9 things I wish I knew before solo interrailing Europe
Interrailing Europe – everything you need to know before you go
From the ancient streets of Venice, to the vast lakes of Slovenia, and the buzz of Berlin – interrailing Europe should be on every backpacker’s bucket list. Train travel is one of the most scenic and easiest ways to explore the continent, and with an interrail pass you can explore up to 33 different countries via the railway networks.
In August 2024 I traveled Europe for 6 weeks. It was my first ever solo trip, and I visited 8 countries in total, stayed in hostels, and met some incredible people along the way. These are the 9 things I wish I knew before solo interrailing Europe.
1. Free walking tours are an amazing way to learn about a city
Thankfully someone recommended this to me very early on in my trip. I’d strongly suggest downloading the GuruWalk app, where you can find hundreds of different walking tours, from overviews of the city, to specific historical periods or landmarks. Most of these tours are free to sign up for. It’s a good idea to book one on your first day in a new area to get your bearings. Plus, tour guides often share their local intel for the best food and drink spots. Just be sure to take some cash to tip your tour guide – as this is how they earn their living.
2. Choose hostels wisely
If you’re solo interrailing Europe, you might be thinking about staying in hostels. I’ll be honest, this was the part I was most apprehensive about – sharing with strangers, personal safety, and the security of my belongings were all concerns, but I was pleasantly surprised with my hostel experience.
I used Hostelworld to book all of my accommodation and found the review section on each option incredibly helpful. If you’re looking to make new friends, my advice would be to choose the more homely, lived-in options that score high on atmosphere in the reviews, over the more polished ‘hotel-looking’ places. I found those fancier hostels to be less communal, and people were less interested in chatting and making friends.
3. Take a handheld electric fan in summer
If you’re interrailing Europe in the summer months, definitely take a handheld electric fan. Most of the hostels I stayed in didn’t have any air con in the rooms. Some of the trains can get super hot too. I got caught in an August heatwave in Vienna and Prague, and sharing a dorm with 5 people in 36 degree heat with no air con was not pretty. 🥵
4. Sometimes it does rain (yes, even in Italy)
I was a bit naive to this – thinking I was escaping the Great British weather for hot, dry climates every day. Don’t get caught out, make sure you pack a lightweight rain coat, an umbrella and at least one warmer outfit for those days the weather isn’t dry.
5. 95% of the time you will not need cash
Do not stress if you don’t have time to get Euros from the Post Office. In my personal experience, I barely needed any of the cash I took out there, and it became a bit of a hinderance because I didn’t want to be carrying around large amounts for safety reasons. Being from the UK, I used my Monzo debit card throughout my trip which was a really great fee-free spending option and helped me keep to a budget.
6. Navigating the trains are so easy with the Eurail app
Another concern I had before I set off on my trip, was if the train timetables would be reliable, and how easy it would be to find stations, book trains, and use the pass I’d purchased. It was all made very simple with the Eurail app. You can activate your specific interrail pass, plan your journeys ahead of time so you have an itinerary, and when you’re ready to hop on a train – generate a QR code which the train conductors scan. I found it very user-friendly too.
Just be sure to check if you need to buy a seat reservation before travel. High speed trains or border-crossing journeys often require you to pay for a seat. This can cost anything between €3 – €20. In some countries like Croatia, you’ll need to buy your seat reservations at the station as paper tickets are the only valid options, but other places like Germany and Italy you can purchase an e-ticket online.
7. It’s better to under pack than over pack
Especially if you’re backpacking. Don’t panic if you forget anything, 99% of things you need you can buy abroad (and sometimes it’s cheaper!)
8. Switzerland use different plug adapters to the rest of Europe
I’d highly recommend visiting Switzerland if you’re interrailing Europe, but be warned that in this country you’ll need different plug adapters to the ones used in the rest of Europe. I had no clue, so arrived unable to charge my phone which was quite inconvenient. Luckily, my hostel sold plug adaptors at the front desk, but if possible – it’s best to be prepared ahead of time and avoid unnecessary stress.
9. The highs are totally worth the lows
Finally, if you’re solo traveling, there will be times it’ll get lonely and you’ll feel overwhelmed, but you’re also about to have the most incredible experience of your life and learn so much about yourself and what you’re capable of. Don’t let fear stop you from booking a solo trip. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
