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

Me ?

Being quite independent, curious, and creative by nature, I heard about Interrail from friends who were a little older and were taking advantage of DiscoverEU for their 18th birthdays.

From that moment on, I decided that I wanted to go too. So, in my last year of high school, I decided to plan a trip across Europe, from Paris ( as it's my hometown) to Istanbul, traveling entirely by train (or bus). I met a boy that year, told him about my plan, and we set off on this trip together. Luckily, it was Interrail's 50th anniversary, so we were able to get Interrail Passes at a reduced price.

Why Interrail ?

One of the goals of my trip was to discover new cultures while traveling slowly and in an environmentally friendly way. It was also to develop my creativity through photography, especially film photography.

The trip : from Paris to Istambul

We began our trip with a long journey to Budapest, the Hungarian capital. We loved the historical sites, the sunsets, and the countless cafés that line the right streets.

Then we took our first night train from Budapest to Bucharest. We met a German couple in our cabin who were on their way to a wedding in Romania, and we spent many hours chatting during the slow, but beautiful journey.

When we arrived in Bucharest, we wanted to take the night train to Istanbul, which can only be booked on site... but there were no seats available for five days! So we took the time to discover Romania: a real gem.

A mix of European and Soviet culture, the city of Bucharest deserves to be praised: with its magnificent streets, Russian Orthodox church, Ceausescu's palace, and even its Arc de Triomphe, it was our real favorite part of the trip, unexpected but so beautiful.

As someone who loves film photography, I found this city particularly inspiring.

Finally, we arrived in Istambul: a city of all continents, multicultural, teeming with people. It did not disappoint us.

Between visiting its 1,000 mosques, going for walks, taking boat trips, and tasting Turkish delight, it's a magical city where I could stay for a whole year without discovering all its hidden corners!

And now it's already time to return: passing through Greece, then Italy: a gentle return, following the rhythm of the Greek islands (Corfu) then the boat to Ancona in Italy.

And what next ?

The following year, I was able to travel with Discover EU to Central Europe and the Iberian Peninsula: in short, I am a true Interrail enthusiast, I love sharing everything on my social media, and my stories allow other people to discover Unterraul.

Participating in this “contest” is therefore the logical continuation of my adventures….

I hope to see you soon ahah :)

Léonore, from France

Here is my Instagram account where I share some of my photos/videos : https://www.instagram.com/altolinea/

And some photos from my trip to Istambul ! 

Summer on the Road: From Paris to the Lofoten Islands and Bratislava

Summer 2025 was a wild ride: an awesome trip across Europe that took me from the busy streets of Paris to the wild mountains of the Lofoten Islands — packed with plenty of exciting moments in between.

Paris – City of Art, Cafés, and Church

I kicked things off in Paris, chilling in the charming Le Marais district. Narrow streets, cool little shops, and the unbeatable smell of fresh baguettes everywhere. On Sunday, I found myself in an evangelical church right in the middle of the city — honestly, a surprisingly nice mix of calm and community, like a little home away from home. Of course, a day at the Louvre was a must: Mona Lisa staring at you, people snapping selfies — yet somehow, the art pulled you in. Then, shaking off the culture with some adrenaline at Parc Astérix — roller coasters, laughs, just good old fun.

Heading South: Bordeaux & Marseille

One day I took the train down to Bordeaux. The wine museum blew me away, showing why Bordeaux is famous worldwide. The Cinema du Lumière gave me a taste of movie magic. Cruising the Garonne river by boat and wandering the picturesque old city streets was pure joy — perfect to escape the big city hustle.

Marseille brought the sea to the party: a cool city tour followed by a refreshing swim at the city beach — Mediterranean vibes at their best.

Up North: Sweden and the Special Path

The train took me from Munich through Hamburg to Stockholm — night trains are honestly the best chill zones. I explored Stockholm’s old town and then hopped on another night train deeper north to Abisko. Seven days hiking the Dag Hammarskjöld trail meant pure nature: quiet lakes, greenery, windy peaks, and small meditation spots to just breathe and reset. Hiking in Sweden felt oddly spiritual in a way.

Kiruna and Narvik were brief but memorable stops. Then, renting a car on the Lofoten Islands: a perfect mix of hikes, road trips, and fishing villages. Climbing Reinebringen was tough but worth it, plus the stunning Kvalvika Beach and peaceful Eggum — here the sea and mountains meet like nowhere else.

Adventure and Unexpected Help

One of the coolest parts of train travel? Never really knowing what’s next. A rockfall blocked our train from Narvik to Abisko, and the bus from Kabelvåg to Narvik disappeared too. Then, an awesome local just drove us 3.5 hours, 200 kilometers through Norway’s wild landscape, making sure we caught our connecting bus just in time. Moments like this make travel unforgettable — showing how kind and easygoing people can be even in the rugged north.

Back to Civilization – Culture and Chaos

Back in Stockholm, I went out on a beautiful archipelago tour, then took a quick trip to Uppsala — the university, the cathedral, and that classic student vibe.

The train ride back to Hamburg was delayed by four hours thanks to a medical emergency on board. Frustrating? A bit. But the musical "& Julia" I caught afterward totally made up for it — a standout finale full of music and emotion.

Small Capital, Big Discoveries: Bratislava

To wrap things up, I spent a weekend in Bratislava with the Bratislava Card. It gave me access to so many museums, tours, and cafés — a nice, relaxed way to close out a busy summer. And finally: a medieval festival!

Why This Interrail Trip Was So Special

What made this trip truly unforgettable and transformative wasn’t just the stunning places, but experiencing Europe as one big, diverse family. Every city, every landscape told a different story but also connected in a bigger way. From Paris street art to Scandinavian silence and strangers’ kindness — it expanded how I see Europe. It's not just a continent but a rich patchwork of cultures, languages, and landscapes all woven together.

Why Should You Do This

I especially want to encourage young people to take this kind of journey. It’s the perfect way to discover the variety Europe has to offer and to develop a deeper sense of connection and understanding. Traveling like this shows how beautiful our different cultures and languages are — and helps build a more open, tolerant spirit. So, pack your bags, grab your train pass, and get out there. Europe’s waiting.

Our second interrail trip in spring 2024 with my girlfriend Ira (who also has commented on this competition) has been the most memorable one, and I knew it before the trip had even started. I was going to propose her at some point of our trip, just did not know exactly when and where. I had made a deal with myself - location needs to be as beautiful as possible. Before the trip I asked her mother's blessing with the most nerve-wracking phone call of my life and got the green light. 

The reason why I wanted to do that proposal during the trip was that we both love traveling, especially by train. Spoiler alert, the following story doesn't directly involve train traveling, but still happened during our interrail, so at least in my criteria it is an interrail memory. 

Our trip started with a 18-hours long bus/ferry/bus trip from Helsinki to Warsaw. Don't worry, this is not the location I had in mind, but we will get to the proposal later, I promise. I had one mission on this bus trip: casually quide the conversation to our future, just to get the final confirmation that we are on the same page. It had to be the most casual conversation ever so she wouldn't guess anything. Normally she reads me like an open book, but luckily not this time. After "our most casual, not serious at all" chat I was quite confident about the end result. 

Two weeks later, I found myself driving a rented electric car on a route from Ljubljana to Bled. "You have experience of driving an electric car since you chose that one, right mister?" asked the rental car worker. "Absolutely zero" I answered. How hard could it be to charge a car in foreign country? Child play.

Well during the day, I found the answer to the previous question was "very hard, almost impossible", not " Child play". Because of variety of reasons (no charging spots, no mobile network, apps not working etc.) we found ourselves having a "minor" mental breakdown in a parking lot in a village called Kranjska Gora. After hours of struggling we had already ditched our dream to continue our trip across the country to Piran. We just couldn't get the car charging. 

We agreed to try one more time and "Ping", the green light showed and the car started charging. We started screaming and dancing around the parking lot. At the same moment, we saw a white cat who came to greet us, just to tell us everything will be just fine. Cats have always been our lucky charm during our trips and that was exactly what we were looking for. 

After killing some time at the village while waiting the car charging, we could finally continue our journey with a completely improvised travel plan. We chose near-located "Lake Jasna" to our destination and started the engine. After a short drive, we parked our car with a pure amazement of the view all around us. We had arrived to the most beautiful crystal blue lake with Slovenian Alps surrounding us. 

My heart was beating faster than ever. Not because of the view, but because I knew this must be the place. This is the place I was looking for. I suggested that maybe we should film a short video of us goofing around - luckily not the hardest thing to persuade Ira to do. Plan was to drop to a one knee, how hard could it be? Child play, right? Well, the first take didn't go as planned, but at the second take I managed to get my body to cooperate and soon I was on my knee, asking the big question. 

After hearing "Kyllä (=yes) " all of the stress of the day vanished and was replaced with love and joy. We returned the car to Ljubljana, tired but as happy as ever. We stayed two more nights in Ljubljana, so we had time to celebrate our big milestone there. 

We continued our journey with much more stress-free method than the car and took a train to Salzburg. After that we headed to Innsbruck, where we took the regional train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. That is truly a hidden gem of train routes in Europe, by the way. 

We have been engaged for almost two years now, and we have our own lucky charm cat named Simo living with us. Right now we are planning our next interrail.

Two years ago, I left Paris for seven full days to discover new landscapes that I didn't know, all by myself!

