our native country Austria to Poland to Lithuania to Lativa to Estonia to Finland by ferry then to Sweden and by bus to northern Norway to Lofoten, which has been my highlight so far.
Our trip will continue to Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France and I'm really seeing forward to the experiences waiting for us there.
Before our departure in Wels we had mixed feelings as we were very excited and nervous, but also unsure about our package as we have to pack summer clothes for Poland in August but also warm things for Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle, and all of this is on your back for the next two months.
But so far I can say it's a great experience. I'm having the time of my life at the moment. All worries and responsibilities from daily life is paused. The only deadline you have to meet is your next train and in our case catch the next too good to go package. That's how i define freedom!
I share this experience with my friends from school. A trip like this welds together like nothing else can do. My next trip I will definitely plan with the squad again!
You can't define interrail on one kind of travelling. It's all in one. From visiting museums toexploring cities, but also hiking and bathing in the 10°C cold sea at Lofoten with great view. For saving time we crossed the Finnish-Swedish border by a 1.5 hour walk. Who can say they went to Sweden by foot? Not many people I guess😉
All I was reporting right now was just 2.5 weeks of 8 weeks in total. I could tell a thousend more stories, but instead the rest is on the following pictures:
(PS -->check out our instagram account @interrailmause)

I am Dr. Carl.  I am 48 years old and a triple citizen of the Republic of Georgia, the United States of America, and Sweden (and by extension the European Union).  I have had a lifelong love of traveling, as I have been to 127 countries on 6 continents, including every country in Europe.  I have ridden on trains in every European country that has them, except for Ukraine and Bosnia.  I have used an Interrail pass in 24 of the 33 countries on it.  I have lost count of how many Interrail passes I have had, but it is at least half a dozen.

The most memorable one is clearly the summer of 1997 when I was 20.  As a 12-year old boy in 1989, I remember watching with excitement the people of Eastern Europe overthrowing communism and embracing democracy.  I was so eager to go to Eastern Europe.  My parents, still with memories of the Cold War, were still reluctant to let me go there.  I had met a Bulgarian guy at my university and he invited me to Bulgaria.  My parents finally agreed to let me go, if my father would accompany me on the way.  So we bought Interrail passes and went from Sweden to Bulgaria.  

We started out in Nässjö, Sweden, an important rail city!  Indeed, my grandfather taking me there to watch the trains back in 1983 when I was 6 probably started my lifelong love of train travel.  From there we took the ferry to Poland.

I was so excited to arrive in Eastern Europe for the first time (other than the former East Germany).  I remember thinking to myself, here is a whole other half of Europe with a whole other set of languages to learn.  I had made it my goal to visit every country in Europe and to learn most of the languages of Europe to at least the B1 or minimal A2 level.  By that time, I had already been to most though not yet all of Western Europe and in addition to my national languages of English and Swedish, I had already studied a number of the notable Western European languages, mainly French, Italian, and Spanish.  

Anyway, on our first train ride in Poland we showed the Polish train conductor our Interrail passes.  The look of shock on his face when he saw the passes. He had no idea what to do with them.  Thankfully, he accepted them!  

From the southern town of Katowice we got an overnight train to Budapest.  Unfortunately at the time there was severe flooding in much of central Europe, so some trains had to be diverted.  The train was so late that I thought we had already arrived in Hungary.  I was so wrong.  The Polish officials border the train to inspect it.  I remember how oppressive the border crossings in Eastern Europe seemed, compared to the open borders of Western Europe that I was used to.  

We arrived in Budapest and we spent the whole day there seeing the city until we took another overnight train to Bucharest.  We then spent the whole day in Bucharest before taking another overnight train to Sofia.  At some point during the night, the train obviously passes thru the town of Pleven, Bulgaria, a town where just two years later I would be living as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching English in a tourism high school.  

My father then went back to Sweden by himself and I hung out with the Bulgarians for a week or so.  It was an incredibly fun time at three different Bulgarian towns.  During my time in Bulgaria, I also took the train for a day or so to Istanbul, Turkey for the first time before returning to Bulgaria.  

After Bulgaria, I went to Greece, also for the first time.  I remember standing in amazement early morning at the Acropolis thinking to myself, so this is where our amazing European/Western Civilization all began!  From Athens I went by train to Patras, Greece, where the ferry to Brindisi, Italy, also included in the Interrail pass went. 

