Interrailing is an incredibly popular travel option nowadays, with around 350,000 students applying for passes annually. I myself have travelled as a student in Europe twice now, so I'd like to think I am somewhat able to share with you a list of tips and tricks for enjoying the fast-paced holiday style preferred by our age group. These range from common sense tips to surprising insights, as even though travelling can be super exciting, it can also be stressful and tiring.

Dehydration: Don't Underestimate It

This may seem obvious, but intense travelling, especially in hot and humid conditions, can lead to dehydration. It is crucial to stay hydrated to avoid exhaustion, as the last thing you want is to be trekking round a foreign country armed with your ghic and Google translate, only to be referred to completely the wrong service due to language barrier (definitely not based on a real story)! Planning regular drinking intervals, carrying electrolyte packets, and considering locations with water fountains is key to ensuring you can stay healthy and remain active throughout the trip. Additionally, avoid day-drinking and consuming too much caffeine (this may be rich coming from me!), as they can majorly dehydrate you. 

Factor in Melt Time

Constant travel and activity can be exhausting, particularly with disrupted sleep from night trains or noisy hostel roommates, so it is important to have a space to decompress. This doesn't have to be at your accommodation, but putting in headphones on a train sometimes just isn't enough. So, this year, whilst travelling with my friends, we factored in what we called "melt time". We would find a quiet location as a base and split off, some opting to sit with headphones in and watching the bags whilst others would wander off alone to take in some solitude. It really helped us all recharge and ensure that we weren't (too) snappy.

Dietary Requirements

When travelling in a big group, there are likely to be a lot of dietary requirements. From allergies to religious restrictions to even veganism, we often found ourselves in need of very specific foods. We found that using websites such as "Happy Cow" and learning specific food-related words in local languages to find suitable food options. I would also recommend finding a Lidl or equivalent supermarket to stock up in safe snacks and drinks so that everyone always had something they could eat. 

Overwhelming Itinerary

The main goal of interrailing is to see as much as possible in a short amount of time. To do this, a lot of planning goes on to ensure that everyone involved gets what they want out of a location. But for me personally, I get overwhelmed by a busy itinerary, particularly as things can be so unpredictable when travelling. Trains can be late, people can fall ill, and sometimes you just need an extra lie in. To combat this, I joined the trip late, opting to do only 1 week instead of 2 as despite really wanting to go to all locations, I knew I would get overwhelmed and burnt out due to the amount we had planned. Know your limits!

Another thing worth considering is doing a walking tour on the first day of arriving in a location. These are super useful as they allow you to properly experienced a location and gained both cultural and historical knowledge. It also means you can return to locations that caught your eye and assess whether some of your main interests prearrival are actually worth the excursion. And they don't have to be expensive too! Many tours are free with a tip basis so you pay what you think the tour was worth after participating. Also, it's worth downloading some of Rick Steves' free audio guides which provide concise and informative city and attraction tours.

Navigating Conflict 

In every high stress environment, conflict is always going to arise. And travelling, despite being super fun and rewarding, is also stressful. Cohabiting in close proximity with a range of personalities, dietary requirements and routines can be a recipe for dispute - but that's okay! What is important though, is to make sure that you're looking after yourself and others. The best way to do this is by ensuring you're communicating effectively as a group, and setting boundaries for your physical and mental health. 

Conclusion 

Since beginning university, I have tried so many new and rewarding things, but interrailing has definitely been one of my favourites. The cherished yet often ludicrous memories I have made will last a lifetime, and I certainly recommend it to anyone with a thirst for exploration. However, it can be difficult and often exhausting, so I hope my tips will help you on your exploration of some of the world's best train routes.