Day 1 - I left Paris on the TGV, heading for Saarbrücken, then changed trains for a regional service, travelling through the Saar Valley and then along the Moselle to Trier. I stopped to visit the Roman city with its rich and interesting ancient history, before taking a breather on the banks of the Moselle. On leaving, I took another train to Koblenz, where I was staying for four days. Leaving the station, I saw the Rhine for the first time, and its confluence with the Moselle at the end of the old town, dominated by the citadel opposite.

Day 2 - I decide to head further north, towards Cologne, for a morning visit. The regional train runs alongside the Rhine before crossing it on the three-arched bridge. Leaving the station, I found myself overwhelmed by the imposing black cathedral, which I visited. Then I ventured into the city and the central districts to discover currywurst and other local flavours! I left in the afternoon, heading for the romantic Rhine Valley. It is absolutely magnificent, literally running alongside the Rhine, which is enclosed in gorges and winding terraces dotted here and there with picturesque castles. On the way, I spot the statue of the Lorelei and stop at the castle in the middle of the Rhine, which is beautifully preserved and remarkable! I then continue this superb journey to Mainz, where I spend two hours sightseeing before heading back in the other direction in the evening, towards Koblenz.

Day 3 - I take the ICE early in the morning to travel further south towards the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). I take the train to Offenburg, passing through Mainz, Mannheim and Karlsruhe, then change to the Black Forest line. Very quickly, the mountains surround us as we progress and we climb higher, with fir trees eventually becoming the dominant feature. I stop first in Triberg to breathe in the fresh air and visit the pretty village. I also visit an unusual attraction, the largest cuckoo clock in the world, the size of a house! Fun fact: I waited 25 minutes to see the cuckoo come out, and then I had to run because my train was leaving less than 10 minutes later!
I set off again, crossing the mountains to reach Donaueschingen. The town is very water-centric, which is not surprising, as this is where the Danube begins! I was able to see the original source, a basin surrounded by sumptuous marble balustrades, and walk through the park to see the starting point of the Danube's journey to the Black Sea. Speaking of journeys, I have to leave now as I have a three-hour journey home ahead of me. Unfortunately for me, the DB has lived up to its reputation, as I am now two hours late after missing my connection in Offenburg... But I'm still delighted with my trip today!

Day 4 - I set off again towards the Moselle Valley to visit a town and castle famous throughout Germany: Cochem. The town is extremely charming with its narrow streets and viewpoints overlooking the valley below. The castle dominates the upper part of the village and is sumptuous, both outside with its numerous gildings and decorations, and inside with its many rooms steeped in history! I then set off again by regional train to stop and visit another picturesque castle: Burg Eltz. Located in the middle of the forest high above a meandering stream, this castle stands out with its flamboyant red woodwork and dizzying height. Unfortunately, I arrived too late to visit it, as the walk from the station was too long…

Day 5 - I leave my base in Koblenz to travel further south in Germany. I take the ICE train to Stuttgart, then a regional train to Ulm. I spend some time exploring the city, with its beautiful cathedral, numerous fountains and the banks of the Danube, which already seem wider than they did a few days ago. I take the train south again to Ravensburg. I discover the city of 1,000 towers, with its historic centre steeped in history and its tall tower rising above the city, also known as the birthplace of many children's games and toys. I get back on board and, barely ten kilometres further on, I begin to see the vast expanse of water that will be the setting for my next excursions: Lake Constance (Bodensee). My base was near Friedrichshafen, a town I visited the next day.

Day 6 – I start the day by visiting the town of Friedrichshafen, where you can sometimes see airships taking off from the airport to fly over the lake! Note that there are two main railway stations in the town, one for the town centre and one for the port, which is located right on the waterfront! After strolling along the lake, I take the train to tour the German side of the lake, heading for Konstanz. I come back to the Rhine, with its magnificent turquoise colours, which flows through the city bustling with cars and tourists who are either wandering through the historic town or strolling along the pier and the park by the lake. I also take the opportunity to go to the beach and swim in the lovely water. In the afternoon, I head back to the island of Reichenau, an island that is both agricultural and very floral and peaceful. I then return in the evening to the picturesque town of Lindau and its historic island, where statues and turrets watch over the lake's boatmen, a port from which you can see the Austrian coast on the left and the Swiss coast opposite.

Day 7 – I am excited because it is the day I return from my trip. So I make few stops on my journey back from Friedrichshafen, just once in Stuttgart because I had a few hours to wait for my TGV connection back to Paris. I take the opportunity to stroll around this lively city, looking at the few monuments and shopping arcades. The time for my TGV arrives and I board the train. I set off, returning to Karlsruhe, then Kehl, where I cross the Rhine one last time. I pass Strasbourg and am back in France. One last stop before Paris, where I will arrive in the night, but laden with memories…

This trip has been hugely rewarding, as I set out to discover a country on my own. The Interrail pass was very convenient to use on the app, and I was able to make reservations very easily, even at the last minute or in the event of delays and missed connections, as was the case a few times, haha. Each railway line has its own importance. The TGV and ICE allowed me to travel long distances very quickly, while the regional lines allowed me to travel more slowly but see picturesque landscapes that the high-speed lines sometimes miss. I also learned a lot about Germany by challenging the preconception that it is not very touristy, especially in summer, and through discussions with people I met on the train, during visits or at my accommodation. Germans are very welcoming and warm, which also reminds me of what Germany itself is like, a country I can't wait to visit again! I would try and visit this time with my mum or with a close friend, who both love travelling, so that I can show them where I went and share with them all the experiences I captured with my camera.

From Paris, Felix

My trips was so different from what I expectated it to be versus the real outcomes. I did a huge mistake by expecting my trip to be transformative. To find a peace within me, in me, to be so called awakened, to become more wise. But during a journey I realised, nothing like that happened. It was always me, me and again me on a journey, with my old thoughts, doubts, sadness. Even more intrusive thoughts were hounting me. More I tried to bypass those, more those were on my mind. More I had to deal with them, more I had not to ignore them. And as a result, at the end of my journey I did a few new mistakes I was trying to avoid the last few months before my journey. But then suddenly, after these big mistakes became reality, then it happened. Finally, I started to feel better and better, I started to appreciate every single simplicity of my life, every memory I had, does not better if good or bad. Because, at the end, who knows what was good and was bad. We convince ourselves we know, but truly, many times we just do not know.

I would like to share my journey with others, also to support them in their physicall and emotional travels.

I spent some time in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Romania.

✈️  14 Countries, Zero Flights: My Epic Two-Month Rail Adventure Through Europe 🚆

Five years ago, I made a big life decision: no more flying. Since then, I’ve explored 38 countries without ever stepping on a plane. But last year’s journey was something truly special - a 2 month Interrail trip through Southern Europe!

🌍 Countries Visited: Germany, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia
🗺️ Route: Berlin → Budapest → Brasov → Chișinău → Bucharest → Sofia → Istanbul → Çeşme → Chios → Athens → Thessaloniki → Skopje → Pristina → Tirana → Podgorica → Belgrade → Budapest → Belgrade → Bar → Kotor → Dubrovnik → Hvar → Split → Mostar → Sarajevo → Banja Luka → Zagreb → Berlin

Working remotely from Berlin has its perks, and when work called me to Istanbul to run an event, I saw the perfect opportunity to turn a business trip into a grand adventure. What followed was a two-month odyssey across 14 countries—by train, bus, and ferry—with my Serbian partner joining me for parts of the ride. Along the way, we reconnected with old friends, met up with colleagues, and made countless new memories. But most importantly, it has showed my partner different ways of travelling and invited more excitement in her personal life, but also our partnership, just by being able to spend more quality time together by visiting places we wouldn't usually go to if it wasn't for trains and the option available through Interrail.

The journey kicked off with a day in Munich before boarding the night train to Budapest. From there, we rode through Romania to Brasov (thanks to Andy from DiscoverByRail for the suggestion - check him out for booking tickets that aren't available online!). That train had a charming old-school dining car and even vegan options, which was a delightful surprise.

Brasov was a fairytale town, and Bran Castle, while touristy, was worth the detour. Then came Moldova, reached via a Soviet-era night train from Bucharest to Chișinău. No AC in the summer made it a challenge, but the experience of watching the train’s wheels get swapped at the border—hoisted up by a crane—was unforgettable.

After sipping wine in the world’s deepest wine cellar in Moldova, we returned to Bucharest to explore the concrete jungle, then took a scenic train to Sofia, winding through rivers and mountains. My partner headed to Belgrade to see her family, while I continued solo to Istanbul for work. After a whirlwind week of events, I detoured through Turkey to the picturesque seaside town of Çeşme, and ferried to Chios, then on to Athens via overnight boat.

I arrived in Athens to meet an old friend, explore the history and beauty of the capital, and then I hopped on a train north to Thessaloniki to enjoy the seaside charm, then bussed to Skopje, North Macedonia—a quirky, fascinating capital. A day trip to Kosovo brought me face-to-face with Pristina’s vibrant streets, ancient Serbian monasteries, and even a bear sanctuary.

Next stops: Tirana in Albania, to enjoy the cute coffee shops and interesting monuments (there's a pyramid in the city, for some reason, and many, many bunkers), then on to Podgorica in Montenegro, and one of Europe’s most stunning rail journeys—Podgorica to Belgrade. After a week with family in Serbia, I zipped to Budapest for the F1 weekend to see friends from Berlin, then back to Belgrade to catch the night train to Bar. From there, we explored Kotor’s Roman charm, Dubrovnik’s cinematic beauty, and Hvar’s island magic.

