Has anyone done an inter railing holiday as an adult?

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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?

If anyone wants to take a look at the interrail website, there's a spring sale on - 15% passes bought by early March, although you can use it at any time over the next year. (I don't work for them, but I'm on a mailing list since I bought my own pass).

Ooh I'm loving this thread. This is something I never managed to do as a young adult and I have always wanted to do. I want to see the world. And with my health now seems a better way to do it. I am also contemplating if it would be at all possible to bring my mother along to see more places. Her health and mobility aren't great now, but I'd say a bit more forward planning (particularly around accessibility in stations, timings and accommodation etc and it could possibly be done).

Wow, I haven’t had a chance to revisit this thread but you’ve all give such amazing inspiration to make me to this 😊

Buy an Interrail Global Pass. Then you just pay a supplement for Eurostar (€30 each way) and sleeper services - for Paris to Vienna as low as €39.90 in a couchette or €79.90 in a sleeper, it depends on how busy they expect to be. Some trains are compulsory reservation so might cost €10 but most trains (particularly regional ones) will be free. The pass includes two journeys in your home country, one for travelling out and one for travelling back. They're 15% off at the moment.

Not to mention that you can't carry gas canisters on Eurostar. Some campsites in Switzerland have communal barbecues though.

Some companies (Canvas, Eurocamp etc.) have tents set up for you. Useful if you're on a budget and don't want to bring the kitchen sink.

I didn’t even realise that inter railing was still a thing! I would seriously consider this but no idea where to start. Will look at the websites mentioned.

Yes, did it with husband and mid/older teen kids just before pandemic. I came back alone while they flew on to meet in laws. I hate flying so am travelling by train across Europe again in a couple of months. Will meet up with dh/kids who are flying. Friend is coming with me. Can’t wait.

Germany do a monthly rail ticket for 49€ so if you wanted to keep it cheaper.

I really fancy Interrailing but might have to wait until I'm retired & kids don't need to come as well.

Interrail sale on at the mo (15% off all passes) till 5th March if anyone looking to buy.

Regional trains only with the Deutschlandticket, mind. No ICEs.

Went from UK to Corfu.. Train to Paris.. then Milan then all way down to Brindsi..then ferry to Corfu.

As a young adult, yes, but as that was 35 years ago things have changed.

When my dc did it (1 last year and one about 5 yrs ago) things were quite different and it wasn't the bargainous month we enjoyed back in the 80s.

they both found it better to get a cheap flight more than once and book individual journeys. Air B'nBs etc invented since I went (plus the internet !!! which is quite helpful too).

Going as a group rather than a couple of adults also makes it better / more important to plan rather than the 'hop on a train and see where we get to' approach we had back then.

I love this thread. Accommodation chat is interesting. I was thinking youth hostels. Wouldn’t be going until 2025 but thought I would get a head start on the youth hosteling and booked a few days in Wales and joined the youth hostel association. Looking at some youth hostels around uk this year to visit various relatives.

I like the idea of being able to prepare food and wash clothes. Also as a single parent having a common area to chat to others play pool etc for the kids.

Not sure about air b and b as never used them.

I went interrailing twice as a student and then again last year as an adult.

Interrailing is more expensive than flying because you get many trains, not just one (We took 36 trains in a three week trip last year, including day trips).

Did a mix of budget hotels, apartments, a couple of youth hostels, serviced apartments. We planned it all out and booked everything in advance. You definitely need to be more organised than "back in the day".

Had the absolute best time.

We went with dd (then aged 16). Flew to Prague, then Bratislava, Budapest, Vienna, Seefeld in Tirol, Munich then back to Brussels. 2 - 4 nights in each place. It was a fabulous trip. It worked out cheaper then to buy individual tickets, but there is so much disruption and strikes these days as even Deutsche Bahn can no longer be relied upon. We have planned to go to Puglia via Innsbruck and Rimini and back via Verona and Munich this summer. I already booked seat reservations on my desired trains, but will buy an interrail ticket this time so we have maximum flexibility to change route if needed.

We did this last summer while I was on maternity leave with a 7 month old and a 4 year old! We did 3 weeks, started from London-Brussels-Zurich-Innsbruck-Budapest-Bucharest-Sofia-Istanbul
we planned 2 sleeper trains but only ended up doing 1 due to a ticket error on our part. Would recommend to anyone, rail travel in Europe is generally very straightforward and it was an amazing experience!

our sleeper trains were Budapest-Bucharest and Sofia-Istanbul

there’s a great website seat61 which is fab for tips and info about routes and travel logistics

DD is going this summer and as she’s understandably reluctant to let me go with her, I’ve decided I’m going to go next year. Really good to read these posts.

Yes and I loved it. I decided to stop flying shorthaul about 7 years ago and have used trains for most of my travel since including some sleepers. I once got the train from Edinburgh to Carcasonne, which was a really lovely, albeit quite long day,

However, I had a really bad experience travelling to Germany by train at the tail end of last year and it's made me very wary. German trains are pretty terrible. I was there for a week moving around and only one train the entire week was on time/ not cancelled. When I got back all my German friends and colleagues told me this - I obv hadn't done my research properly as I'd expected it all to be OK and ended up with lots of missing connections, and a difficult trip with loads of changes with an inadvisable wheeled suitcase. Had i known how many changes I'd need to make I'd have taken my eagle creek convertible bag - rucsac to suitcase which I love, but had thought was unnecessary for a trip with very few changes.

Have had positive train experiences in France, Belgium, the netherlands, switzerland, austria and Hungary previously. Sometimes I take my Brompton too for ultimate travel flexibility but that needs careful luggage planning.

(Typing this out has made me realise quite how stupid my reaction to a couple of bad journeys has been!).

The next trip I was planning was up into Scandinavia by train from London.

I don't use hostels anymore and tend to stay in basic hotels. I'd suggest getting some brand loyalty if you do this as the perks can rack up if you travel fairly frequently.

We are planning a holiday by rail this September via France to Switzerland and Italian lakes and back. Just over 2 weeks. I've just been doing the sums and decided it makes sense to buy an Interrail pass. I'm not necessarily thinking of it as "going Interrailing" though. I planned the holiday and then worked out the cheapest way to do it, if that makes sense.

It's not a particularly cheap holiday, I have to say!

My husband and I took our 2 kids (10/8) last summer for 2 weeks. It was brilliant! Night trains are overrated. Look at ‘the man in seat 61’ for advice on routes etc.

Husband is going away with work work they purchased some sort of inter rail pass. My husband had just went to book his seats and had to pay an extra 160.00 just for the booking fees!

Be careful

Tell me more about why basic hotels instead of hostels?

I was thinking of trying the hostel experience for the social aspect as a solo traveler.

No, but the programme ‘ Race Across the world’ makes it more appealing.

@DecoGecko i’m antisocial.

I want my own room and bathroom!!

I’ve never seen the point in paying for a fancy hotel I won’t spend much time in so an ibis is good enough for me. I’d rather spend my cash on food & experiences.

Does the Interrail bible still exist?! We did it when we were about 19, great memories.