Written by Morgan Forbes; edited by Madison Challis
The first time I ever considered solo travelling, Interrail were offering free passes for the summer I turned 19. I had already booked a girls’ holiday around a concert I was attending in Rome, and we intended to spend two weeks in Italy, starting in Naples. The flight to Naples transited through Dublin and took the better part of a long day, starting at 5am. I was fortunate enough back then to have no pressing commitments to return to for a specific date — I was off work and uni until September. This was before COVID, before Brexit was finalised; I started reconsidering how I’d eventually get back to the UK.
It’s truly a privilege to be able to travel — especially internationally. No matter what budget you set out with, it’s going to be expensive, even just to take the time off of work. Furthermore, there are many reasons someone might have for deeming travel impossible beyond just the expenses; perhaps they hate the prospect of cramming their luggage into a strict weight limit enforced by a cheap Ryanair flight. They could be scared of flying or travelling by boat. They might think there’s no way to holiday in a sustainable fashion, or they aren’t thrilled by the idea of a constricted schedule fitted around a ‘return home’ ticket. However, Interrailing has been reshaping the way we travel since 1972 — you could be getting away for less money, less stress, less pollution, and a lot more freedom. This is why I picked up a month-long Interrail pass after I wrapped up my time in Italy, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Interrail is one of the best ways to travel long distances by train through 33 countries in Europe. Through a one-country or global pass, travellers can use their physical ticket or the Interrail app as a mode of transport across the continent. Passes range from just under 200 euros for a pass that will allow you to travel seven days out of a month, up to over 700 euros for three months of consecutive travel. When you consider the price of a single journey between many Western European hotspots in particular — Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Rome, and so forth — you could already be saving money by opting for an Interrail pass over a cross-country train ticket. But beyond the price point, what else can be said for this popular method of travelling around Europe?
First of all, taking a train in any capacity has a multitude of benefits over flying. It’s known to be a far more environmentally friendly mode of transport. Though it can take a lot longer, it beats wasting time in traffic on a bus or in your own car, and you’ll spot some of the most stunning scenery travelling by land across Europe, whether that’s through the Alps in countries like Austria and Switzerland or through the wild forests of Germany and Poland. You may choose to work your way from the icy fjords of Norway down to the sandy coasts of Greece and Turkey. With such a range of scenery and culture, the possibilities are endless, and these experiences would be missed if you chose to fly over them all. There are no distractions that would come with being behind the wheel of a car either. Interrailing is a great way to explore a lot of different places on one extended trip. You’ll also skip the hassle of heading to the airport at the crack of dawn, miles outside of town, only to sit in an overpriced Starbucks as your EasyJet flight gets delayed by another hour (I have been here far too many times).
Furthermore, with an Interrail pass, you’ll reach a lot of new places you wouldn’t necessarily be able to travel to (or consider travelling to) otherwise. Commercial flights will always hone in on the biggest cities or, occasionally, an airfield in the middle of nowhere to save money. Trains and buses will take you to smaller towns off the beaten track, and it’s always a relief to escape tourist traps and the constant noise of a nation’s capital, especially when you’ve been travelling for a while. That’s not to say big places aren’t worth visiting — they’re deemed ‘touristy’ for a reason — but if you’re looking to diversify the places you’re visiting and support small communities, Interrail passes work for all kinds of environments.
This is not to say that Interrailing will work for every kind of trip. The passes are strictly limited to nations in Europe, and you’ll need to make sure you can safely and legally pass through each country’s border — depending on where you’re from, visas and passport control might be difficult. If you’re a resident in a non-European country, you may have to opt for a Eurail pass instead (though nowadays, they are more or less the same). If you’re really stuck for time or set on only one or two destinations, it’s also not the best recommendation, and some places have better facilities to accommodate train travel than others. Last year, I spent a month travelling around a few countries in the Balkans, and anyone who’s been to this region in south-east Europe knows that taking the bus is going to be your best option (as is the case for many wilder countries with less infrastructure for public transport). Moreover, some trains require additional bookings (such as the high-speed trains in Italy and France, for example),which won’t be included in the price of your Interrail pass.
Interrailing is a great way to effectively branch out into more adventurous travel. If you’re looking to transition from your usual all-inclusive package holiday to something a bit different, European culture and tourism are close enough to home for most people to handle with relative ease. The majority of the destinations included with an Interrail pass are safe and friendly for foreigners, and staying within the Schengen area makes for an easier trip across multiple borders. You’ll get the opportunity to explore some wonderful destinations across a beautifully diverse continent. If you’re looking for a relaxing, relatively inexpensive, and flexible way to travel this summer, give it a go.
Figure 1: My 2019 Italy & Interrail route, Google Maps.
Route: Flight from Edinburgh to Naples via Dublin; Salerno & Amalfi Coast; Rome; Bologna; Vienna; Zagreb & Plitvice Lakes; Belgrade; Budapest; Bratislava; Prague; Cologne via Berlin; Rotterdam & Amsterdam; back to Edinburgh via Brussels & London.
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