Bosnia was next: Split to Mostar, to see THAT bridge, then a scenic train to Sarajevo (one of the nicest I’ve ever ridden), followed by Banja Luka and Zagreb. And finally, a full-day train ride back to Berlin—departing at 07:05 and arriving at 21:40. Yes, it’s possible!

There are countless stories tucked into every leg of this trip, but the biggest takeaway? You can absolutely explore Europe without flying—and you’ll see so much more along the way - which is why I'm creating an Instagram page to inspire others to travel without flying  - and Interrail is the best way to do so!

Summer on the Road: From Paris to the Lofoten Islands and Bratislava

Summer 2025 was a wild ride: an awesome trip across Europe that took me from the busy streets of Paris to the wild mountains of the Lofoten Islands — packed with plenty of exciting moments in between.

Paris – City of Art, Cafés, and Church

I kicked things off in Paris, chilling in the charming Le Marais district. Narrow streets, cool little shops, and the unbeatable smell of fresh baguettes everywhere. On Sunday, I found myself in an evangelical church right in the middle of the city — honestly, a surprisingly nice mix of calm and community, like a little home away from home. Of course, a day at the Louvre was a must: Mona Lisa staring at you, people snapping selfies — yet somehow, the art pulled you in. Then, shaking off the culture with some adrenaline at Parc Astérix — roller coasters, laughs, just good old fun.

Heading South: Bordeaux & Marseille

One day I took the train down to Bordeaux. The wine museum blew me away, showing why Bordeaux is famous worldwide. The Cinema du Lumière gave me a taste of movie magic. Cruising the Garonne river by boat and wandering the picturesque old city streets was pure joy — perfect to escape the big city hustle.

Marseille brought the sea to the party: a cool city tour followed by a refreshing swim at the city beach — Mediterranean vibes at their best.

Up North: Sweden and the Special Path

The train took me from Munich through Hamburg to Stockholm — night trains are honestly the best chill zones. I explored Stockholm’s old town and then hopped on another night train deeper north to Abisko. Seven days hiking the Dag Hammarskjöld trail meant pure nature: quiet lakes, greenery, windy peaks, and small meditation spots to just breathe and reset. Hiking in Sweden felt oddly spiritual in a way.

Kiruna and Narvik were brief but memorable stops. Then, renting a car on the Lofoten Islands: a perfect mix of hikes, road trips, and fishing villages. Climbing Reinebringen was tough but worth it, plus the stunning Kvalvika Beach and peaceful Eggum — here the sea and mountains meet like nowhere else.

Adventure and Unexpected Help

One of the coolest parts of train travel? Never really knowing what’s next. A rockfall blocked our train from Narvik to Abisko, and the bus from Kabelvåg to Narvik disappeared too. Then, an awesome local just drove us 3.5 hours, 200 kilometers through Norway’s wild landscape, making sure we caught our connecting bus just in time. Moments like this make travel unforgettable — showing how kind and easygoing people can be even in the rugged north.

Back to Civilization – Culture and Chaos

Back in Stockholm, I went out on a beautiful archipelago tour, then took a quick trip to Uppsala — the university, the cathedral, and that classic student vibe.

The train ride back to Hamburg was delayed by four hours thanks to a medical emergency on board. Frustrating? A bit. But the musical "& Julia" I caught afterward totally made up for it — a standout finale full of music and emotion.

Small Capital, Big Discoveries: Bratislava

To wrap things up, I spent a weekend in Bratislava with the Bratislava Card. It gave me access to so many museums, tours, and cafés — a nice, relaxed way to close out a busy summer. Finally as surprise: a medieval festival.

Why This Interrail Trip Was So Special

What made this trip truly unforgettable and transformative wasn’t just the stunning places, but experiencing Europe as one big, diverse family. Every city, every landscape told a different story but also connected in a bigger way. From Paris street art to Scandinavian silence and strangers’ kindness — it expanded how I see Europe. It's not just a continent but a rich patchwork of cultures, languages, and landscapes all woven together.

Why You Should Do This

I especially want to encourage young people to take this kind of journey. It’s the perfect way to discover the variety Europe has to offer and to develop a deeper sense of connection and understanding. Traveling like this shows how beautiful our different cultures and languages are — and helps build a more open, tolerant spirit. So, pack your bags, grab your train pass, and get out there. Europe’s waiting.

This trip wasn’t just a holiday — it was an exciting journey full of discovery that leaves you hungry for more. Maybe it’s your turn next?

Hello! My name is Ada and I am from Poland but I grew up in the UK. I went interrailing with my best friend Emily from late July to the middle of August in 2022. We travelled from London to Paris for a day trip, then we went for a couple of days  to Lake Garda (mosquitos galore!!), Berlin, Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, and then Amsterdam, which was the longest train journey eveeeerrrr at 16 hours...but we live to tell the tale!

The trip for both of us was so transformative; it was our first trip abroad together as independent adults. We had finished school which was affected by the COVID pandemic, and for the year before our interrailing journey we were both working hard to save up for our trip. I was working in London whilst Emily was in Sheffield, and the trip allowed us to reunite together after a few months of not seeing each other.

Navigating new cities, cultures and languages every couple of days built our confidence and problem-solving skills as well as adaptability. This helped me immensely in my work life as I am a freelancer who moves often to work behind the scenes on films and TV shows!

Travelling on trains is so unique compared to travelling by plane. You get to see the various landscapes of Europe. The large mountains and rolling hills as we passed through Austria on our way to Berlin from Italy were particularly memorable.

I would love to share my experience of travel with Emily again. She is now studying full time at drama school in Manchester, and with me mostly working around London we unfotunately don’t have a lot of time or budget to see each other regularly. It would be so amazing to re-live our interrailing experiences, like our amazing night out in Hungary which involved a party boat (with one side playing Queen and the other techno base…it was an interesting experience), and then a party bus to a club. It would also be great to be able to re-do some memories – unfortunately our night out in Berlin didn’t go as planned. We had no clue about club culture in Berlin, and we missed the opening times and instead hung out with some of our hostel mates next to the river, where we also saw rats running about…not ideal!

Making completely new memories would also be amazing – I recently went to Chamonix to do some trail running and I would love to show Emily a landscape she has never seen before. I would also love to show Emily Wroclaw, which is my hometown in Poland. I have never taken any of my friends with me to my Polish hometown, but I think Emily really deserves to see this part of my life – my childhood home, the block of flats where my grandparents live, the amazing Polish milk bars, and of course all the little Wroclaw gnomes!

Being able to travel again together would give us an opportunity to reunite, make new memories, and travel sustainably by train.

Here are some links to the antics we got up to:
https://youtube.com/shorts/ieCIuqbDB6U?feature=share
https://youtube.com/shorts/DHv0X6dl3ac?feature=share
https://youtube.com/shorts/4aq_cKmJZ4s?feature=share

Hi everyone!

I am 18 and a student so my budget is constantly tight but when I heard for the first time about Interrail - I simply couldn't resist but to try. I decided to travel to the UK (Scotland in particular) from my home country of the Czech Republic during August. My best friend Jacob joined me on the journey as well. I can only describe this experience as a life-changing one. Not only did I make a lot of new connections but I also discovered many hidden gems of Europe. You can see some of my findings on enclosed pictures below. This experience has been all about pushing my boundaries and in this way I have even surprised myself when I became more extrovert and open to new ideas and possibilities. Moreover I found my loved one during this journey which still feel surreal to this day 😊. This couldn't be possible without you - the wonderful people of interrail team and you amazing product. There are no other words that could describe my feelings than just thank you.

Adam

Czech Republic 

Images:

Hey! I am a 23 year old girl from Norway thats loves traveling. My Interrail journey started when me and my bestfriend one day decided we want to explore the world together! We were both 20 and had just finished high-school and had half year of before joining the Norwegian Army! We felt like our lifes has just started. Them we bought a one way ticket to Athens with just the first week planed. The first days we spend together on Santorini. Young and new to this kind of travel we walked around and just admired that we had travelled togehter to Greece. little did we know this would be a the travel of our lives. We took the ferry back to the main land and bougt the 30 days unlimited travel days and traveled where the wind took us. At that time we both thougjt speaking to strangers was sooo scary, but wow how nice and welcoming the people were. They loved to speak to us amd give us some tips of where to go! And we travelled everywhere. The trainrides were filled with laughter and amazing views. And despite we were best friend before we went, we became even closer. I think if the did not travel interail that time we wouldm be as close as we are today. We had our ups and downs but in the end we took care of each other and grew together in the 45 days of our travel. 
 