From Brindisi I took the train to Rimini, Italy, so that I could take a bus to San Marino, for my first ever visit there.  Although I had been to Italy before, I had never been to Venice before!  I saw Venice on my way from Italy to Slovenia, and then to Croatia.  

From Croatia I went back to Hungary.  From Hungary I went to Slovakia.  On the way down, I merely passed thru Slovakia.  This time, I actually saw Bratislava.  From Slovakia I went to Czechia, though not Prague (I would see Prague years later).  From Czechia back to Poland and finally from Poland back to my grandparents house in Sweden. 

That trip was memorable to me for so many reasons, especially for the ones that I have already mentioned.  So here I am nearly 30 years older, and nearly 30 kgs heavier!  I often reflect back on that trip on how far both I as an individual and Eastern Europe as a region have come.  I have since gone on to get married, have two children, earn 4 Master’s Degrees and a PhD and visit 127 countries.  I have since studied 28 languages in some capacity, though I can’t speak them all just yet.  I have also had an amazing teaching career.    

When thinking about how far Eastern Europe has come, I often think of the 8 Eastern European countries I visited on this trip as a reference point.  Including Sweden where I started and tiny San Marino, I was in 13 different countries on that trip, 11 for the first time.  Back then, only 3 (Greece, Turkey, and Italy) were in NATO.  Today, other than technically San Marino, all of them are.  Back then, only three (Sweden, Italy, and Greece) were in the European Union.  Today, all of them except for Turkey and San Marino are.  Back then, only Italy was on Schengen.  Today, Schengen covers all of those countries except for Turkey and technically San Marino.  Back then, the Euro didn’t even exist.  Today, half of those countries are on it.  The euro sure would have made my 1997 trip easier!

Although I have since been back to all of those countries (except for San Marino) at least once, recreating that trip would be so amazing.  If you pick me as your winner, I would love to be filmed speaking each of these languages to the local population in order to encourage multilingualism.  (I can’t speak Hungarian though!)

While I don’t have any pictures to show, as this was before digital photography and my physical pictures are at my home in Georgia and I am currently at my home in the United States. (I split my time between my three countries and world travel.)  

However, I have dreamed of getting my own multilingual travel show.  I made a short video about Tbilisi in 65 different languages where I speak them all.  I apologize that some of my earlier videos were not good, even though those are some of my stronger languages.  Here is the English version.  Check out the others. 

https://youtu.be/OkC9nDeZO94

And remember, there is a whole world out there just waiting to be explored.  So don’t just sit there, go somewhere...by train!

Dr. Carl Reinhold Augustsson

Hello everyone, my name is Alex, and I am a 19-year-old student from Romania studying Geography in Bucharest ( and now also an Erasmus student at Aix-Marseille).
My Interrail trip changed my life completely. Before it, I had barely traveled to other countries and only in trips with big groups, which didn’t allow me to create my own itinerary. I was afraid of making bookings or even buying airplane tickets. I didn’t grow up doing many things outside of my comfort bubble, so I really wanted to take this trip to encourage me to try new things. And it was really the experience of a lifetime.
For me, travelling with Interrail across Europe was really an initiation into adulthood. I learned so many things about other countries, but also about myself. And something in that trip just clicked for me. I knew it. I realized that this is what I want to do now, as a young student. To travel as much as possible! Everyone has a different way of pursuing something as a hobby. Mine is to travel and explore the world :)
 
I would love to share this experience with everyone I know. I planned the Interrail trip after the first year of university, and during that year I asked everyone if they had gone Interrailing. And everyone told me that they didn’t go, or they didn’t end up going. So for a long time, I felt like the only person from my class who went Interrailing. In Romania, people don’t travel as much as people from other countries. For me, the biggest shock when choosing Geography was the fact that most of my colleagues don’t really travel. Not even to nearby cities in Romania. So I want to encourage more people, Romanians but also other people, to travel more, because these are the experiences that really matter in life. I have already told everyone about this trip and I always mention it to other high schoolers which will soon turn 18 and will be able apply for the Interrail Pass. I want more people to be able to enjoy the beauty of travelling!
So my friend and I  went a little bit crazy with our journey, but it was totally worth it. We went through 10 different countries, starting from Paris and making our way back to our hometown in NW Romania. We explored cities of all kinds, from the European big capitals such as Paris or Berlin to the medieval towns of Bruges and Ghent in Belgium. I love urbanism, so when I made the itinerary, I included cities famous for their projects of all kinds, from Utrecht with its pedestrian-friendly infrastructure to Dresden, renowned for its city center reconstruction. We were able to visit our friends from other countries and even visit family members, so we got the chance to meet old and new friends, sometimes in the most unexpected situations. Our favourite cities were Paris, Prague, and Dresden, and I honestly can't wait to go back there.
We survived through the highs ( we got free ice cream and a free beer tour in Prague on the same day) and the lows ( losing personal items, missing the last bus back home, being dizzy after that beer tour :)), and we pushed forward. My favourite day was the first day of our trip in Paris, where we struggled for 2 hours to get the transportation card and find a way back home because our only metro line in the area was closed. But seeing Paris for the first time and getting the chance to walk around the city as much as I wanted to really made my day. The worst day was probably the day when we were heading towards Viena and we realized we don’t have accommodation for the night and there were no night trains that we could take so when we arrived in Viena at 2 am in the morning, we just went with our luggage after us through Vienna for 12 hours straight and really explored the city center without any tourists in it. And we got to see the beauty of the dawn :)
Too many stories to tell in just a paragraph. That’s why I was considering starting a channel to tell people about my experience and help them get the best out of their trips by giving them advice.

