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In early October 2025, Paul left Anjou with one destination in mind: India. But there was no way he was going to fly there. So he decided to travel the thousands of kilometers that separated him from his destination entirely by land, traveling by train and bus. Berlin, Moscow, Mongolia, China, Tibet, and then Nepal... For a month and a half, the landscapes and borders rolled by until he arrived in India in mid-November.
At the heart of this journey is, first and foremost, a love story: his girlfriend was studying in India at the time, and Paul wanted to join her. But since he was going to cross a good part of the Eurasian continent anyway, he figured he might as well turn the journey into an adventure in its own right. So he set out with a second project in mind: to meet, along the way, those who imagine more sustainable agriculture and food systems, and then share their initiatives in a podcast, “Éternelles”, available for free.
Paul is 23 years old and comes from the Angers region. In the fall of 2025, he sets himself the challenge of Travel to India by train and bus only, to reunite with his girlfriend. But the trip is about more than just the reunion. As the son of an organic farmer and a recent graduate of an engineering school, Paul also uses this journey to delve into a topic that has been on his mind for a long time: sustainable agriculture and food.
"The idea behind this project was to meet people leading initiatives related to sustainable agriculture and food, and to share their stories through a free podcast! As the son of an organic market gardener, I’ve always been interested in sustainable agriculture. After earning my engineering degree, I wanted to refine my career path by working with and meeting people who are actively engaged in these sectors around the world, all while minimizing the associated carbon footprint as much as possible."
Throughout his journey, he meets with people working in these fields, with the goal of providing content for his podcast and furthering his own reflection on the next steps in his career. You can find all the details about his project at eterrenelles-projet.com.
And to travel all the way to India without flying, you have to enjoy long days on the train. Setting out in early October 2025, Paul reached his destination in mid-November, after a month and a half on the road and by rail, including two weeks in China and one week in Nepal working on farms (one in Liaoning, near Dalian, China, and the other near Chitwan National Park in Nepal).
From left to right: connecting a train and changing stations on an electric scooter (“to avoid the subway”), arriving at the station after a trip to Bengaluru (India), a Chinese train in hard sleeper class - © Margaux Massol
Berlin, Moscow, Mongolia, China, Tibet, Nepal… Here is his complete itinerary, step by step, with travel times and prices he was able to find.
| Step | Mode of transportation | Weather | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angers → Paris (TGV Max pass) | 1 hour and 35 minutes | Weather | 25.00 € |
| Paris → Berlin | Night Train | 2:30 p.m. | 45.00 € |
| Paris → Warsaw | Night bus | 8:50 a.m. | €29.00 |
| Warsaw → Riga | Night bus | 1:00 p.m. | 25.00 € |
| Riga → Saint Petersburg | Night bus | 7:00 p.m. | €60.00 |
| Saint Petersburg → Moscow | Train | 8 a.m. | €29.50 |
| Moscow → Ulan-Ude | Night Train | 85 hours and 40 minutes | 100.00 € |
| Ulan-Ude → Ulaanbaatar | Night bus | 3:08 p.m. | 25.00 € |
| Ulaanbaatar → Zamiin-Uud | Night Train | 2:40 p.m. | €10.50 |
| Zamiin-Uud → Erenhot | Pedestrian crossing (border) | 12:25 a.m. | €0.00 |
| Erenhot → Beijing | Night Train | 9:08 a.m. | €14.00 |
| Beijing → Lhasa | Night Train | 39:43 | 58.50 € |
| Lhasa → Kathmandu | Minibus (agency required in Tibet) | 7 days | €685.00 |
| Kathmandu → Birganj (Indian border) | Local bus | 4:25 | €5.00 |
| Total | 248h16 (10 days and 8h16) | €1,103 |
To take a closer look behind the scenes of the journey, Paul documented his travels through Tibet and China in two blog posts (“From Anjou to China by Land” and “I traveled through Tibet to reach Nepal”).
A trip like this requires knowing a few local tips! Here are the ones Paul shares with us:
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A photo break during the trek across Tibet, with the Himalayan mountains in the background - © Margaux Massol
"It's amazing to experience the changing landscapes and cultures day after day, and to ride trains in different countries…"
"I especially remember the kindness and daily help I received! And if a problem comes up, I’ve learned and realized that the best thing to do (especially if you don’t speak the local language) is to ask someone and explain the situation: they’ll always have a good idea!"
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.
