This is heartbreaking that his best option is to live like a vagrant.
I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train
441–450 of 526 posts
Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train
#442If I would live in Switzerland or Japan I would buy a yearly unlimited first class pass and find circular connections so I can work from the train throughout the day
I don't think you'd be able to find a real equivalent in Japan.
* Rail passes do exist, but they are mostly for tourists. They are short-duration, can be relatively expensive, and often specifically exclude Japan residents.
* Night trains have mostly disappeared. Buses and airplanes have proven to be more competitive options.
Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train
#443> You know how it is with trains. Even the unsurprisingly much more efficient German rail system. Efficient and German Rail systems are not words that go together. https://www.dw.com/en/germany-november-train-punctuality-wor...
I'm surprised this is coming from the Metro. Trains in England are bad , but trains in Germany are the worst . The only thing that works in Germany are the busses, and even then, some of them you have to call an hour before first...
Lol Trains in the UK are shit.
Every ICE Trainset and even most commuter services have way more comfort than the UK trains with uncomfortable seats, usually no tables or sockets in second class on commuter routes, a smell of shit inside the Avanti Pendolinos, and trains that should have been recycled 30 years ago.
Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train
#444Earlier quoted context omitted.
Statistically still quite unlikely I guess, and in any case, he would know better than any of us because he's the one who slept exclusively on trains for 1.5 years ;)
How is it unlikely, i know plenty of people personally that had something stolen in the high speed train in Germany while they weren't looking. And he's sleeping in the train every day.
Well, sounds like the people you know are not the brightest.
Usually they make announcements on the stations where thefts occur to watch your belongings. (Usually where the train stays for 10-20 Minutes).
I also don't know anyone who has gotten something stolen on the train personally.
Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train
#445Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm surprised this is coming from the Metro. Trains in England are bad , but trains in Germany are the worst . The only thing that works in Germany are the busses, and even then, some of them you have to call an hour before first...
I have heard this opinion over and over again but it just hasn't been my experience. I've spent a lot of time in both Berlin and Munich over the last couple of years and I never waited more than 10 minutes for a train
It's not that bad, but if you have Switzerland south of you, every single of your trains look bad.
(Take it with a bit of neighbourly humour.)
Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train
#446>I decided to live on a train when I was 16 years old. My school days were behind me and the whole world was open to me. That alone is amazing. Is 16 normal in Germany or did this guy graduate years earlier than normal? Answering my own question, seems maybe they went to a "Realschule"? If I understand it correctly kind of a trade or technical school for those whose path leads into a job right away. Otherwise it's Gy…
back when i left school (2010) i was 16, there was no requirement to stay in further education in UK, so wouldn't be surprised if it was similar elsewhere. i believe it has changed in UK since then though.
This is correct; one must be in full time education up to the age of 18 now. However, this does not need to be at school; apprenticeships, correspondence courses and other kind of educational programmes count too. School leaving age (for those who are not educated at home) is still 16.
Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train
#447Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ending up at "random" train stations at weird times with all your experience belongings
Given that he mostly seems to travel by high speed train (ICE) every station he could possible end up unintentionally would be a relatively major one
Unless there was severe disruption, of course - since the lines have been so well standardised in Germany, ICE trains can travel on local lines too, so you could theoretically end up in the middle of nowhere if the train service was redirected mid-journey.
Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train
#448Earlier quoted context omitted.
As far as I know, it is possible to have the entry "ohne festen Wohnsitz"(without a permanent residence) instead of a mailing address in a German passport and he's legally not allowed to use his parents address, if he's not there for at least 183 days a year. But I don't really understand how this small legal detail would change the whole character of his life experience, in any case. No matter what is written in his…
Because there are real nomads, people without any address that run into all sorts of legal difficulties, difficulties that are belittled when people write about how easy it is to live on a train 24/7. Some are "homeless" others are from cultural groups that roam. And a large number are children in government care who then must transition to adult life sometimes without the convenience of a fixed mailing address. Our…
Anyone with two brain cells can tell the difference between a homeless person and an adventurer. Pretty much anything people do to challenge themselves sucks for someone who's stuck doing it without a choice.
Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train
#449Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sorry, typo. I was working towards citizenship and wanted to keep my PR.
Ah, I see - same question though, I'm curious which citizenship you eventually acquired without stepping foot in the country? BTW I spent the last 15 mins enjoying your blog, particularly the entries on Tanzania (I grew up there). Glad you enjoyed your time there :)
The wording of his comments strongly suggests he doesn't want to share that information.
Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train
#450Earlier quoted context omitted.
You need some thick skin spending so much time in regional trains. It has become so bad in crowded areas that I'm always super happy once it is over. Nevermind delays, trains being canceled, or standing in freezing temperatures at some random trainstop because the train broke down.
ICEs have become super crowded too though (in the 2nd class at least), and IME the regional train connections are actually much more reliable than the intercity connections (where long delays are quite common).
The double-decker rolling stock that the Deutsche Bahn use are very comfortable, too. There's loads of space and luggage racks in ample supply. On the upper deck you can enjoy the view better than on an ICE train. If you like looking out of the window there's no better train to be on!