And now some random pictures because I cant upload all of them:

And a 100 euro fine ( Lets Goooo)

Salut moi c'est Maëlle, j'ai 22 ans et je suis actuellement étudiante en ergothérapie. Je suis une petite voyageuse pleine d’énergie, un peu beaucoup hyperactive qui adore l’aventure, la découverte de nouveaux pays , paysages,...

En 2023, j’ai eu une belle opportunité : une longue période sans cours et sans travail prévu. Plutôt que de rester chez moi, j’ai décidé de réaliser un rêve qui me tenait à cœur depuis longtemps : partir seule pendant un mois à travers l’Europe, avec mon sac à dos, mes jambes et un pass Interrail.
C’était la première fois que j’utilisais ce pass, et je suis partie en mai depuis la Suisse. Mon itinéraire m’a menée à travers des villes et des pays magnifiques :

Mon premier stop la France (Colmar, Strasbourg, Metz)
Suivi du Luxembourg
De la Belgique (Bruxelles, Ostende, Bruges, Gand-Saint-Pierre, Anvers)
Des Pays-Bas (Breda, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Groningen)
De l'Allemagne (Leer, Brême, Hambourg, Berlin)
De la République tchèque (Prague)
De l'Autriche (Linz, Salzbourg, Innsbruck)
Et pour clore l'Italie (Venise, Rome, Gênes, Milan)
Avant de rentrer en Suisse en juin.

Ce voyage a été une expérience extraordinaire. J’ai découvert des paysages à couper le souffle, des cultures variées, rencontré des voyageurs, des locaux, des touristes… Bien sûr, tout n’a pas été parfait, mais chaque moment, même les moins agréables, m’a appris quelque chose. Je suis rentrée avec des souvenirs plein la tête, des kilomètres dans les jambes, et surtout une envie folle de repartir.
Voyager un mois peut représenter un certain budget, mais avec un peu d’organisation et le pass Interrail, c’est tout à fait possible. Ce pass m’a offert une grande liberté : je pouvais modifier mes trajets à tout moment, sans stress en cas de retard ou d’annulation. Et si j’avais envie de rester plus longtemps dans un endroit, c’était tout à fait faisable. L’équipe Interrail est aussi très réactive en cas de souci, ce qui m’a beaucoup rassurée.
J’ai adoré voyager en train : c’est confortable, économique, écologique, et cela permet de profiter des paysages tout en étudiant, dessinant ou discutant avec d’autres voyageurs. Voyager seule peut faire peur, mais je vous assure que c’est une expérience à vivre au moins une fois dans sa vie. On apprend à se connaître, à se débrouiller, à s’ouvrir aux autres.
Et un jour, j’aimerais repartir… mais cette fois avec ma maman. C’est avec elle que j’ai fait mon tout premier voyage, à l’âge de 10 mois. Je n’en garde évidemment très peu de souvenir au vu de mon jeune âge, mais pouvoir partager une nouvelle aventure avec elle serait un immense bonheur.

Depuis 1 an, je vis en Belgique pour mes études. Quand je rentre en Suisse, j’utilise

le pass Interrail pour faire l’aller-retour et profiter du voyage. Je pourrais prendre l’avion, mais le train me permet de voyager à moindre coût, de prendre le temps, d’étudier, de dessiner, de rencontrer des gens… et de voir défiler des paysages magnifiques.

