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If you're dreaming of a beautiful international train journey, you've probably already considered the Interrail pass to discover Europe. But is it really the best option? How do you organize your trip? What should you bring?
In the 38th episode of our podcast Je t'offre un rail? produced with the support of SNCF Connect, Tolt interviews a rail travel enthusiast. To her credit: a dozen Interrail trips! With her partner Régis, she enjoyed a magnificent journey on the rails: 6 months by train to discover Turkey and Georgia, via Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Greece, between mountain bivouacs and Balkan landscapes. He shares his best Interrail tips with us. Follow the guide!
When Isabelle isn't in Grenoble, she's traveling or bivouacking in the mountains with her husband Régis. In 2022, the couple set off on an adventure to discover Central and Southern Europe. Respectively speech therapists and engineers by trade, they negotiated a 6-month break to leave. Their goal: to go as far east as possible on the rails!
« That's the real magic of train travel: landscapes that change slowly as the miles go by. »
In this episode of “Je t’offre un rail ?” Isabelle tells us about the most memorable stages of this journey, from the Balkan landscapes to the mountains of Georgia.
« The flexibility of the train is what makes it magical: you program one stage, then improvise the rest as you feel like it. »
« The train is a great space to do lots of things. We've never written or read as much as when we travel on the rails. »
As a reminder, the Interrail pass allows you to use the European rail networks at will for a defined period (from 4 days to a maximum of 3 months) in 33 European countries.
Please note, however, that the Interrail pass is not necessarily more advantageous from an economic point of view, the main advantage being more of an organizational one (having the flexibility to take a train whenever you want in Europe)! ! It can even be more expensive than booking each train individually. We therefore advise you to do your sums carefully before making your decision.
Here are a few tips to help you save money:
1. Watch out for special offers: Interrail regularly runs special offers, especially during the festive season and the summer months (this is how Isabelle and Régis got a 2-month pass at half price!). To make sure you don't miss out, sign up for the Interrail newsletter (as well as our Locomissive, where we regularly relay the best deals and offers for your low-carbon travels!)
2. Take advantage of discounts: if you're 27 or under, you can get 18% to 23% off standard Interrail passes (for example, a 7-day 1-month Global Pass will cost you €258 instead of €335). Similarly, travelers aged 60 or over can get a 10% discount on various types of pass (for example, a 7-day 1-month Global Pass will cost €302 instead of €335 for seniors).
3. Opt for second class and take advantage of the benefits of the Pass to make significant savings. Interrail, for example, offers discounts on youth hostels, ferries and certain activities (to be found in the “Good deals” section of the Rail Planner application or directly on the Interrail website).
4. Choose trains without extra reservations and stay flexible! If there's one advantage to the Interrail Pass, it's the luxury of being able to travel at will. You might as well take advantage of it to save money! In France and our European neighbors, this means you'll have to choose TER and INTERCITÉS trains (night trains and high-speed trains generally require advance reservations). In Eastern Europe, on the other hand, almost all trains are eligible without prior reservation!
Isabelle confirms:
“You shouldn't hesitate to make last-minute arrangements! Train travel lends itself well to this: don't necessarily plan everything in advance, but adapt your itinerary according to your desires, the people you meet, the weather, the discoveries you make...”
In many Eastern European countries, you can save on booking fees by reserving your seats at the station rather than online.
What if you can't find a train to your next destination? “You shouldn't hesitate to search for other options, because there are always alternatives. For example, many night trains are available from Zurich or Stuttgart!”
To find out more, take a look at our article “Interrail: 6 mistakes to avoid” and Isabelle and Régis's Interrail guide!
“The tent-backpack-and-train combo is really perfect for being flexible!”
For Isabelle and Régis, backpacking and sleeping in a tent - either camping or bivouacking - was the best compromise for staying mobile while saving money (which didn't stop them from sleeping in a youth hostel or a room when they wanted to).
To travel light by train and bus, Isabelle strongly recommends backpacking. “I find it much more practical than a wheeled suitcase, very easy to carry whatever the terrain,” she explains. My backpack was 40 L for the 6-month trip, and Régis's was 68 L.”
Isabelle's essentials: a good tent, comforters suited to the season and the country, 3 or 4 T-shirts and 1 pair of pants that can be converted into shorts (with the proviso that you wash regularly at the campsites), and enough food to be self-sufficient when bivouacking.
On the return journey by train, the couple took the opportunity to discover new towns:
The total budget for this half-year trip? €14,000 for two people (€7,000 per person) all-inclusive: train, accommodation, but also a rental box to store all their belongings until their return to France, and a 2-month Interrail pass in Europe (obtained via a 50% discount, at €700 per person).
For full details of their itinerary (including photos and feedback), visit Isabelle and Régis's My Atlas Travel Diary!
The country that made the biggest impression on Isabelle? Turkey. “It's a huge country, so there's a lot to see. The people are very welcoming and warm, and there was always someone to point us in the right direction and offer us a cup of tea!”
As for the stage that impressed her the most, it was the Pirin massif in Bulgaria. “It's really incredible scenery, with lakes and peaks, a bit like the Alps! And the train line is very beautiful.”
The corner of Mount Kazbek in Georgia also leaves a memorable impression on him: “We saw our first 3000m, with mountaineers who were going to climb it. It's a timeless place where there are very few people. Incidentally, my favorite stages were really those out in nature, and particularly in the mountains.”
As for the advantages of slow travel by train, Isabelle's words echo those of all our podcast guests:
“By train, you can take your time. You can really take in the changing landscapes, the changing languages, the borders you physically cross...”
“Of course, there's the ecological argument, which meant a lot to us. But traveling by train also allows you to meet the locals and discover other customs, so you can soak up the atmosphere of the country. In Turkey, for example, people used to share tea on the train, and the bar car was a very convivial space.”
Isabelle and Régis's next trip is to the Baltic States. And the couple have no intention of stopping there. Their bucket list also includes the Trans-Siberian Railway and North Africa by train.
To follow their adventures and discover all their recommendations, you can visit their blog, Au rythme du rail, and subscribe to their Instagram account: @au.rythme.du.rail!
And to make sure you don't miss a single episode and get all the inspiration you need from our guests, don't hesitate to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite listening platforms. Thanks to our partner SNCF Connect, the benchmark application for trains and sustainable mobility, which accompanies over 15 million users on their journeys in France and Europe.
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.
