Backpacking Around Europe

A common misconception about backpacking in Europe is that you will be walking from Paris to Rome; this just is not the case. The benefit of backpacking in Europe is their train system. To truly take in all the sites of Europe in the short amount of time you are surely allotted, you will want to get either a Eurail pass or a Europass.

Eurail passes cover seventeen countries and can be used on consecutive or scattered days. The regular Eurail pass is can only be used on consecutive days and varies in price according to the number of days you are purchasing it for. The Eurail Flexipass is the one that can be used on scattered days and again varies in price according to the number of days for which you are purchasing it. To get the true backpacking in Europe experience, it is recommended to get the consecutive pass. An important note to remember when dealing with these passes is that you must fill out the pass before boarding each train. A nominal fee and the revoking of your pass may occur should you forget this.

You may be wondering why it is called backpacking in Europe if you are not actually going to trudge from city to city. The idea of backpacking in Europe is to get off a train and hike to another. You can see the sights on the way and because half of the fun is rushing to the next train on time on a consecutive day pass, you still get the exercise you would as on a normal backpacking trip. You can save on accommodations if you opt to ride the trains at night, but cheap rooms are not hard to find. Italy is the only place that you would have to call ahead for reservations.

Backpacking in Europe is more about sightseeing than it is about backpacking. Check out the sights. There are no wrong turns because you are going where you want to go—to places that interest you. As backpacking is an adventure, so is backpacking in Europe.

While you do not have to use the trains for travel and can use other means of transportation, hiking it can be just as fun if you have the time. But to get all that Europe has to offer, backpacking in Europe is best done from train to train.