After Athens we went to Patras and took the ferry over to Italy! From now on we had no travelplan. In Italy we went to Bari, Polignano al Mare, Potenza, Napoli, Pompeii, Positano, Rome, Vaticsn City,  Pisa, Firence, Venice, Milan and Verona. Italy was amazing. When we were in Venice we went to the island Burano. And there we met to elderly wimen that were bestfriends and travel buddies. And we had the longest and sweetes conversation. They told us that we have the world in front of ua and most important that we would forever be friends. I would love to meet them again! They weng back to venice very often and me and my friend agreed we would also go back to the same bench where we met them in the future❤️ 
 

Them we went to Monaco, Marseille and Nice! We went to the most beatiful national park outside Marseille and spend a whole day there! At the evening we sat together at the clifs and looked at the sunset and appriciated life together. After france we went to Germany, Belgium, Chezh Republic, The Neatherlands and back to France Paris. By this time it started to become winter and december. We spent the last days together in Paros before leaving to Norway to celebrate christmas at home, with a short stop in Copenhagen. But christmas couldt compare to the once in a lifetime travel we had just finished. I would of have chosen to travel the world with my bestfriend. But I would live to travel with my mom and sisters also. They are a bit ancius but have have seen how amazing the trips I have done, and how i have changed to a better version of myself. And all of my new study friends i have in Norway! They have never done interrail and I have talked so much about at to them! I could bring anybody. Evem strangers. Everybody deserves to travel and experience the world!

So to everyone that wants to travel, just go for it. Alone or with a friend or family. You would not regret❤️

Hi! We’re Orsi (21) and Máté (22), a young couple from Hungary who have been together for almost 5 years.

Having not travelled abroad a lot during our childhoods, we were very excited to receive DiscoverEU passes when we were 18, which gave us the chance to travel across Europe by train. Fresh out of high school, with a tight budget but plenty of excitement, we set off on a journey of almost three weeks. Starting from our home country, Hungary, we visited Vienna, Prague, Karlovy Vary, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Milan, Genoa, and finally Rome and the Vatican City.

The trip didn’t start smoothly, as we faced issues with my boyfriend’s pass and even missed our first train connection, which forced us to stay calm under pressure and quickly figure out how to move forward. But thanks to Interrail’s customer support, our problems were solved within a few hours, and we were able to continue our journey as planned.

Having not visited these countries and cities before, our priorities were the must-see sights. We visited the Charles Bridge in Prague, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, and the Cathedral in Milan, and in Genoa I got to witness my boyfriend’s first time stepping foot into the sea, which was a memorable experience. In Karlovy Vary, we unintentionally stumbled across the international film festival, which elevated the vibe of our trip even more. After a long and adventurous hike (getting lost quite a few times) to the Diana Observation Tower, we managed to get to the top, and even though the lookout was closed, the view and the triumphal KFC dinner afterwards made it worth it. We were lucky enough to have a tour guide in Hamburg, as one of our high school teachers lives there, who was thrilled to show us around. :)

For most of the journey, we stretched our budget by relying on grocery store meals, treating ourselves to just one proper traditional meal in a restaurant in each city. We had hovězí guláš (it was interesting to taste Czechia’s twist on our national dish) in Czechia, bratwurst, frikadellen, and grün soße in Germany, and luckily, since Italy was our last stop, we realized we still had some money left and were able to truly enjoy its world-famous cuisine. We had an amazing variety of pastas and pizzas, and of course, we tried some local gelato and tiramisu as well.

This was our very first international trip as a couple, which made it truly unforgettable. It broadened our perspectives right before we started university and gave us the confidence to keep exploring. Since then, we’ve both studied international degrees, lived abroad for Erasmus+ (in Belgium and Mexico), and shared many more adventures across borders. Looking back, Interrail was the spark that inspired us to live with curiosity, adaptability, and independence.

During this trip was also the time when we started collecting a bottle opener from each city we visited. We have continued to do so ever since; so far we only have a few, but we hope to increase our collection in the upcoming years.

If we had the chance to do it again, we would love to recreate the experience together. We always dreamed of taking another Interrail trip a few years after our first one, and this would create the perfect opportunity to do so. Next time, we’d like to explore new regions such as the Balkans or the Baltic countries to see Europe from yet another perspective.

Being interested in the EU institutions and the concept of sustainability, I admire Europe’s railway system, and I look forward to its broadening to provide the continent with the wider accessibility of trains.

Three years later, our first Interrail adventure still shapes the way we travel, learn, and dream.

I went on a 3 weeks Interrail trip, and it was my first time ever travelling solo. I was so proud to get out of my comfort zone like that and especially because it was a difficult time for me and I choose to do something that I love, travelling, even if it meant going solo. I think I grew up so much just planning everything myself, relying only on myself and enjoying time on my own. Sometimes it can be intimidating to go eat at a restaurant alone, discover a museum by yourself etc, but then you just learn to appreciate your own company.

But travelling solo also meant meeting new people, and I had such a great time getting to know people from all around the world. In my hostels rooms, I got the chance to meet so many amazing girls also traveling solo. I especially enjoyed our late night talking, debating on our vision of the world, talking about our countries and sharing deep secrets even though we just met.

I am a shy person, but I don’t know, I was feeling so well during my trip that I just kept going out of my comfort zone. I was in Copenhagen and I decided to go to a party where I didn’t know anyone and I had the best time. We talked so much, everyone was so nice and super inclusive, all discovering the city together.

I was really happy with the way I planned my journey because I wanted to visit all those cities so bad, and they were all so different. I went to Berlin, then Copenhagen, Prague, Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna. It was absolutely amazing to see so many different countries in just 3 weeks.

After I came home, I literally told all of my friends to go on an Interrail trip and even to try doing a solo trip. And I cannot lie, ever since I came back, I’ve wanted to go back on a new trip and discover even more cities in Europe. I felt so good and so free going from one city to another and discovering such amazing landscape from your window on the train. I loved this way of travelling where the journey matters.

I would love to bring my best friend on an Interrail trip with me. We are the same when it comes to travelling : we are very curious, we love discovering new things, talking to people from other cultures and learn from them and so on. Bonus, she hates planes, and she is so afraid of taking it, she would rather take the train haha.

Here are some pictures I took (it was hard to choose) :

My favourite place in Berlin was the Museum Island. I felt so good there that I came back every day to discover a new museum. But the Charlottenburg Palace was also so elegant. 

Regarding Copenhagen I completely fell in love with how cute and graceful the whole city is.

In Prague the streets around the castle are like an open-air museum where you can wander for hours with endless hidden spots to take in. But the Old Town Square was also such a magical place.

As expected, the Parliament and the thermal baths in Budapest are spectacular. But there was a museum that really moved me :  the House of Terror Museum. It’s a place full of history and truly striking. 

I was lucky enough to discover the old town of Bratislava during the music festival, and all through the streets there were bands playing, creating a fantastic atmosphere. I also loved getting lost in the secret passages of the city’s castle.

In Vienna I visited the House of Music, which was one of the best museums ever. And the architecture in all of the city was really pretty.

 Honeymoon  on Interrail 

We have just returned from a trip of a life time courtesy of a 2 month pass on interrail. It has been an unforgettable lifetime experience that has given us both an amazing feeling of confidence and understanding of the kindness of people across Europe.  

After a BA flight to Istanbul we started our epic journey across sun drenched Europe.  Istanbul was amazing we saw the  Hagia Sofia & Blue Mosque, whirling dervishes , went to the Grand Bazaar and met a guy called ismail who had a cousin in Aberdeen!

We then used our interrail pass ( with a good discount to travel through the Greek islands and after getting so sunburnt we couldn't walk for 4 days met some really kind lady and gentlemen who looked after us. Greece was really beautiful and so cultured with history. We ended up in Athens and climbed to the top of the Aeropagus just in time for sunset. 

Next we moved onto Italy and travelled to Capri, Naples, Pompeii and Sorrento where we had never seen so many lemons. We stayed in a really wonderful palace on the slopes of Vesuvius where there are 29 varieties of tomatoes. Pompeii was so magical to step back in time and think how life has changed a lot but yet so little.  We met a guy called Mario in Sorrento selling tiles and he and his friend were looking for a wife but hands off this one lol. 

WE also ended up in Switzerland which was so amazing and they are so clever in their building and engineering, the tracks were merged so that narrow and standard gauge tracks create a seamless journey on the Golden express. 

The interrail pass kept giving and we went o the EU capital and France before coming home .. there is so much to tell you just not enough space and time ..

pic adventure which meant we 

Overall , this honeymoon was not only a pilgrimage of different cultures and faiths, it was an epic adventure of kindness, sharing, helping and fun that we feel privilidged to share with you .

Ashley & Rachel Brooks 

Train delays, budget travel, and unexpected detours—my first Interrail trip taught me that the journey itself is the destination.

I took my first Interrail trip in 2022, at the age of 24. Coming from Indonesia, traveling across Europe solely by train was a completely new experience. It allowed me to truly live in each city for a few days—not just ticking off tourist spots, but immersing myself in the city’s vibe.

It was also my first summer in Europe. At the time, I was living in Amsterdam as an au pair. During this trip, I traveled from Amsterdam - Brussels - Paris - Nice - Milan - Venice - (an unexpected stop) Salzburg - Munich, before returning to Amsterdam.

What I remember most were the unexpected delays (and a bomb threat, as I later learned). Traveling during peak holiday season had its challenges, but these moments became opportunities to meet new friends who were navigating the same train delays. Traveling on a tight budget, I learned to make every moment count.

Some highlights of the trip: exploring art in Paris, relaxing at the English Garden in Munich, getting lost in the maze of Venice after refusing to take water taxi, marveling at the stunning seaside train ride along the Côte d’Azur, and gasping at the beauty of the Duomo in Milan. It was truly a trip of a lifetime.

Interrailing taught me to plan better, reach places I’d never been, travel sustainably, and do it all without breaking the bank.

Now that I’m studying in Europe, I hope to go on more trips like this! I’m already thinking of routes like Berlin–Prague–Budapest or exploring more of Italy. I can’t wait to do it again!

