20,000 kilometers by train: Julien's adventure from Japan to France

Written by Sophie Renassia

Published on May 21, 2023, modified on April 29, 2025

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From Japan to France without a plane

In this episode, Tolt welcomes Julien, an intrepid traveler who took on an unusual challenge: returning from Japan without taking a plane after several years as an expatriate in Tokyo.

From his motivations to his experience in Japan, not forgetting his best travel anecdotes, we immerse you in an incredible rail epic. Enjoy!

Episod program

• What inspired him to embark on this epic adventure.
• His relationship with train.
• His meticulous preparation: itinerary, visas, logistical challenges...
• His unique Trans-Siberian experience: 7 days aboard the legendary train!
• His unforgettable encounters and breathtaking landscapes,
• The unexpected and improvised solutions,
• The lessons he learned from this adventure and his best advices for getting started!
• His experience of Japan as a French expatriate,
• And other surprises that you can discover by clicking right here👇

“Train travel is the art of taking your time and rediscovering the world at a more human pace.”

“The Shinkansen is the TGV with the frequency of the metro.”

“Every station was a new page in my adventure, every encounter a story to tell.”

“You don't travel by train to arrive, you travel by train to travel.”

His itinerary in detail

• Tokyo to Osaka by train,
• Osaka to Minato (Japan) by train,
• Minato to Vladivostok (Russia) by ferry,
• Vladivostok to Irkutsk, on the shores of Lake Baikal (the world's largest freshwater lake), by train,
• Irkutsk to Moscow by Trans-Siberian Railway,
• Moscow to Kiev (Ukraine) by train,
• Kiev to Warsaw (Poland) by train,
• Warsaw to Munich (Germany) by train,
• Munich to Paris (France) by night train via Minsk and Berlin,
• Paris to Clermont-Ferrand by TGV.

A great invitation to (re)take your time! And above all, further proof that, with a little organization, flexibility and a spirit of adventure, the journey can begin right at the station.

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