Europe Nov25

A week-long circuit across Europe taking in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, and Germany.

Trip overview

Trip summary and learnings

• Free and bundled public transport (e.g. Luxembourg nationwide, hotel passes in Bern) dramatically improves ease of travel
• Staff FIP travel benefits make extensive European rail travel affordable and accessible
• Swiss rail stands out for integration, consistency, and precision in both infrastructure and passenger experience
• Cross-border rail services can feel fragmented when operated by multiple national providers
• Rail travel highlights how quickly culture, architecture, and behaviour change across national borders
• The design and comfort of modern rolling stock (especially in Switzerland) greatly enhance long-distance journeys
• Solo rail travel offers freedom and flexibility, but can also bring moments of isolation
• Language barriers can make everyday tasks unexpectedly challenging when travelling alone
• Slower, quieter moments of rail travel encourage reflection and a sense of grounding
• Rail remains one of the best ways to experience variety and contrast across Europe in a short time

Finance overview

• Most countries visited have an average cost of living, the standout being Switzerland
• I budgeted £1,094.00 for the trip
• I ended up spending £1,105.00, a £11.00 overspend
• This was mostly led by an increase in costs for trains and hotels vs budget, and a decrease in costs for food vs budget
• Trains were so affordable thanks to rail staff international travel benefits.

Category	Budget	Actual	Difference
Hotel	£698.00	£729.00	-£31.00
Train	£145.00	£189.00	-£44.00
Food	£214.00	£148.00	+£66.00
Incidentals	£37.00	£39.00	-£2.00
	£1,094.00	£1,105.00	-£11.00

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