Réductions exclusives ☺️

🕑 Horaires européens

Get our app

From Berlin to Istanbul by train: activist Marie Chureau tells us about it

Written by Sophie Renassia

Published on January 21, 2024, modified on November 12, 2026

Looking for practical tips, firsthand experiences, and a healthy dose of inspiration for your next train trip? Get comfortable, pop your earbuds in: all aboard for “Je t’offre un rail?”, the podcast that will get you hooked on trains!

Four days of madness between Berlin and Istanbul

In this episode, Louanne welcomes Marie Chureau, a climate activist and avid train traveler, who tells us about her incredible train journey from Berlin to Istanbul. A four-day trip filled with adventures, surprises, and breathtaking landscapes.

“You cross the Danube and you think you’re so far away, when you got there by train... We never left Earth, and we’re so far from home, it’s crazy.”

In this episode

• Marie’s train journey: Berlin-Vienna, Budapest-Bucharest, and Bucharest-Istanbul.
• The unexpected challenges along the way: 13 hours of delays, chance encounters, and adaptability!
• The magic of train travel: crossing varied landscapes, bonding with fellow travelers, living the adventure at the rhythm of the rails…
• And a few little gems we’ll let you discover by clicking right here! 👇

An ode to the unexpected

“It’s crazy to spend three days on a train, changing trains, meeting different people, and staying with them for 15 hours. You inevitably build bonds with people, and it’s so cool!”

“Train travel is exactly that: stopping in places you hadn’t planned, discovering villages, countryside, watching the landscapes change... That’s what’s really wonderful.”

As Marie tells it, this journey is far more than just a train ride. It’s proof that the rails can take us where we least expect. And that’s priceless!

To never miss an episode and get a full dose of inspiration from our guests, don’t hesitate to subscribe to the podcast on your listening platforms. Thanks to our partner SNCF Connect, the go-to app for trains and sustainable mobility, supporting more than 15 million users on their travels across France and Europe!

Written by Sophie Renassia

Issue du monde de la communication et des médias, Sophie est Responsable éditoriale chez HOURRAIL ! depuis août 2024. Elle est notamment derrière le contenu éditorial du site ainsi que La Locomissive (de l'inspiration voyage bas carbone et des bons plans, un jeudi sur deux, gratuitement dans ta boîte mail !).

Convaincue que les changements d’habitude passent par la transformation de nos imaginaires, elle s’attache à montrer qu’il est possible de voyager autrement, de manière plus consciente, plus lente et plus joyeuse. Son objectif : rendre le slow travel accessible à toutes et tous, à travers des astuces, des décryptages et surtout, de nouveaux récits.

Linkedin