Eurail stories beyond borders: Hostels, rails, and wanderlust 

Going on a Eurail trip means more than just ticking off the typical sightseeing attractions. You make beautiful memories along the way – and the most special ones are usually the interactions with other travelers from all over the world. This is how some of the most exciting Eurail stories begin.

As part of our 30th anniversary celebrations, we put the word out there to find stories of travelers going on Eurail and staying in hostels and how this journey changed their lives.

Eurail stories: The most romantic night of my life

We met each other in the summer of 2015 in Florence. I was solo traveling Italy and got to stay in this amazing hostel. It was also where I met this super cute guy and his cousin. Luckily, they invited me over for their family dinner, and of course I said yes. 

Aida spent her most romantic night in Florence while eurailing

However, when I arrived at our meeting point, only he was there. Supposedly, as he explained with a grin, the rest “were too tired to go out”, I didn’t mind.
So we went out and had the most romantic night I could think of: we shared pizza on a terrace, wandered through the little streets of Florence, and even kissed in front of the Duomo. It was perfect!

Although, the next morning came, and we had to say goodbye. We exchanged Instagram accounts and promised to stay in touch – none of us thinking it would actually last.
That is why, after quietly following each other’s milestones through posts and stories for almost ten years, I was extremely excited to text him about my upcoming trip to Santiago, Chile (his hometown). At that time, I had a boyfriend, so I only wanted to catch up over coffee as friends.

Both thrilled to see each other soon, we set up a date and location to meet. When he canceled an hour before, I was devastated.
Later that day, he explained he confessed everything that happened that night to his girlfriend, and she forbade him to see me.

When I messaged goodbye on my last day in Santiago, I was surprised when he agreed to that coffee.
When we finally met, it was a beautiful and innocent moment. He then confessed he had to lie to his girlfriend to meet up. I could truly sense he felt terrible about it.

And then the big shock: Once at the airport, I got the message: “She found out and broke up with me”

Save to say I felt horrible on my flight back home.

– Aida

How a painful slip can lead to unexpected friendships

I learned how kind and open-minded backpackers are. All of them helped me with everyday tasks such as tying my shoes. I honestly couldn’t have asked for better fellow travelers.

I was just wandering through the snowy city of Tallinn, and there it was: this nice-looking swing overlooking a scenic viewing point. Of course I had to go. Who else wouldn’t? I walked up to the swing, and suddenly… I slipped. My arm hurt a lot, but somehow I managed to get up and get back to the hostel.

This is the exact spot Mink fell from the swing

But then I remembered: I stayed in an upper bunk and couldn’t get up there without my arm hurting. Luckily another guy in my dorm noticed my problem and stepped up immediately. I had to switch beds, but thanks to his help it was no issue.

Later that day, I found out I dislocated my arm and that it had to be put in a sling. All of this never once made me question the continuation of my trip: even though I was set back, I learned how kind and open-minded backpackers are. All of them helped me with everyday tasks such as tying my shoes. I honestly couldn’t have asked for better fellow travelers.  

– Mink

Eurail stories: Solo, but never solo

All my anxiety melted away and I wasn’t scared of being a female solo traveller anymore

A solo trip through Europe always sounds like a great idea. But let me tell you: not once did I feel alone. In fact, I had the best time meeting travelers from all over the globe.
After a long travel day, I finally arrived in Berlin. Once at the hostel, I was shown around with two other girls. We immediately clicked, and I learned their names: Sara from Italy and Dasha from Russia – both studying in Bolzano, Italy.

Solenn met her friends Sara and Dasha in Berlin

The next three days we discovered Berlin and talked endlessly. “All my anxiety melted away”, and I wasn’t scared of being a female solo traveller anymore. I also shared my itinerary and mentioned I wanted to go to Verona. Just like that, Sara invited me over to Bolzano, as it is only a one-hour drive away. Dasha, unfortunately, had to go back to Russia.
Two weeks later, and after a breathtaking ride through the Alps, Sara welcomed me in Bolzano. I fell in love with this charming city overlooking the mountains. That night, we went out with Sara’s friends, and they showed me all the stunning historic sites. The next day, I left for Verona as planned, then took a train with Sara to her mum’s place near Lake Garda. We had delicious pasta for lunch with her sweet family.