Hi! I’m Hannah and this summer I fulfilled one of my biggest childhood dreams: going interrailing with my best friend and my sister. People always say “trios don’t work,” but for us it was the perfect match—we couldn’t have asked for a better adventure together.

For 21 days we traveled across 11 cities (Krakow, Warszaw, Hannover, Copenhagen, Malmö, The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Bruxelles, Luxembourg, and Strasbourg). I could honestly write a whole book about it, but I’ll try to keep it short.

Our journey began with a night train from Austria to Poland. We barely slept, but waking up to the most breathtaking sunrise felt like a sign that we were on the right path. At first, I thought discovering new cities would be the highlight—but actually, I fell in love with the long train rides. They gave me time to reflect and constantly reminded me how lucky I was. We played endless rounds of the Austrian card game “Hosn obi,” filled our travel journals (which probably remembers  more than I do), and just enjoyed being in the moment together.Thinking about it, I also loved hearing so many different languages and we always tried to at least learn the basics like “Hello” and “thank you”. 

What made the trip unforgettable were the little things: running through the streets of Copenhagen in our pajamas to pick up a Too Good To Go bag in time, spotting a rainbow after the rain, or celebrating my best friend’s 18th birthday with pesto noodles on the beach in The Hague while watching the sunset. It sounds simple, but for us it was pure magic. Speeking of magic: We also watched the Firework of Tivoli gardens, which was an amazing show!

Of course, food was another highlight. We ate Pierogi in Warszaw, Haringbrodjes and Stroopwafels in the Netherlands, and the most delicious Belgian waffles in Bruxelles. Before we took the first train from France back home, we had to stop in a bakery and buy some Baguettes for the train ride. Sometimes we lived off Too Good To Go surprises, but those treats made every stop unique.

On the last train back home I had time to reflect everything and as I was scrolling through my 2764 pictures and 179 videos a smile came to my face instantly.

Looking back, interrailing wasn’t just about discovering Europe—it was also about discovering myself and what I’m capable of. I truly believe everyone should experience it at least once in their life.

Two 19yo students from Transylvania + a Eurail pass + questionable last-minute decision-making = our DiscoverEU adventure.

Paris was the proper cliché kickoff, maybe desensitized us to the rest of these amazing destinations: Eiffel Tower, Louvre, croissants. But we also stumbled into Le Plessis-Robinson, which looks like someone rebuilt fairytale castles for the 21st century. Ate like royals - French classics, Moroccan cous cous - basically the opposite of our student diets 😂.

Rouen gave us a reunion with an Erasmus friend from Bucharest and a hike; Brussels gave me a flight to Vilnius completely unplanned, because apparently when investors want to meet about your edtech startup, you leave your friend with Belgian beer and hop on a plane.

Bruges, Ghent: medieval towns straight out of a postcard. Antwerp’s MAS museum was incredible. Rotterdam was a highlight - the Nieuw Institut architecture museum (where we even recorded a podcast like pretentious academics), Erasmus Bridge, and an all-you-can-eat vegan buffet that nearly destroyed us.

Amsterdam was rowing with a Romanian friend, Surinamese food (seriously underrated), and the usual canals. Utrecht impressed us with its pedestrian areas and big church; Cologne had the cathedral and a teleferic; Frankfurt had skyscrapers, the ECB, and, completely randomly, a multicultural festival with concerts.

Luxembourg? Insane height differences, like you take an elevator just to change neighborhoods. Also visited a Romanian friend at Amazon AWS, because apparently I can’t escape our tech bros even on holiday (throwback to my Vilnius escapade).

Berlin after a cold night train felt like home - East Berlin especially, crossing the Iron Curtain in reverse. We also hit the VW Life museum and the TV tower. Dresden had beautiful classical architecture rebuilt from rubble, plus the Gläserne Manufaktur where we saw how electric cars are made.

Prague nearly killed us: a great hike, CAMP urbanism museum, and then an investor-sponsored guided drink tour where we almost passed out near the Romanian Embassy - poetic or ironic, you decide at this point.

Munich: swam in the river. Vienna: survived a 15-hour night train ordeal (12 AM–3 PM awake, then slept 11 hours straight), rewarded with the university, a film festival, and Hundertwasserhaus. Bratislava: fined €100 because apparently we’re too dumb to buy tickets. Budapest: felt almost like home - we got Transylvanian kürtőskalács (still better back home) and amazing gyros.

