We’re proud and honoured to announce that Railtripping has won the Columbus Travel Award 2023 in the ‘Travel Journalist’ category. At the festive award ceremony on 22 November 2023 in Amsterdam, we received the Egg of Columbus: an award that symbolises how a seemingly difficult issue like sustainability can be tackled with practical, workable solutions and initiatives.

There’s something infinitely exciting about falling asleep in one place and waking up in another—rolling through the night, not knowing exactly where you are, drifting off to the gentle rocking of the train.

Trams, trains, buses, undergrounds, ferries, Schwebebahn (suspension railways), even a rowboat with a ‘private rower’—the options are endless. Since May 2023, the ultimate slow travel ticket, the Deutschland-Ticket, priced at €49 a month, has granted unlimited access to all regional public transport in Germany. You can even extend your journey to Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, or Poland by train. Yet, the real appeal lies in the many adventurous routes that follow rivers, cross mountains, and wind past vineyards, castles, and remote towns and villages.

Experience the freedom of exploring 33 European countries with just one ticket on your phone. From the picturesque canals of Amsterdam to the bustling streets of Istanbul, or the historic landmarks of Berlin to the sunny coast of Lisbon, Interrail lets you travel as much as you want, wherever you want. Having celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, Interrail still today opens up a world of possibilities. Find insider tips and answers to common questions to make the most of your journey.

Often described as Europe’s last wilderness, Sweden’s remote and sparsely populated far north is a land of striking beauty – and in summer it’s easy to visit without a car or plane. The slow trains of the Inlandsbanan, or Inland Line, take you through a landscape of forests, heathland, lakes and rivers. On the way, reindeer and elk cross the tracks. Ahead of you, over a thousand miles of wild nature and endlessness. Welcome to life in the slow lane.

You want to experience your first backpacking adventure in Europe – but are unsure what to expect? Then this book will address your uncertainties and answer all your questions. Starting with planning your travel route, a required budget, and the optimal packing list, you will find everything you need to know for a successful journey by train.

Europe offers everything you need for an adventure. Breathtaking landscapes, cultural diversity and backpackers from all over the world. By train, you can travel from the biggest metropolis to the most remote place. With this book, you will be well prepared to start your first backpacking adventure. From my experience, I can tell you that traveling by train is the most beautiful way to discover Europe. Let’s go, your adventure awaits!

Find cheap tickets
Find out whether an Interrail Pass makes sense for you or whether tickets booked separately might be cheaper. You’ll also find more tips on how to save money on your train journey.

Planning your itinerary
In addition to popular travel routes, there are tips on route planning and recommended countries. You can also find out how to optimise your route and experience as much as possible on your journey.

Budget planning
It is easy to calculate the costs you will incur and the budget you should plan for. You can also find out how to find cheap accommodation.

Adventure awaits
Whether it’s after graduating from high school, during the semester break or as a short break from work, now is the best time to explore Europe. So let’s go, the adventure awaits!

Adventure awaits!

There are countless European countries you can explore by train.
All you have to do is be brave and go on an adventure.

As you stand on the banks of the Rhine and look out over this mighty river, many words come to mind. Enchanting, formidable, majestic. It’s hard to imagine that at its source you can step right over it in a single stride. Intrigued, I recently travelled to Lake Toma, Switzerland, by bike and train to see for myself the Rhine at its humble source.

Dresden is a city brimming with musical history, from the house where Wagner wrote his Lohengrin opera and the street where a popular violinist was murdered on a tram, to a hall where Mozart once played for the king. Guide and cultural historian Christoph Münch set out to find the city’s forgotten musical past and collected them in his book “Dresden – 500 Places of Music”. Also of interest is the important role the railways played in the city’s cultural and musical development.

From Europe’s longest bar to a wholesome beer spa, via some life-saving beer tunnels: we travelled with an Interrail Pass from Rotterdam to Pilsen visiting some of Europe’s best breweries, bars, beer gardens and cellars. We immersed ourselves in history… and eventually in beer too.

It might seem hard to believe, but in a metropolis like Paris you really don’t have to go far to recharge your batteries in the countryside. Simply jump on the underground or the regional RER. To the east of Paris lies a large wooded area called the Bois de Vincennes, and while many tourists to Paris do find their way here, few visit the fantastic flower park also located here.