Kind greetings to everyone at the community! I’m Salih, I’m 23 years old and currently in the last months of my student life.

I’ve had the chance to use Interrail twice. Both trips were very special, but since the second one was more compact, full of beauty and chaos (and also the most recent) I’d like to share it with y’all.

On September 5th, the me and my two friends met up in Bremen, aiming to see the Northern Lights. I took the high-speed train from southern Germany to Bremen, arriving at 6 a.m. on the morning of September 5th, while my friends flew from Turkey and we met at the airport. Since our train to Hamburg was at 3 p.m., we didn’t have much time, but we still lay on the grass for an hour, had breakfast, and later went to the square with the Bremen Town Musicians. Since it’s said to bring luck to touch their feet and take a photo, we didn’t skip this tradition. We might even have started a new one ourselves. :)) After a quick stroll around the square, we hopped on the fancy looking train station and set off for Hamburg.

We arrived in Hamburg at 4:15 p.m. Since our night train to Copenhagen wasn’t until midnight, we had seven hours to explore the city. We first wandered around the city center and managed to catch the tunnel’s last service before it closed. Then, as hunger set in, we headed down toward the waterfront, quickly but still completely captivated by the city’s charm. Personally, I had the best fish sandwich I’ve ever eaten in Germany. Once we were full, we boarded the night train feeling a bit tired and slept until we arrived in Copenhagen at 7 a.m.

In Copenhagen, just like in Hamburg, our time was limited, only 11 hours! So, unfortunately, we tried to be fast as possible. Instead, we spent two hours on a river tour and went into a pool. Then we used the rest of our time to slowly soak up the city’s atmosphere.

We also had the chance to stop over in Malmö, and although it was short, we tried to see the city for two hours.

After successfully completing that part of the journey, we arrived in Stockholm at 5:45 a.m. on September 7th. Since we needed to be in Helsinki the next day, we had booked a ferry ticket using the Interrail discount. The ferry was at 3:30 p.m., so once again, just like in Hamburg and Copenhagen, our time was limited. For this reason, we decided to skip the island with the ABBA and old ship museums. Apart from that, we slowly explored the island where the city center is located. After filling up on an incredible fish soup at the fish market, we boarded the cruise ship without knowing what would happen.

At 6 p.m., once the ferry had finished boarding everyone, we set off to explore the ship. On our way to our cabin, we couldn’t help but be amazed at the sheer number of shops inside. After putting our things in the room, we found out that there were activities held every hour. We first wandered around, got a nice picture by nice German lady and then we headed to the event area, which was clearly marked as such, and below it there were also slot machines. While my friends and I were watching a flamenco show in the event space, I went away for a moment to have a look at the slot machines. Even though I knew I would lose, I randomly put in 5 euros, and something interesting happened. The money kept multiplying. While 20 euros would have already been more than enough for me, it turned out I had won 200 euros. (Since I’m not a gambler, I might be the person who’s made the most from gambling with the least money haha.) After that, I called my friends over, which they could hardly believe it either. We decided to save this money to spend in Helsinki. After that big dopamine rush, we went to sleep, knowing we had another train journey ahead of us the next morning.

The ferry arrived in Helsinki around 9 a.m. Our plan here was to head straight up from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. Although I hadn’t mentioned it before, throughout this entire trip we were checking an app every day to see our chances of spotting the Northern Lights. Luck wasn’t exactly on our side, the chances were never very strong, but the night with the highest probability was the night of September 8th going into the 9th.

We boarded two trains with a transfer in Tampere to reach Rovaniemi. The train even had an incredible fish soup. When we arrived in Rovaniemi, it was close to 11 p.m., but at that hour already famous for activity, the city center was still busy. After picking up a few drinks, we went out to a spot far from the city, lay down, and started waiting. When I opened the app, I saw our chances were quite low. Because of that, and partly because I was getting cold, I started grumbling about maybe going to a nightclub instead. And then something incredible happened: we got the chance to see the Aurora Borealis! Even though it wasn’t very strong, it was beautiful, and our journey had finally achieved its main goal.

We spent the time until 5 a.m. lying on the grass, shivering a little, and then set off to catch the 5:45 train back to Helsinki. This time it was only a single transfer, and since we were all completely exhausted, we got into a deep sleep until our arrival at 1:30 p.m.

Helsinki was our final destination, and unlike the other places, we treated it kindly by giving ourselves two nights there. :)) First, we explored the city. Later at the night, as I had promised my friends, I took them to a wonderful restaurant. The next day we visited a nearby UNESCO World Heritage site known for its natural beauty. I remember there -for scientific reasons- drinking the Baltic sea water. It is much more close to normal water, not like Aegean Sea. You can try it out!  After the experiment we went to city center to say goodbye to Helsinki. I guess we really liked the calmness and purity of the city.

That’s basically how our journey went. In the picture below, you can see a map of our route along with the times. I hope we get the chance to experience something like this again!

Also, now that I think about it and write it all down, I really realize what an amazing few days those were. That’s actually what makes Interrail so unforgettable and transformative. The trip gives you enough freedom to make your own plans, while also setting some boundaries so you don’t stray from your route. That’s why the random moments in between become incredibly fun.

One of my friends in the photos moved to Switzerland last month. This summer, I definitely want to go on another trip with them and share this experience. I realized how much I missed having fun with them. This time, the route will be through the Balkans!

Hello, I'm Estelle, 24, and trying to figure out what to do with my life :)

This spring, I spent three months solo-traveling with my Interrail pass, and it turned out to be one of the most meaningful experiences of my year. I felt truly grateful to live this adventure again—it was already my second Interrail trip. What I love about Interrail is how easy and natural it makes traveling by train. I can cross countries without taking a single flight, which matters a lot to me.

For me, slow travel isn’t just about ecology; it’s about really understanding distance. It’s sitting for hours on the same train while landscapes shift outside the window, moving from fields to mountains. It’s about listening to the same music over and over while reading my e-book. It’s about struggling to write in my diary, thinking I’m all cool and fancy writing with my headphones on… only to give up a second later, realizing it’s still a terrible idea when the train is shaking like crazy.

As a photographer, I’m overly sensitive to details. I notice the smallest things and try my best to capture and remember everything my eyes catch. Thinking back to those three months makes me both emotional and excited to do it again whenever I can.

Slow travel also means carrying a backpack that feels way too heavy at first and regretting taking that extra T-shirt I didn’t really need… only for it to slowly become part of me. And then there’s the quiet pride of walking 40 minutes from the train station to the hostel without a break—even if I arrive all sweaty and ridiculous at the door. And then there are the encounters—the part that stays with me the most.

One I will never forget was Mira, a woman working on a tiny Croatian train from Perković to Šibenik. It was pouring rain that day, and she greeted us with an umbrella so no one would get soaked while changing trains. At every stop, she stepped down, making sure each passenger got off at the right place. Her kindness left me smiling for the rest of the day. Traveling alone reminded me how capable I am on my own (and that I can handle the little daily crises that come up), but it also made me more open to meeting others. Also spending my nine hours journey from Napoli to Palermo in Italy with a group of highschoolers in my carriage, both curious and scared with the fact that I was the only outsider there...

Conversations and friendships came naturally, giving my trip an energy I couldn’t have found otherwise. Somehow, you always end up in a hostel with a guitar and someone who can sing, play, and dance at the same time—all with their eyes closed. Everyone’s in awe, and the atmosphere is sheer joy and easygoingness. I could never forget those nights. Hostels are obviously a big part of the journey: without the endless encounters and shared meals made from everyone’s leftovers, it wouldn’t have been the same. I can’t remember how many times I survived on pasta and tomato sauce—but after walking all day and discovering new things, who has the energy for a three-course meal anyway?

I often thought of my brother, who also refuses to fly. One day, I’d love to show him that it’s possible to travel far and see unforgettable things without ever breaking that promise. He’d be the one coming with me to the Northern countries we’ve always dreamed of visiting—if I have the privilege to win the prize.

Looking back, those three months gave me both independence and connection: space to grow on my own, and encounters that made every stop unique. That balance is what made every interrail so meaningful and fulfilling.

(@yeuxdepassage on instagram)

HELLOOO!!

We are Mario and L, and in these lines, we would like to share with you the story of our second trip, which would not have been possible without the support of the Interrail team.

Practically, the first time we left the country and experienced something similar to what happened this year was thanks to the DiscoverEU program, which gave us the life-changing opportunity to visit, for the very first time, the European cities we had been dreaming of for a long time. Thanks to these passes, for me, Mario, it was the first time I ever left my country. Growing up, I never had the opportunity to travel due to my financial situation, so this experience meant a lot to me. As for me, L, the story is pretty much the same, but I had traveled before, though never in Europe, just for a high school workshop, which didn’t really feel like a real trip, so I can say that it was also the first time when I really felt like traveling.

As we mentioned earlier, this year’s trip was possible thanks to the Interrail team, who organized a giveaway and posted it on their Instagram page!! Before winning this giveaway, we were really thinking about how to recreate the experience we had a year ago, because after our first trip, we discovered our true passion for traveling and realized that this is how we would like to live from now on. For us, traveling means living every second to the fullest, discovering not only ourselves, but also what surrounds us. And just like that, our dream came true!!