Why was it unforgettable? Because nothing bonds you like night trains, fines, surprise investor meetings, and eating your way across half of Europe. And yes, I’d do it again with my geography-student travel partner - he was basically my human GPS. Without him, I’d still be in Brussels Googling “flights to Vilnius, Riga - which one was it?” probably…
 

Hello everyone, my name is Prem. I’m from Thailand.My Eurail trip start in 2023 this is the first time I have been flying a solo trip to Europe from Thailand, I have a business trip to join the trip of Rhine River Cruise 5 nights from Cologne to Amsterdam and Rotterdam after end of river cruise program. I had an opportunity to plan a solo trip across Germany by Eurail Pass I’m so excited especially I had a chance to explore many city in Germany. The Christmas Market the festive festival for Asian people like me I love this festive and atmosphere so much. Or discover the Bundesliga Stadium both of Dortmund and Bayern Munich along the ways to explore in Germany I’m so excited and I remember all things happen until now and desire to come back to Europe to travelling by train again

Me start a trip in Germany at Hotel in Frankfurt

Frankfurt Main HBF take ICE Train to Cologne

My Business Trip to Join the River Cruise in Rotterdam

This is my plan for solo travelling across Germany by Train

Glühwein is the signature in Christmas Market don’t miss

I would like to share this experience with everyone on this board and my friend. From my opinion travelling by train in Europe is comfortable for Both local people and tourist the rail system link together The High-Speed Train or local train and make your trip are smooth. It is very easy to reach your dream destination, especially travelling by Eurail Pass. In Germany they have many kinds of train, and you can take unlimited per day I like this benefit so much because on the rail journey possible to emergency case a lot the strike or delay for disruption your trip, that make me decide to book the trip with Eurail Pass you don’t to worry so much adjust change a plan on your device then board and enjoy with the view people. In Thailand are very hot and when winter season we have only a wind but didn’t have a snow it’s different from Europe winter seasonal are good atmosphere this is first time I found the snow that falling to my cloth, I want to know snowing it similar or different from the raining from my country or not . If you have a plan to visit Europe but not sure which seasonal you like I’m suggesting starting with winter and Christmas market don’t forget to be traveling with your couple Friend or lover this is romantic scene for the couple or the person you like and you will remember this scene as long as you come back again like me.

ICE Train very fast and comfortable

Regional Train in short route hop on hop off that you want.

For 7 Day a solo trip in Germany at the starter I think are dangerous and crazy thing to go alone but at the trip begin my feeling it change. If your friends are busy, you can travel alone in Europe. I had a good memory while travelling across Germany with Eurail Pass this is special trip for me. I had an occasion to visit Cologne 2nights with Cologne Christmas Market then I have a day trip to shopping and walking at Dusseldorf this city is famous for shopping street I got the new shoes from Dusseldorf and the next day I go to Dortmund to visit the huge stadium Signal Iduna Park the home of Borussia Dortmund for me I can say the dream come true I see the picture of stadium only on TV and Play Station game but this time I see with my eye in the evening I walk the Christmas Market around the Cathedral and my hotel this is so big and crowned of people I try to taste of hot wine I like Cologne so much the city are huge and good location after that I move to Berlin by ICE Train that are high speed train I enjoy with the view of city nature and entertainment on board during 5 hours not me boring but excited every moment. In Berlin 2 Nights I had an experience to visit a historic place such as the Berlin wall and Brandenburg Gate and I try the Vietnamese Food that I haven’t try before this cousin made me like home in Thailand before I move to Munich by ICE Train in Munich I start a trip for shopping and sightseeing tour around the Marien Platz Square this is city center after that I visit the Christmas Market of Munich and find out some the souvenir of Europe for my family and my friend the next day I go to Allianz Arena Bayern Munich home stadium I’m so impress very much about the Museum inside they show us all of trophy and history that they made I think If you didn’t are the fan of football but I think you will impress and cheer up for this club. I love to shop the football jerseys that I have been looking like icons of that city and the remember tools for me. 

after ends of Business Trip I plan to Day Trip from Cologne to Shopping at Dusseldorf

at the evening walk around Cathedral to visit the Christmas market is Icon of the city Don’t miss this spot

Next day I visit Borussia Dortmund Stadium

 Very huge Stadium and first time of my life to inside Football Stadium

 and I arrive at Berlin HBF I think it’s look like department store more than train station

My selfie at Allianz Arena Bayern Munich 

My seat on board on the way to Berlin HBF

Sunday in Berlin are chilling so much

Finally I got this Allianz Arena

so cute Macarons with Bayern logo

Shopping some souvenir for my family

Marienplatz at night with Christmas Market is the best

This is all message that I would like to share to everyone about my trip with Eurail Pass. I’m desire to come back to Europe especially trip in winter for snow and Christmas Market.

