Interrailing alone in Europe might sound scary and intimidating. Well, I think it’s rather a great chance to get to know you better and explore in a different way
Traveling Europe by train is one of the most beautiful, scenic and cultural journeys you can do. Whether you are looking for direct trains between major European cities like London to Amsterdam or you are looking for romantic train journeys, European train travel has it all. And while many people prefer to do it with friends or their partner, there is nothing wrong in going for an interrail adventure alone.
I tried it out last Summer and I have to tell you, that I simply loved it.
Exploring Europe by yourself
Traveling through Europe by yourself has a lot of benefits. When you are by yourself, you have complete control over your journey.
Being alone gives you the opportunity to decide your own itinerary, eat whatever food you want and avoid having an argument with other people over your journey
Such freedom can lead to more self-discovery and the opportunity to meet new people, whilst reinventing yourself. This solo experience can lead to self-growth.
The number of people doing Interrail through Europe annually is 400,000 people. You can visit over 30 countries using interrailing tickets and meeting people along the road is definitely not difficult.
Interrail alone is one of Europe’s most personal and fun traditions and you can find hundreds of book relating the adventures of travelers like yourself, who decided to not wait anymore until someone comes out and decided to explore by themselves.
I know that having a friend with you is something which is great for sharing memories. However, I found a special charm when traveling around on a train and discovering new places by myself.
Read more: A guide for doing Interrail in Europe
Tips for solo traveling in Europe
- When traveling through Europe alone try to stay at hostels to meet people. Hostels are not anymore these scary places of the movies
- Try to be as friendly and outgoing as you can when traveling alone and If you are an introverted person, you will need to put in extra effort to be friendly to other travelers. It can take a few days to get used to being more open and friendly, but it will be worth your time as you start to develop connections with fellow travelers.
- It is also recommended to cook meals in the hostel, which will provide more opportunities for interacting with others.
- If you are more interested in meeting locals than other travelers, then Couchsurfing could be a good option for you.
The Couchsurfing App includes its own meetups in bars and pubs. It will connect you to the local culture and is also a chance to meet other travelers and explorers in the area.
- There are some European cities where there are a lot of pickpockets and other types of criminals who may be looking to take advantage of tourists, Use your own common sense and also read travel forums or other relevant information to see places and people to avoid.
Read more: How to interrail Europe on a budget