This year’s trip was indeed memorable. It shaped us even more as people, taught us that every place has something unique to discover and offer, and that every change of plans shouldn't be an extra stress, but rather something we should welcome with joy. Besides all these things, we learned how to truly live in the moment, to let go of everyday worries and problems, and to realize that the most important aspect of life is simply to live it. We even remember how the realization hit us on the second day of our trip, in Budapest, during the fireworks show, and how that feeling remained omnipresent throughout the entire journey. We realized that our worries are temporary and that there is so much to appreciate and love every single day, things we weren’t so aware of, things we had a hard time understanding, because life offers you all kinds of surprises. At the end of the day, you are aware that you only live once, nothing else is guaranteed. So, why not live your life as if today were your last day, without regrets, just with the feeling that you belong to the moment and that everything you do matters, leaves a mark. The important part is to feel that you’re living, not just existing. That's why we can say, in general, that this trip was so unforgettable and transformative for us. 

If we were to go into details, we could add many other things that changed our character and mentality, of course, in a positive way. For example, this time, we learned that the key element of any Interrail trip is adaptability and balance. On our first trip, we can say that it was only then that we "tasted" these essential characteristics, stepping out of our comfort zone for the first time, while this year we managed to fully embrace them. And rightfully so, this year was full of unexpected things that we had to solve as quickly as possible, where even a single extra minute of thinking could have led to a completely different result. A skill that we have successfully learned, and that we will still need in our daily lives!! And, sure thing, we are already implementing it!! At the same time, we have become more and more sociable and open to conversations with new and diverse people, which has helped us gain a better understanding of how different we are as people and how the place where you are born can completely change the course of your life. In other words, cultural exchange and new friendships all in one.

Also, we don’t have enough words to describe how many beautiful memories we have created, or how many moments there were when we rediscovered ourselves, but also each other. As well as, all the laughter we have shared, all the times we couldn’t believe we were truly living this, all the new songs we have discovered, all the streets we have walked, running and dancing on cobblestones, all the reasons to live, to be happy, and to be grateful for even a gentle breeze today, all the new emotions and feelings we have experienced, all the tears of joy, sunrises, and sunsets. Basically, the vulnerable moments we have had together and whispered to us how to love everything around us, every single second. “This is the beauty of life”, we told ourselves, “this is what we want to do from now on for the rest of our lives!”.

At the end of the day, each memory experienced became a special feeling that is part of us. These sentiments of ecstasy, happiness, and love, all in the form of a new day, where every sunrise awakens the impatient child in you, and where, at every street corner, you stop, grinning, while telling yourself you wish it would never end. The journey that Interrail started for us continues wherever we go.

Another thing we have learned: don’t be afraid to be vulnerable, and trust people who have disappointed you in the past, as long as your soul tells you it’s worth trying again. It may be something a bit more specific, but on this trip, we understood that communication and openness are absolutely essential for a healthy friendship. Let’s briefly share with you why we are saying these things. A few weeks before we started our itinerary, we found out that an old close friend of ours, who we hadn’t been in touch with for a while, would also be traveling through Europe for the Formula 1 race in the Netherlands. So, since we were also looking for accommodation, we made a spontaneous decision to meet up in Brussels, and from there to travel together, and to also stop for a few days in Turin, where he lives. In a very, very short way, we can both say that we felt the warmth of an old friendship, which we had missed so much and, of course, loved, and after all the moments we experienced this summer, we can say that we developed a much stronger connection than before, a more mature friendship!! So basically, this trip brought three old friends back together, and made us realize that it doesn’t matter where you are, but who you are with.

As for who we would like to share this experience with, we have a pretty simple answer. With whoever we can, with as many people as possible, so they can get an idea of what it means to go on an Interrail trip. Then, if they want, they can experience it all for themselves, create their own unique story, see the world through different eyes, and understand why words are not enough to describe this experience. Also, now, a hypothetical scenario, we would like to share our stories from this year with our 14 or 15-year-old selves, but without showing them any pictures or videos, so they could imagine it all and create their own scenarios. At the same time, we would tell them not to worry about the future, that they will overcome every difficult or unexpected moment, and that, in the end, they will live every moment to the fullest. We would also share that what scared them the most, the age of 20, is actually the most beautiful period of their lives, full of opportunities, friends, new feelings, and especially freedom, that kind of freedom that allows you to choose exactly how you want to live your life. The impact this trip had on us was enormous, and therefore, we don't even know how to explain it. When you do what you love and live your life to the fullest, you begin to have a different perspective, and we wish everyone could experience the kind of feelings that shape you as a person and create unique memories, because we are all different and diverse, and that only makes everything even more special. Because, as we said, words cannot fully express what we felt, we will try to do it through photos and videos instead!! Thank you once again for the opportunity to share our story!!

Ez az êlmeny a miénk (This experience is ours! )

Our first short stop wasss: Sighişoara!!

Now Budaaaapest:

Bratislava time!!!

Another short stop, but this time at the most famous cathedral (in our hearts)!!

The reunion from Brussels: 

At some Belgian beer tastings in Ghent! 

Lost through Bruges:

Fast and sleepless in Amsterdam:

The moment we regretted not taking the train to Turin (Charleloi airport :( )

Finally in Turin. Drinking Aperol Spritz was a lifestyle!!!

Living la dolce vita in Cinque Terre with ‘’Love my way’’ as our soundtrack!!

The end!

My favourite trip was to Lapland, Sweden, where we hiked the Kungsleden. Did it twice with different friends, just because it was so nice. Had layovers in Copenhagen and Stockholm, where we stayed the night. With kanelbullar, visiting the old ship Vasa and the open air museum, Stockholm was my favourite! 

The best thing about the train journey was the train from Stockholm to the north, packed with other hikers. We just booked a 6 persons coach, and met the nicest people. We discussed our hiking plans and celebrated someones birthday. The other time we were with a bigger friends group it was nice to spend the day and evening looking out the windows at the scenery, talking and playing games.

The hike was incredible! The nature and solitude are other-wordly. 

On our way back we got stuck in Hamburg. Would not want to get stuck again, but had a nice evening there anyway ;). 

Would like to take my spouse and some other friends if possible. 

In April this year I bought a pass and ventured on my first interrailing trip from Berlin to Dresden to Prague to Vienna to Budapest. I planned my trip carefully during the winter in order to see as much opera as possible and to visit as many cities as possible that I hadn’t been to before. I

ended up seeing Akehnaten in Berlin, Tosca in Dresden, Follies (not opera but beautiful) in Vienna, Manon Lescaut in Prague and Parsifal in Budapest. I went solo, staying with hosts in Airbnbs and meeting friends along the way. I will never forget travelling from Dresden to Prague and listening to Ma Vlast by Smetana whilst the train stretched around the Vltava river. The trip was so special to me, and so many of my friends have said how exciting and special it was to go specifically to see opera. I would love to go back and do a similar trip with my mum, who introduced me to classical music. It is only since becoming an adult that I took it seriously and fell in love with it. 

Dear readers :),

my name is Judith and I will tell you about my unforgettable Interrail trip with my friend Marisol in 2022. We were knowing each other only for a few months now we decided to get our passes but the dream of an interrail adventure brought us together. Until today we are close friends and cannot stop talking and thinking about the memories we made in this summer. The best thing about all this is that you do not need to decide for one kind of vacation. As you will read in the following travelogue, we were able to have beach days, to discover a lot of cities and places, to have wonderful days in the nature with hiking and swimming in lakes.

Living in Germany we started our trip in Frankfurt with Vienna as our first stop. Here we spent our days strolling through the city enjoying the buildings, people, a swim in the river Danube and thinking about how life would be as a student living in Vienna. Starting off strong with negative hostel experiences we found several mice in the fridge and a coffee machine basically covered in mold. But nevertheless, the positive memories are always more present.

From Vienna we took a train straight to Slovenia, to be more specific we arrived at Lesce Bled next to famous Lake Bled. Here we stayed in a lovely hostel filled to the roof with interrailers and young people where we met our first interrail friends. We immediately fell in love with Slovenia which is a country beyond beautiful. We were happy to be able to discover Lake Bled, their wonderful capital Ljubljana and Lake Bohinj in the three days we spent there.

The hostel we had chosen provided a Shuttle Service to Lake Bled that we used the first day in Slovenia. Here we had a short swim in the cold lake and went for a hike to a nice viewpoint from where we had a perfect view on the lake.

The second day we took a train to visit Ljubljana and had a very nice day in the city where we could enjoy the senior students celebrating their end of school and tried the typical cake “Prekmurska Gibanica”.

Our last trip in Slovenia was a bus ride to the Lake Bohinj with our new friend Adam from the UK. Already the bus ride was a highlight since we had a great view from the bus the whole time on stunning rivers with beautiful turquoise water which crawl their way through the mountains. But also, the lake was far from being a disappointment. We used our time to stroll around the lake and stop here and there for a short swim and to enjoy the views.

(Pictures are not perfectly in order but the lake with the small island in the middle is Lake Bled and the other one is Lake Bohinj)

Next stop: Trieste in Italy close to the Slovenian border. My aunt gave me the tip to visit this city and was talking about it so much that we couldn’t ignore it. And after being there by ourselves we were more than happy about her recommendation.

We were lucky to find a super cute flea market as we were discovering the city on our first day. Here we both found little treasures that will forever remind us that we had the best summer together and that trading with elderly Italian people who are not into speaking English is a challenge :D.

