Has anyone done an inter railing holiday as an adult?

[Premiumdarkmode]

Just that really, considering this for me and teens this year but no idea how viable this is. We’d get the Eurostar to Paris and have about 2.5 weeks in Europe. Really like the idea of a sleeper train somewhere along the way too.

would love some ideas if anyone has done this?

Not yet - but planning on doing it later this year in our 'retirement '.
I follow a Facebook group called Interrailing for the older crowd (you're probably younger than me!) They are a very helpful bunch with lots of knowledge though. They'll help with best sites to book seats etc (required on some trains - especially long distance).
The Interrailing website and themaninseat61.com website are very useful and give a good place to start planning.

Not me, but my 40 something friend , her partner and her 15 year old did it last year and loved it, so much so they’re doing it again this year

There is a great Facebook group called Interrailing for the older crowd which is great for ideas and inspiration. Also The man in seat 61 - the internet bible of train travel!

Ooh snap @ohtowinthelottery ! As for us am going to interrail from uk to Norway this summer via Germany and Denmark. No sleepers much to child’s disgust but can’t wait!

Yes, with my 11year old son. We focused on Central Europe for 2 weeks and loved it. We flew to Budapest but there’s a Paris to Prague sleeper service. I wouldn’t hesitate to go again, and I’d love to go with my husband when it’s just us two again, maybe Spain and Portugal or Scandinavia.

We did this last summer with our three DC and it was amazing. We took the Eurostar to Amsterdam, and then went on to Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and then back via Germany and Belgium.

The sleeper from Stockholm to Berlin was a real highlight; the DC loved it!

I can't wait to do a few more train based holidays around Europe. I believe a lot more sleeper services are opening up now.

we got the train for Edinburgh to Stockholm via Brussels, Munich and Copenhagen so not inter-railing as such but a fair amount of time and planning needed, esp as my husband is a wheelchair user. It was absolutely fabulous, and are planning a similar trip to southern Europe next year train travel is really relaxing and a great way to see the countries you’re travelling through.

No but do it! You could get your sleeper train out of Paris. Would you fly back or loop?

I really fancy gdansk in Poland to Rovinj in Croatia or some of central Bohemia. I also fancy going to Spanish cities that you don't do on beach holidays, especially the Alhambra in Grenada plus see the Prado Madrid and not to miss Seville. A Spanish food and culture loop would be great.

Is it an expensive holiday, in comparison with a package? I’d quite like it but DH is quibbling at the moment.

Yes, my friends did it on their retirement in late 50s/early 60s. Went for about 2-3 months and loved it.

I'm interested in this. What do you do about luggage? Memories of lugging around a heavy backpack when I did it at 21, not sure I would manage that now!

Wow this sounds like a great way to travel. I was just watching killing eve and said to my son we must go to Berlin. Then I saw your post.

I’m in the middle of going through a divorce right now and I really want to plan some fun things. Entertaining across several European countries sounds a great way to see some of the cities.

I am intrigued in the cost and how you book accommodation? Do you stay in youth hostels?

This website is a great resource for planning rail travel: www.seat61.com

Going this summer with dd! We're booked on the Brussels-Prague sleeper already, but it's a bit too early for other bookings. Cost wise, it's going to be more than a cheapie Ryanair flight to a single destination, but you can be strategic about cheaper destinations (but dd has never been to Paris, so we're going anyway). Can't wait!

Thank you I will check it out. How reasonable to go in winter or is summer better. Not sure it would be this year but 2025 could be a plan. My son just said could we plan it around some concerts so that would give a focus for us. I’m so excited now🤩

@Allthescreens A lot of the older crowd seem to take wheeled (small) suitcases these days but I intend to take a small rucksack. The key seems to be to pack light and book accommodation with a washing machine occasionally. I'll be packing walking trousers/shorts that are quick drying.

With 5 of us I was ruthless about packing light. Each person was only allowed the clothes they were stood up in, plus two changes of clothes. One light raincoat each. We mostly stayed in AirBnB places, so I did a wash every few days.

We had one medium suitcase between the five of us, and each DC had a small backpack for books, suncream, water bottles, chargers and devices. Most train stations have lockers or left luggage storage if needed.

Take a deck of cards and some games. We played bananagrams, travel scrabble and a lot of UNO. Did a supermarket run ahead of the longer journeys to stock up on snacks.

It was so relaxing, and I feel really converted to train based holidays.

Thank you - it's great so many of you have done it. DD hates flying and we've done a few train journeys in Spain, France and Italy and I've loved the train rides nearly as much as I've loved the destinations. Sleeper train from Stockholm to Berlin sounds wonderful.

In terms of costs how much have they been.

Well I did at 19 so technically an adult then but I guess you mean “grown up”!

I’d love to do it with my kids when they are teens. Back when I did it I got a fun overnight train from Paris to Munich. There are more overnight options these days and I’d probably splurge for a cabin rather than a couchette (basically a bunk in a communal cabin)

Not actually using the Interrail scheme, booked all tickets individually in advance, but took the train Netherlands Germany Switzerland Italy France over 2 weeks for honeymoon during the winter. It was brilliant. Maybe the best thing I've done to be honest! Each had a smallish 20 kilo wheeled suitcase and that was fine. I would maybe be less inclined to do it in peak summer heat though. Winter felt ideal, though we travelled between glorious sunshine and freezing snow. I wore things like tweed dresses that don't need a lot of washing and then had underlayers of tights and thermals that are possible to wash in a hotel sink. One quality pair of boots, one quality coat.

We did a Germany based interrailing trip last year with two DC- 4 and 6. Was amazing. I didn’t really get the most out of the tickets as I’d bought them in the anniversary sale and in hindsight didn’t need so many travel days. But the kids loved it, we loved it and would absolutely do it again.

I'm not 100% sure about total cost in the end (I'd need to go back to DH's spreadsheet where he keeps track of such things). I think it was probably more than a cheap package holiday, but considering how much the journey is part of the experience, it felt like good value for money to me. Obviously also depends on where you stay - we did a few nights in hotels, but mainly AirBnB, partly to keep costs down.

And when staying at AirBnBs also kept costs down with cheap and easy meals like pasta pesto with a green salad. I think we had that meal about 10 times.

I did it as a uni student (as PP said, technically an adult but not a grown up). really amazing, and I’d love to do it once DC are a bit older. Doubt I’d be using a pencil to log my journeys to rub out and reuse and living off bread and jam!

I've done a mini version is Spain - fantastic way to travel.

My top tip is a cabin sized wheelie bag that has backpack straps, as there aren't always easy to find escalators/lifts in train stations, and very handy to pop bag on your bag to get to your platform.