6 Tips for Interrailing Around Europe

Interrailing around Europe, it's easily one of the best ways to discover the continent and pack as many destinations in as possible. Who doesn't love the sound of being in beautiful Vienna one day and then Budapest the next? While Interailling might seem like lots of fun (which it is), it can be super stressful, especially if it's your first time embarking on a trip this big. You've got to think about where you'll stay every night, what cities and stations your ticket covers, and much more. So that you don't run into too much stress planning your European Interrailing trip, we've assembled this list of tips you can use during the preparations and on the ground. Before you know it, you'll be in your cabin, passing through multiple countries and watching the world go by.

Decide Where You Want to See

The Interrail pass covers a whopping 30,000 destinations in 33 countries, so seeing everything would be impossible in a short trip. It's best to write down the places you want to see no matter what and then make a separate list of destinations you'd be interested in if you have extra days on hand. If you're on a tight time crunch, you'll want to utilize your time correctly to get the most out of each city. You might only have an interested in seeing Lake Bled in Slovenia, so you won't need as much time there as you would in somewhere like Budapest, especially if you're a party animal.

Book Your Ticket and Journeys in Advance

Customers can buy the official Interrail Pass 11 months before their first departure. We recommend purchasing the pass once you have a rough idea of the day you want to set off. It's common for Interrail to put tickets on sale, so be sure to keep an eye on their website. Getting your head around the train journeys with Interrail can be stressful. Most people book them as far in advance as possible because seats and bunks sell up fast on trains, particularly for well-sought-after routes. Some routes don't require bookings in advance, so always do your research. If you're considering taking a route that may only go a couple of times a week, these are the seats you'll want to book in advance. But if you want to go between two destinations with five journeys daily, you can leave it closer to the departure time. Unfortunately, this doesn't give you much flexibility with your travel plans. However, if you're really stuck, Interrail charges a €10 fee for canceled trips made 24 hours before the departure, so there's a way around, but you'll have to pay out.

Take Advantage of Night Trains to Save Money but With Caution

Night trains can be a fantastic way to save money while Interrailing. Instead of spending a night in a hostel or hotel, you can save that money on your seat reservation, which could be a fraction of the price. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case, so we suggest approaching this cautiously. If you want to sleep well and arrive at your destination refreshed and rejuvenated, you must buy a cabin bunk. Sometimes, these can be extremely expensive, even with your Interrail ticket. The alternative would be to reserve a hard seat or a couchette, meaning you'll be sleeping upright. However, if booked at the right time, these may only cost a few euros to reserve, so weigh up your options.

Be Prepared for Delays and Cancellations

Trains in Europe get delayed and canceled; there's no way of controlling this, but you can prepare yourself for the worst so you don't get stressed out. The first thing you need to do is understand that these types of events are a part of travel; getting worked up and upset won't get you anywhere. Accept and roll with the uncertainty; you'll thank yourself later because it all works out. Another tip we have for you is to book your accommodation with free cancellation; it's essential. If your train is delayed by a couple of hours, you might not make check-in time, but when you've got free cancellation cover, you'll be able to save yourself in the case of an emergency.

Pack Light

You need to ask yourself this: do you really want to be jumping on and off trains every couple of days with a couple of suitcases and a backpack? We didn't think so! We get it. You want to bring everything and anything from your wardrobe in case you need it. All you need are your essentials: a couple of T-shirts, shorts, trousers, a jacket, shoes, underwear, socks, and cleaning products—the usual bits you take on vacation. You're not going to need lots of heavy jackets or ten pairs of fluffy socks; pack light, bring what you need, and if you forget anything, you can always buy it at one of your stops.

Set a Budget Before You Leave

Europe isn't cheap, so setting a realistic budget for each day of your trip before you leave will help you manage your money better. Try not to be too frugal with things; there's just no way around certain expenses like accommodation and food. Of course, you can try to stick to the cheaper places to stay and eat, but don't let the price put you down too much. Save up well in advance, expect the worst, and hope for the best. Be aware that you will spend more in certain destinations than others. For example, your hostel bed will cost more in a place like Paris than you would in Krakow.

Let's Go Interrailing

Those are our best tips for an Interrailing adventure around Europe. A lot goes into pulling off a holiday as amazing Interrailing, but the reward you get from it far outweighs the stress that goes into the planning phase. Soon, you could be riding on the world-famous train journey on the Bernina Railway between Switzerland and Italy or the Bergan Railways connecting Oslo and Bergen; it's all ahead of you.