Inter railing is fast becoming a rite of passage for many students. It is up there with travelling to Thailand and a year in Australia. Its popularity resides in the fact that you visit so many countries in such a short time, making great new friends and consuming vast amounts of the local tipple along the way. For those under 26, unlimited rail travel around 30 countries from Austria to Turkey will cost €309 for 22 days, and €399 for a month. Unfortunately for mature students, the price is €469 and €599 respectively. The average hostel is €20 per night, and you can survive very comfortably on €50 spending money a day for food and alcohol. A month costs a maximum of €2500, including the rail ticket. Many travellers go on much smaller budgets, buying food in supermarkets and using the cooking facilities available in most hostels. It is also possible to camp or to sleep on the night trains, saving the price of a hostel.
Once your ticket is paid for, it's time to start planning where to go. There is so much choice and it is impossible to go everywhere. Research what each place has to offer and then make the tough decision of what to leave out. Check out online blogs by other travellers, as they give great tips and you can learn from their mistakes. For example, make sure not to arrive in Venice and expect to find any sort of affordable accommodation less than an hour outside the centre. You should definitely find how long it takes to get to each destination, because the distance from Rome to Bari may look very short on the map, but don't be deceived as it takes about 8 hours. Lonely Planet's Europe on a Shoestring is the backpackers bible, and will make your trip a lot easier as it has so much helpful information.
It is impossible to plan every detail of the trip, as inter railing doesn't work like that. You may fall in love with one place and stay another night (or three in some cases!) or you could meet up with people and want to make a detour with them. There is also the likelihood that you may miss a train, or get off at the wrong stop and have to pay €60 to stay in a hotel in Dresden. It is impractical to have every hostel booked, as one delay could result in your carefully constructed itinerary becoming a mess. Before you go, only book very popular hostels that are likely to fill up in advance, or one in a very busy area. It is generally easy to find a hostel on the internet a couple of days in advance, which is fine.
It is important not to try fit too much in, although it is hard when you want to go everywhere. It is better to cut back and stay at least three days in the majority of places. The first day in a new place goes quickly when you are disorientated and trying to get your bearings. It is better to stay at least two nights and have the flexibility to stay longer if you want, so that you can properly experience each place. Don't forget you can always leave early if you're not impressed and go somewhere else. That is the magic of inter railing!
A backpack is a necessity. If you're really clever, you'll invest in one with wheels. It is worth the money and you'll be the envy of everyone else weighed down by their pack. The only downside is feeling like a bit of an amateur when the hardcore backpackers look at you in disdain, and others give you frightening glares of hatred as their shoulder straps begin to chafe their skin in the burning heat. The key is not to over pack. Bring three-quarter lengths, light tops and comfortable shoes, but also bring a heavy jumper and rain jacket. Remember you can wash your clothes so you don't need a new outfit for each night.
If you travel on the night trains, a supplement will apply for bunks or couchettes. Alternatively there are compartments with three seats on either side, that you can lie across if it is not too busy. Police check passports at borders and conductors have to check your tickets every few hours so it won't be the best night sleep you have ever had. Beware of thieves on trains, especially in Italy and Eastern Europe, as there are a lot of horror stories. It's a good idea to buy a money belt and keep passports and money etc in it, and sleep with it under your clothes. For some trains a reservation is necessary and high speed trains also require a supplement which is about €8.
The most important thing to bring inter railing is a digital camera with substantial memory, and preferably someone you get on well with. It may seem like a good idea to go in a group of ten, but its very difficult to please everyone and after a couple of weeks tensions can run high and you may be tempted to throw certain people into the Seine or the Vltava River.
The worst thing about inter railing is that it can be a bit stressful figuring everything out, and that you may want to kill your travel companions at times. It is also annoying when you find a place you love, where everyone in your hostel is so cool and you have to leave. But the good cancels the bad when you get that smug feeling after finding the right train and locating your hostel in a strange country, which makes you feel like a seasoned professional. Or when you realise that you have just seen the Eiffel tower, the Berlin Wall, Dachau concentration camp and numerous other famous sights in a week, Or when you have a list of new friends from New Zealand, Canada and Chile and have been on three bar crawls in three different European cities and that you still have another two to go!
