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Interrail: 6,379Km and 13 Countries over 7 weeks

shkspr.mobi

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Re: Interrail: 6,379Km and 13 Countries over 7 weeks

#21

Post by embedding-shape »

edent wrote: post #13
jmkd wrote: post #10

The best part of interailling for me was turning up to a major train station, looking at the giant departure board, choosing an enigmatic destination and just getting on the train. No booking or reservations or even planning at any point. Is this not possible any more?

Yes. The app makes it really easy to do that. In our last trip we did it a few times. But, as you get older, there's a certain joy in making plans in advance.

> But, as you get older, there's a certain joy in making plans in advance.

Am I the only one who feels the opposite? I used to take great care in making plans, knowing what's up ahead, knowing what I should know and so on. Spontaneous moments like "Lets go to X" were very infrequent. Nowadays, as a Proper Adult, I much more like going places without knowing anything about them, with as little plans as possible, figuring out what the place is from the people I meet there, and only start reading about the place once I'm there.

Re: Interrail: 6,379Km and 13 Countries over 7 weeks

#23

Post by jamescrowley »

jmkd wrote: post #10

The best part of interailling for me was turning up to a major train station, looking at the giant departure board, choosing an enigmatic destination and just getting on the train. No booking or reservations or even planning at any point. Is this not possible any more?

Quite a few countries (France, Spain, Italy for starters) require seat reservations in advance for any long-distance/high-speed trains now. And worse, they have a quota for passes, so even if the train has space, you might not be able to reserve a seat and therefore get on the train. A real shame as it makes it far less flexible than before.

Re: Interrail: 6,379Km and 13 Countries over 7 weeks

#25

Post by kd5bjo »

embedding-shape wrote: post #21
edent wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. The app makes it really easy to do that. In our last trip we did it a few times. But, as you get older, there's a certain joy in making plans in advance.

> But, as you get older, there's a certain joy in making plans in advance. Am I the only one who feels the opposite? I used to take great care in making plans, knowing what's up ahead, knowing what I should know and so on. Spontaneous moments like "Lets go to X" were very infrequent. Nowadays, as a Proper Adult, I much more like going places without knowing anything about them, with as little plans as possible, figur…

I fall somewhere in the middle these days- I really like knowing in advance that I have a place to sleep each night and that I have a way to get there, but then just do whatever I feel like in the moment for everything else.

Re: Interrail: 6,379Km and 13 Countries over 7 weeks

#26

Post by jmkd »

edent wrote: post #13
jmkd wrote: post #10

The best part of interailling for me was turning up to a major train station, looking at the giant departure board, choosing an enigmatic destination and just getting on the train. No booking or reservations or even planning at any point. Is this not possible any more?

Yes. The app makes it really easy to do that. In our last trip we did it a few times. But, as you get older, there's a certain joy in making plans in advance.

Thanks, great to know. I hear you on at least knowing where you might sleep. Age 18-23 even this isn't that critical, when 'beach' or 'park' are viable answers.

Re: Interrail: 6,379Km and 13 Countries over 7 weeks

#27

Post by gib444 »

jmkd wrote: post #10

The best part of interailling for me was turning up to a major train station, looking at the giant departure board, choosing an enigmatic destination and just getting on the train. No booking or reservations or even planning at any point. Is this not possible any more?

For faster/intercity trains, it is still like that in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, UK, Ireland, Denmark, Norway and most of central and eastern Europe [0]

France, Italy, Spain, Portugal & Sweden require seat reservations, as do most international services

Making reservations varies from easy to a complete pain

[0] https://www.seat61.com/how-to-use-an-interrail-pass.htm

Re: Interrail: 6,379Km and 13 Countries over 7 weeks

#28

Post by Milner08 »

TrackerFF wrote: post #11

Is interrail still a thing? It was popular in Europe back in the 70s and 80s, when young people could buy a interrail pass. Many of my older relatives (now in their 60s) did that back then, but it was more or less dead when I was old enough in the early 00s. By that time, budget airlines had become a thing, and summer/party trips to Spain / Mediterranean started to dominate my peers' summer vacations.

I did it in 2010 and I think the majority of my friends have done it over the years. At least around that time it still seemed very much alive for people in the UK.

Re: Interrail: 6,379Km and 13 Countries over 7 weeks

#29

Post by Bewelge »

TrackerFF wrote: post #11

Is interrail still a thing? It was popular in Europe back in the 70s and 80s, when young people could buy a interrail pass. Many of my older relatives (now in their 60s) did that back then, but it was more or less dead when I was old enough in the early 00s. By that time, budget airlines had become a thing, and summer/party trips to Spain / Mediterranean started to dominate my peers' summer vacations.

"more or less dead when I was old enough in the early 00s"

Think it was just your peer group then. It's still very much a thing. Did it in my youth twice, once at 16 years once at 18 around 2010. I know my cousin who is >10 years younger than me also did it sometime in the last 5 years. Among my peers it was fairly common but it was not done by the majority. If I'd have to guess I'd say 10-20% did it at some point towards the end of highschool.

We also did party trips but that's just a different kind of trip and doesn't really mean the other thing is dead.

Re: Interrail: 6,379Km and 13 Countries over 7 weeks

#30

Post by Milner08 »

embedding-shape wrote: post #22
kleiba2 wrote: post #14

Prediction: Germany is going to be your worst train experience.

Prediction: You haven't trained a lot outside of Europe if you think the training experience in Germany would be "your worst train experience".

Worst during the interrail trip. It was for me and it wasn't even close.
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