Afterward, we explored southern Lake Garda and shared real Italian pizza. In the evening we went out with her brother and his friends. Some of them spoke French just like me, but they also tried to teach me Italian. It was definitely a chaotic but hilarious night I’ll always remember. It was the perfect summer to rewind and make new friendships. The best part: Sara is soon going to visit me. 

Just the magic of hostels

– Solenn

From hostel horror to travel friends

My first ever solo trip led me to the cheerful Flying Pig Uptown Hostel in Amsterdam. I stayed in a mixed dorm with twelve beds – a little overwhelming but normally no problem for me. I was full of optimism and thrilled for the upcoming weeks.

There was just one thing holding me back: I recently learned from a friend that I snored. That’s it! No extra information, no details. Was I snoring every night? How loud was it? Nothing, just: I snored.
Thus, determined to take action and not keeping other guests up, I engineered a solution. I thought, if I could force myself to sleep on my side, maybe I’d make less noise. Using a long scarf, I tied my right wrist to the left side of the bedframe. A simple, elegant design, at least in theory.

The problem was, it didn’t make up for great sleep. Every time I turned around, I got tucked back in the same position and out of sleep. I drifted in and out of restless dreams, convinced that my quiet sacrifice was making me the hero of the dorm.
Early the next morning, around 7:30 am, I woke up to two worried voices.

On top of that, I realized, with dawning horror, that at some point in the night I’d kicked my duvet down to my feet. There I was: hair a mess, in an old, baggy t-shirt, wrist tied to the bed like some unfortunate prisoner.
Two young German women were standing over me, wide-eyed, speaking urgently to each other. One of them asked cautiously: “Are you… okay?” with a heavy accent. They told me they’d been worried someone had tied me up, robbed me, and run away. In the morning light, I must have looked less like a well-meaning snorer and more like the tragic victim of some odd hostel crime.

As I finally tried to explain myself, the tension broke and turned into laughter. “Ahh… Schnarchen!” one of them said, making a snoring noise. From that moment on, they called me Schnarchy.

Feeling bad for waking me up, they insisted on taking me out for breakfast. Over typical Dutch pancakes, we exchanged travel plans and decided to keep going together for a while. What started as an awkward dorm-room misunderstanding turned into weeks of shared train rides, late-night conversations, and an evolving itinerary that carried us from Amsterdam to Berlin, Budapest, and Belgrade. Separating at times, then reconnecting somewhere else.

– Jakob

Eurail stories: Paper tickets and an extra travel day 

 

I still believe that travel is at its best when you mix curiosity with just a little bit of uncertainty.

Malia spent two entire months all over Europe

Back in the 90s, when Eurailing looked different and each country still had their own currency, a friend and I spent two months crisscrossing Spain, France, and Italy. Even 30 years later, I love to think back on the memories made then. The satisfying click of the punched holes in our paper Eurail ticket as proof of another day lived on the rails makes me wanna relive it all.

With that being said, you can only imagine how lucky I felt when one conductor forgot to punch our tickets and we got an unexpected bonus travel day. We stretched it as far as we could, riding up to the German border and then paying our own way to Prague, which was still somewhat of an emerging destination at the time, because others in the hostel had recommended it. That decision felt bold, even a little rebellious, and it gave me a taste of how much freedom train travel could bring. 

Some things have changed since then. These days I’d rather not climb into the top bunk of a hostel, though I still book them sometimes because they remain one of the best ways to meet people as a solo traveler, and they’ve really come a long way since the 90s!
Other things haven’t changed at all. I still write in my journal. I still feel most at home on a train. And I still believe that travel is at its best when you mix curiosity with just a little bit of uncertainty. 

– Malia

Did not make it to the finalists and didn’t get the chance to win 2 free eurail tickets and free accommodation for two? Well, we can still help you travel on the cheap, so you can create your own exciting eurail stories. With Eco-wanderer, your Eurail and Flixbus tickets get you direct discounts of up to 20% at the 54 best hostels in Europe. Pick buses and trains over planes, and start traveling now! Go follow us on Instagram and TikTok to never miss big announcements. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite story!