We spent some time at the quay wall where the people from Trieste spent their off days laying on the wall and enjoying the sun as if they were laying in comfortable sand. A ladder on the quay wall made it easy to have a little swim in the Adriatic Sea.

In the evenings we got us some Aperol Spritz and found a spot to view spectacular sun sets at the port of Trieste.

Leaving Trieste, we took a train to Bergamo crossing the landscape of Northern Italy. Arriving in Bergamo we discovered that our hostel had a big roof terrace from where we had a perfect view on the city Bergamo and spotted some places, we wanted to visit the next day.

Inspired by some scenes from the movie “Call me by your name” we took the chance to visit a small town called Crema close to Bergamo which emerged to be a great idea since this little village was as beautiful as we were imaging it. After strolling through Crema and after having a little break with coffee and Sudokus on the main place we were going back to Bergamo and started to discover this city. Here we were fascinated by the chilled mentality of the Italian people (for us Germans who are always running around and being veryyyy impatient it was just inspiring haha). Bergamo convinced us with its beautiful and ancient buildings and a city that was filled with life and people enjoying being there.

The next day we took a train in the direction of Lake Como since a friend has been rhapsodizing about the Botanical Gardens in Varenna for ages and we wanted to see with our own eyes what she was talking about. And believe me if I say this was probably the most beautiful place I have ever been. If you ever have the chance to go there – DO IT! We took a ton of pictures because we could not believe our eyes what we were experiencing. 

Pictures from Bergamo:

Pictures from Crema:

Pictures from Varenna:

As we wanted to leave Bergamo the next day a surprise came across our way: A nationwide train strike in Italy. But since we were eager to move on with our plans and since we already booked an accommodation at our next destination, we just wanted to keep things going. We spent some time at the train station as we noticed that there will be a train going to Milan. Since this was at least the correct direction we squeezed into that overcrowded train and finally reached Milan. We were very lucky that we found a person sharing a car ride in the app “BlaBlaCar” from Milan to LaSpezia which was close to the small town we wanted to reach. Reaching Milan, we went to the meeting point were the person wanted to pick us up and happily, we recognized that it was a young woman that had enough space for our luggage and us. We shared the car with two more young travelers who had the same problem as we did. The car ride was super chill and everyone was very kind so that we reached Bolano with new friends and on time.

From here we wanted to see the storied villages of Cinque Terre and started right away the next day with a bus ride to LaSpezia from where we were taking the train to our first stop from Cinque Terre which was Monterosso, followed by Vernazza, Corniglia and Manarola. We kept Riomaggiore for the next day since we were already very tired and needed to process all the views, experiences and memories from that day. Already the train rides between the villages were adventurous and so beautiful with its view to the Ocean right next to the train. Each of the villages was stunning and we felt like we were stuck in a parallel world the whole time.

After we visited Riomaggiore the next day which included a short swim at the rough coast, we used the rest of our time to explore LaSpezia. 

From LaSpezia we took a train to Firenze to discover another one of Italy’s amazing cities. The Italian summer was going strong these days so that I cannot tell too much about this stay since we just tried to find some shady spots to enjoy the impressive sculptures, buildings, bridges and views over the city or were on the hunt for good food spots. On one day we were going for a trip to Siena to absorb even more of Italy’s beauty.

But trust me if I tell you that Firenze is always worth a visit.

As our last stop we wanted to reach Nice in France but we decided to add a short stop in the Italian city Genova. Here we stayed in a lovely Airbnb with the cutest married couple. The man picked us up at the train station since they are living on a hill which is not that easy to reach with the bus. Of course, we were skeptical about entering a car of an unknown man in an unknown city in Italy but this time it was a good decision to trust this person. Our host turned out to be the kindest man and asked us if we want to see his favorite place of the city. Surely, we agreed and he brought us up on a hill with a beautiful church from where we had a spectacular view over the city. That was perfect since our favorite activity during our trip was to find the perfect viewpoint for each new destination we arrived at. 

And as I already mentioned was Nice our actual destination that we reached when leaving Genova. We were kind of underwhelmed by the city and overwhelmed by the number of tourists so that we decided to spend our last days at the beach to breathe as much sun and salty air as possible before going back home. Since the beaches in Nice were not convincing to us, we went for a very short train ride to a nearby town called Villefranche-sur-Mer which turned out to be one of the best decisions of this trip. We found a beautiful beach which was not as crowded as the ones in Nice where we spent the last two days of our adventure. This was like the perfect ending for such an incredible and unforgettable time.

From Nice we took the TGV to Paris from where we were going back to Germany to finish that wonderful trip. I am beyond happy that I was able to experience this journey and cannot stop thinking about a new Interrail adventure since then. We were very happy that we were able to afford the pass with 30 travel days so that we could use it for a lot of day trips to close cities and to discover even more beautiful places and cities.

If I am happy enough to go for an Interrail adventure again, I would love to share this experience with my boyfriend who is not that passionate for train rides as I am (not yet!!) so that I really need to enlighten him. The biggest problem that will occur is that it is way too hard to decide for a route since there are so many possibilities and countries we want to see. But I think we just need to start somewhere and see what happens.

Everyone should be able to feel this kind of freedom and happiness that an Interrail trip brings with it. 

Thanks everyone for reading, I hope you enjoyed it and maybe someone gets some inspiration for a destination from this travelogue.

Wish you all the Best,

Judith

Our Eurail/Interrail trip was unforgettable because it gave us, as a family, the chance to experience true freedom together. Traveling with my husband and our two kids made every stop even more special—we weren’t just exploring Europe, we were creating lifelong memories as a team. Watching the kids’ faces light up when the train rolled into a new city reminded me of how magical travel can be. It wasn’t only about where we went, but about sharing those little everyday adventures together: games on the train, laughter over a shared gelato, and the joy of simply being on the road.

I would love to relive it with my family again—because nothing compares to exploring the world through your children’s eyes. They bring so much curiosity and excitement to every moment, and traveling together strengthens our bond. I’d also love to inspire friends and other families to try it—because rail travel makes Europe accessible, fun, and unforgettable for all ages.

We started with short stops in Hamburg and Munich, before heading south to Italy where our adventure really blossomed. First came Bolzano with its charming alpine atmosphere, then Bologna with its lively food scene. We spent dreamy days by Lake Garda—swimming in its warm, gentle water was pure magic. In Florence, I had the best tomato pasta of my life at Trattoria 13 Gobbi—so simple, yet unforgettable. And of course, Rome gave us that incredible mix of history and energy that only Rome can. Each place brought its own surprises and joy, and together they created a trip we’ll never forget.
 

Hi there, my name is Ed and I’ve just returned from a quite eclectic post high school, pre University summer of travel. Now I’d say that I’m not one to overly romanticize my experiences, but my new habits of late night scrolling through my interrail camera roll and mapping of future trips on the interrail map would beg to differ. Safe to say my travels through 12 countries on and off over 3 months made quite an impact on me.

Within a week of finishing my final exams we were off. My childhood best friend and I hopped on the train from our native Manchester to London and on to fly to Santiago De Compostela, Spain. Jam-packed with religious history, creepy folklore paired with foggy mornings and a friendly hostel, Santiago did not dissappoint. Looking back, our naivety was embarrassing as we wandered around the main plaza, asking ourselves why everyone was so exhausted, crying and appauding new arrivals to the square. Only back at the hostel did I actually do my research into the famous Camino De Santiago Pilgrimage and really appreciate the place I had chosen to visit.

In no time we were on course for our first international train to city and country 2 – Porto, Portugal. Did we stumble at the first hurdle? Yes, by failing to realize that the seat reservations were only bookable in person and expecting to waltz into the station 20 mins beforehand and expect available seats – but a cheap(ish) coach to Porto did the job in the end.

Porto and Lisbon, their history and beauty goes without saying, I felt showed how travel can be whatever you want from it. I was forced into my first ever nightclub by my friend, which I ended up really enjoying. The fact that nobody cared if you danced (and I quote) “like I had a gun to my head” felt quite freeing. Late night chats with worldpackers at our Lisbon hostel over one, or two, or one hundred beers are still fond memories.

Then, back to Spain we went: Sevilla, Córdoba, Madrid, Toledo and Barcelona. Once again I could waffle about the history and beauty of one of my favourite contries for days, so that goes without saying. As a pale Brit, I stuck out like a total guiri in the fourty degree heat of Andalucia and lively streets of spanish cities. Even so, my passable Spanish got us through and in Spain its almost impossible not to enjoy yourself.

Sadly, the tail end of the Spain leg of the trip in Barcelona ended in mild disaster with migraines, food poisoning and the thinnest pilows known to man as a summary – still enjoyed it though! However, a lovely coastal train ride took us over the border to France where we visited Carcassonne, Marseille, Nice (and Monaco). I have always loved the architecture of southern France and the castle walls of Carcassonne which I had visited multiple times before. These did contrast with the sketchy streets of Marseille where we did cut our stay short due to a dodgy hostel and not the best atmosphere. Not surprisingly meanwhile, Nice and Monaco didn’t fail to impress with their grandure.

The final country on this section of my travels was Italy, where we stayed with my past exchange student in Livorno and travelled around tuscany. Ever since my exchange three years ago, I had always wanted to go to the Uffizi gallery in Florence. The museum was so good that I didn’t take a single photo and just enjoyed my time there.