Vlog 💖 

 (Here is the vlog I made for us to remember each moments of our trip !!) 

Je me rappelle Noël dernier, mon grand frère me parlait de ce projet d’interrail qu’il avait avec son meilleur ami. Il fallait que je m’incruste!! Et j’ai bien fait. 

Nous sommes partis de Paris pour deux semaines de voyage en juillet. 

Notre première destination était Amsterdam: 

Nous avons pu visiter la ville, les nombreux parcs et nous nous sommes balader dans chaque recoin de la capitale. Ils faisaient beau et très chaud, nous nous rafraîchissions au bord des canaux ou dans Albert Heijn à la climatisation !! Pour notre première soirée nous sommes allés à NDSM où nous avons passé un très bon moment qui allait être à l’imagine de notre fantastique voyage. 

Après une deuxième journée de l’autre côté d’Amsterdam nous sommes partis à Francfort où nous avons rejoins des amis qui venaient de Nuremberg. C’était une ville très paisible et je pense que le contraste entre les buildings de la ville moderne et les quartiers historiques et les nombreux jardins y est pour beaucoup. Nous nous sommes beaucoup plus là bas. 

Nous sommes ensuite parti pour Zurich et la Suisse, malgré quelques soucis de train et de logement le premier soir, nous avons passé trois jours tout bonnement incroyable. La ville était magnifique, nous avons visité Zurich et nous sommes allés faire une petite randonnée dans l’après midi qui nous a amené au dessus de la ville, nous avions une vue époustouflante. Le soir nous nous sommes baignés dans le canal, le soleil se couchait sur nous, c’était juste magnifique ! Nous avons dormi dans une sorte d’auberge avec des chambres partagées et nous avons rencontré des voyageurs qui venaient des 4 coins du monde. C’était très enrichissant de pouvoir discuter avec eux de nos périples respectifs, des cultures que nous découvrons et des souvenirs que nous en gardons. Le deuxième jour nous avons fait un plus grosse randonnée autour du lac des Quatre Cantons. Qu’est ce c’était beau.. la nature la bas est brute et magnifique, les paysages étaient à couper le souffle, que ça soit au sommet de la randonnée ou dans le lac au cœur des monts, c’était sublime. C’était comme si nous étions seuls au monde et que le temps s’était arrêté. 

Le lendemain nous sommes partis pour Gênes en Italie. J’avais toujours rêvé d’y aller, et ces trois jours étaient plus qu’à la hauteur de mes espérances. Les habitants étaient extrêmement gentils et sociable avec nous. J’ai enfin pu utiliser mon italien !! La ville était sublime, les petites rues sortaient tout droit d’un rêve, il faisait bon, la nourriture était délicieuse, les spritz étaient frais.. 

Le soir nous nous sommes retrouvés sous la pluie. Mais quand je dis pluie, je vous parle vraiment d’averses et d’orage, nous courrions sous la pluie, trempés jusqu’aux os, les chaussures imbibés d’eau. Qu’est ce que nous avons ri, je pense que c’est le moment du voyage où nous avons le plus ri tellement la situation était cocasse, et encore aujourd’hui nous en rions. 

Pour notre dernier jour nous avons parcouru les Cinque Terres et c’était fabuleux, les paysages de l’Italie étaient mémorables. Nous parlions le soir, autour d’un tiramisu sur le port, de la chance que nous avions de vivre cette aventure pleine de rire et de joie. Nous avons non seulement visité des endroits magnifiques mais aussi découvert des cultures, des langues et des gens plus intéressants et gentils les uns que les autres. Les trajets en train nous ont permis de nous reposer et de debriefer sur chacune de nos destinations. Nous sommes rentrés en France des souvenirs plein les poches et plein la tête 

Aujourd’hui je pense à ce voyage très souvent et je regarde nos photos et je souris en me rappelant ces moments que nous avons passé. Et j’aimerais ajouter que si ce voyage a été aussi fantastique, c’est principalement grace aux personnes qui m’accompagnaient, ils ont rendu ce voyage encore plus merveilleux, et nous en gardons tous le meilleur souvenir. Un lien a été créé entre nous trois grâce à cette aventure, et je m’en souviendrai toute ma vie. 
 

Naomi (Aurélien & Erwann) 💖💖