Bored of the bad weather? Us too. Nothing says plan a holiday like torrential rain – and if your current idea of an adventure is an out-of-nowhere, spontaneous trip to take out your bins, it’s time to start looking.
If it’s an experience you’re after – a real one this time – an interrail ticket could be exactly what you need.
An Interrail Global Pass (http://www.interrail.eu/interrail-passes/global-pass) grants its owner free travel on any European train for up to a month, letting you weave your way through as many of its destinations as you please.
Just picture the scene: it’s mid-summer, the heat is woozy, and you’re happily travelling through the European continent. A week ago you were in Paris, taking sunset strolls along the Seine; three days ago you were lazing on a beach in Barcelona, sampling tapas and sipping cocktails; just yesterday you were throwing coins over your shoulder into Rome’s magical Trevi Fountain (very Lizzie Mcguire The Movie-esque) (this is what dreams are made of). In a few days you’ll be in Venice, exploring its canals on a gondola, and next week you’re heading for the regal grandeur of Vienna.
Sound appealing? There are few places in the word that promise such an abundance of cities full of life and culture at such a proximity to each other – within a few hours of train journey you can find yourself immersed in a city with a completely different language, cuisine, and architectural style to the one you were in previously.
If you’re considering an interrail trip of your own, there are a few basic tips to consider:
1) Plan and prepare in advance. As adventurous as the ‘we’ll-find-a-hostel-when-we-get-there’ attitude is, planning ahead saves you a lot of time, money and stress – especially if it’s your first trip.
The reality of the matter is that when you arrive in a new country with little concept of where you are and only Google (and data roaming charges) to help you, the last thing you want is to waste a day walking about desperately looking for somewhere to stay. (Especially when it’s mid-summer, 25ºC or higher and you have a large rucksack on your back. You’ll get sweaty pretty quickly).
Considering you’ll probably only have a few days in each city, it’s nice to know you won’t be wasting one of them trying to find a hostel. Booking somewhere in advance also means you can get a better idea of what your budget is going to look like and that you’ll get a nice room (hopefully).
What’s more, planning your route in advance enables you to choose the most scenic train journeys that will show you some of the most beautiful views in Europe. Nothing feels more authentic than climbing onto a bright-red train and sleepily travelling through the breathtaking railroads of Switzerland and into Italy, trailing through the snow-capped Swiss Alps as you go – do some research and reap the benefits of it.
Experience mountain views and alpine lakes on the Bernina Express
2) Don’t over-pack. As mentioned in the previous point, a heavy rucksack will give you nothing but a sore back. When sorting out what to bring with you, try laying everything on the floor and then halving it – you’ll thank yourself once you’re out there. Cut down on the amount of clothes you bring – a lot of hostels have washing machines – and give yourself room to pack some of these essentials:
· Your passport (obviously)
· Comfortable shoes
· Sun cream
· Something to keep you busy on the train – playing cards/a Kindle/book/headphones etc
· A money belt
· A rainproof jacket (you never know when this will come in handy)
Remember that if you forget anything important, they’ll be plenty of opportunities to buy it during the trip.
3) Make friends with other travellers. Travellers from all over the world venture to Europe to interrail and much can be learned by taking the time to get to know some of them. Try and opt for hostels that have a common room to meet new people in and consider sleeping in dorms rather than private rooms. Meeting and befriending new people from many different countries around the world is part of the interrail experience.
4) Visit unknown destinations as well as the obvious. There’s so much of Europe to see that it can be easy to prioritise the most familiar of its cities (Paris, Rome, Barcelona) and never discovering everything that it really has to offer. Consider visiting Europe’s most famous holiday destinations as well its hidden gems further east (Budapest, Krakow, Prague); lesser-known cities tend to be cheaper – a night in one of Paris’ cheapest hostels can easily be double (triple even) the price of one in Croatia – and sample the unique architecture and lively nightlife that it has to offer.
Lake Bled, Slovenia
Interrailing provides you with an invaluable opportunity to absorb yourself in different cultures, taste a variety of distinctive cuisines and even master the basics of several different languages (but mainly just the words ‘hello’, ‘thank you’, and ‘can we have the bill?’ at a push). Most of all, however, interrailing provides you with memories that will last a lifetime and HER Campus urges you to fall in love with it for yourself.
Photo Credits:
Hostelworld.com
Traveluxor.com
Tumblr.com
Ultimateski.com