To cut to the chase what brought me to Ireland was a geunine interest in the irish half of my family, and to visit a country so close that I had never been to… as well as the £30 round trip flights. Being typical tourists, me and a different old friend enjoyed our fair share of pub crawls, museums and hostel drama that could make a sitcom.

I wasn’t done yet either! A great results day really helped me enjoy a family holiday to Norway – now in my top three most beautiful countries I have ever had the privilege to visit. I have to say it is my top for late night scrolling pictures of fjords and clean and impossibly quiet Oslo streets.

I set off on my own for the first time through to Stockholm and Copenhagen to then fly to Amsterdam to meet up with some friends. In Sweden, staying in a thirty bed hostel room is an aquired taste – given the fact that I only realized I had lost my voice after not speaking for two days when I tried to talk to a barista in a café one morning. Beware of Copenhagen and Amsterdam, but only because of the bikes as besides that they are undenably beautifully designed and curated. Seeing more friends in Amsterdam was a much needed stop off for me. What most comes to mind about that city is the awe factor of first stepping out of the subway to be met with rows of perfectly designed town houses and canals like nowhere else I had ever been to before.

Yet again, another leg to my travels brought me (via a very fun night train from Amsterdam) to Vienna and central Europe. The feel of the city was clearly imperial, and the grand buildings of the city centre and museum quarter belied the history of a region of the world I had never been to before. Combining this with a hoste full of such fun people that helped show me the whole city made Vienna one of mf favourite stops.

Finally, a bout of illness in Budapest did bring an abrupt stop to my travels – but on the bright side I did save the little money from my job I had left. It was a bit depressing to lay in bed for days in a lively party hostel, but to be honest it might have been a sign I had over travelled just a bit – which is a privilege in itself.

Being able to continue my travels would be such an amazing opportunity but I’m most likely not the top candidate. After all, I’ve already had my fair share of travel and I’m optimistic future opportunities will arise for me to explore more. Nevertheless, to be honest this little summary was quite fun to write and I have saved it for future late night reading (seeing as I jost my first journal in Nice). I would love to nominate my best friend who has already travelled weeks with me across europe because she has dealt with me once and can certainly do it again.

Thanks for considering me and I’ll leave you with some highlights! I’ve already tried twice to upload the photos so they aren’t going to be in any particular order - which actually fits the vibe of how this summer felt.

Just a quick final credit to all the people I met and can now stalk on instagram – you made my trip 100%.

Why was your Eurail/Interrail trip so unforgettable and transformative? 

We’re two men (married couple) who did our first Interrail trip back in 2022. We had initially planned to do a Disney Cruise Line cruise in the Mediterranean, but as prices went up and the exchange rate was terrible (Norwegian NOK to American USD) we finally decided to cancel the cruise and opt for a different and more affordable holiday. I don’t remember why we ended up deciding on doing an Interrail trip, but there are Norwegian Facebook groups for train travel enthusiasts and we figured it would be a somewhat more environmentally friendly and cheaper way of travel. Coming out of the pandemic lockdowns we were also starved for experiences and this turned into what somewhat we met called “revenge travel” - meaning you wanted to get back at the pandemic by really having an amazing trip!

So we decided on starting in London (always a great city) and end up in Berlin, spending all of three weeks in different cities and travel by train everywhere. We also decided to check off lots of bucket list items for the both of us. The whole trip ended up being an amazing series of magnificent experiences, basically a “cruise on land”. Traveling by train is so comfortable compared to planes. And you get into the center of most cities and just walk straight to your hotel. Even the cities you use as a “base” become part of the experience, and most trains are comfy and run on time.

The whole experience made so we decided to do the same thing in 2024 and hope to repeat in 2026. Now we plan our European holidays (we are from Norway) around “how can we integrate this into an Interrail trip?” rather than the destinations. The train travel just opens up our own continent and backyard in a way we had never considered before.

Do you want to share this experience with someone else? If so, who and why? 

I would much like to share this experience with fellow Europeans, but also other tourists who come to Europe and spend time and enjoy the incredible places here. And bring with them how great trains are. We even need to re-learn that - the greatness and importance of a solid train network - back at home in Norway.

Where did you travel to? Include any photos or videos—the more descriptive your responses, the better! 

We started out in London and spent some days there. Coincidentally London Pride was happening at the same time. We visited Thorpe Park, watched musicals in the West End

We then went on to Paris as my husband had never been there, and spent several days there to get the full Parisian experience - the Eiffel Tower, dinner on the Seine, the Louvre, having wine and fondue on a streetside cafe by Montmartre. We also visited the catacombs, Versailles, Parc Asterix and Disneyland Paris!

From there on we went to beautiful Strasbourg, situated close to the border of France and Germany. While the city itself is worth a visit - especially the old and tall cathedral - we used it as a base to visit Europa-Park and the city of Colmar. 

On to Munich to eat and drink German cuisine at Haxnbauer im Scholastikahaus. Also used to visit the absurdly pretty Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and later on Castle Neuschwanstein, Castle Hohenschwangau, and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings.

Finally, our trip ends in Berlin with visits to the Pergamonmuseum and to the Neues Museum, as well as meeting and hanging out with some American tourists who were doing their revenge trips as well. 

After this, we headed back home to Oslo, Norway, after three weeks on the tracks!

Hey there! I'm Etienne, 25 years old and seven years ago, in the summer of 2018, my unforgettable Interrail trip became my launchpad into adulthood. Since then, I think about it a lot as it was a really formative and genuinely life changing experience that I still talk about constantly. Since July 2025 I’m engaged – actually using an Interrail France Pass – as I surprised my fiancée with a surprise trip to the Cote d’Azur and now it would be utterly special for me to be able to relive my trip from 2018 many years later with my fiancée Annalena and be able to show to her everything that I talked about for years now about this very special trip.

In July 2018, my best friend and I both turned 18 and I finished school as well. We wanted to travel and explore Europe, so we decided to buy two Global Passes and travel for 21 days. It was our first trip as adults and we travelled from Lisbon to the Algarve coast, explored Malaga, Madrid and Barcelona, spent time at beaches at the Cote d'Azur and even continued all the way to Sicily via Pisa and Rome and ended our trip in beautiful Budapest.
 

Our first stop in Lisbon holds a special place in my heart forever. Countless times I talked to my fiancée about how beautiful it was and how this city really became the place where I felt first how diverse and colourful my life might be.

We arrived in Lisbon to our hostel where we booked two beds in a 12-bed shared hostel-room. I was excited and a bit scared the same time, as from one day to another there I was in a different country, 1.000 km away from home, spending a night with 10 total strangers. But the welcome was so warm and nice that after a few hours I let all of my fears go and started to embrace Lisbon. We did a Free Walking Tour, immediately made friends in the hostel and had an awesome night out in the bars of Lisbon vibing to live music and drinking Ginjinha. It felt so incredibly magical, I still struggle to put it into words.
 

Our next stop in Lagos was full of partying and swimming at one of the most beautiful beaches I`ve ever seen, Praia do Camilo. I remember the evening having Sangria, talking to great people and just enjoying life. Later at one night we noticed a leaderboard in one of the bars with a list of countries where it was counted which country had the most drinks that night. We had a lot of fun with all the people in the bar competing for fun and having an awesome night.
 

In Barcelona we walked a lot around the city and really soaked up the its unique vibe. I specifically remember going to a rooftop bar and while having an awesome view over Barcelona, and the never finished Sagrada Familia, philosophising about what the future might look like for us. After more stops in Italy, each one with its own characteristics, we took the night train to Sicily. Although it was hot, we loved the island.

 

From there, we took two night trains in a row to get to Budapest where we finished our trip. It was the perfect finale as I love Budapest so much that since then, I revisited it several times. One evening, we sat on the Chain Bridge and Budapest just hit me with it’s beauty and charm, the warm lights and magnificent buildings making one forget one’s struggles or problems. On the last day, we went to the thermal baths and reflected on our trip. After visiting many places in seven countries in just 21 days, for the first time I felt really as a European citizen. We learned about different cultures, languages and people but also that we felt connected as being part of something bigger than our local heritage or nationality. It was fun and such a pleasure to meet so many new people who shared their stories and broadened my horizons.
 

It’s safe to say that Interrail changed my life. To relive all those special and great moments would be an absolute pleasure as I would love to show them to my fiancée Annalena, who I told to much about this Interrail trip in 2018 and all the experiences and memories I made. I’d be amazing to stroll through the streets of Lisbon and Barcelona, swim in the Atlantic at the beautiful Algarve Coast and travel across the beautiful French and Italian Riviera another time.

Without it, I likely wouldn’t have spent a year studying abroad in Warsaw, nor would I have found my passion for promoting the European idea and long distance train travel.. Since then, I travelled from Germany by train to Lithuania, Ireland, France, Austria, Poland, Hungary and even all the way to the Black Sea in Romania. Especially night trains became a favourite for me.

Seven years and countless kilometres later, I’d love to relive those moments and truly share them. I constantly tell my fiancée Annalena about my Interrail story. I’ve described the bustling streets of Lisbon, the feeling of freedom at the Algarve coast, and the views over Barcelona so many times. Now, I’d be amazing to stroll through those streets with her, show her everything and let us both feel that incredibly, transformative magic of such a trip.

It would be even more perfect as next year we are both finishing our studies. That’ll mean that I closed my “school-chapter” with an Interrail trip and now I might be able to close my “university-chapter” with an Interrail trip as well. What a great story and full circle that would be!