EuroTrip 2014 Julien

Northern Europe by train with InterRail — 7 countries, 35 days.

13 July – 17 August 20147 countries · 35 days

Goal and way

Today, the media scare us about other people, and humans tend more and more to be afraid of the unknown…

I hosted some people from France and other countries thanks to CouchSurfing, and it was a great experience every time. They told me lots of stories and gave me the wish to do something unusual too!

I wanted to check for myself whether it was possible to travel and meet people who want to share, discover and learn…

Why the North of Europe? Because since I was a child I had wanted to go there and admire the landscapes, the Vikings' history, Legoland, the fjords, the churches… I traveled by train with InterRail and slept in quite a few different places — from CouchSurfing hosts' houses to hostels, without forgetting the occasional stay at a friend's place.

7 countries, 35 days!

I started in Paris on the 13th of July 2014 and finished in Helsinki (Finland) on the 17th of August. I purchased a one-month InterRail pass which allowed me to take any train without paying more. I went to a lot of railway stations and took many different kinds of trains! I spent 1 to 3 nights in each city, as planned before the trip.

For me, the best…

  • … station was Antwerpen (Belgium), with its 3 levels of rails and the old hall.
  • … city was Stockholm (Sweden): I didn't expect much and I was quickly proven wrong — islands to visit, a beautiful old town, and the awe-inspiring royal palace.
  • … garden was in Hamburg (Germany), one of the biggest I've seen, quiet and full of flowers.
  • … moments were walking the cities with my hosts, eating together and telling each other stories.

The trailer

⛶ Full screen

The map follows your reading — click a pin to jump to a city.

Step by step

The countries

7 countries in travel order — open one for its places, videos and pictures.

Belgium#1 · first border, first hosts24 photos · 1 video
Map of the metro, bus, tram Street of shops The theater Big place House's King Atomium View at the top of Atomium Lights show in Atomium Mini Europe Mini Europe Behind Palace of justice Nice building View of the city Church Street of the shop the evening Expo of dinosaur in the railway station Me with a T-Rex T-Rex want to go away! Railway station, main hall Entrance of the railway station Zoo with giraf Zoo with meerkats Street of the city Street of the city
Netherlands#2 · canals, mills and the sea29 photos · 1 video
Map of Delft Parking of bikes City hall of Delft Train station Building in the street Government's place Headbutt Z. Zidane in soccer Street going to the beach Street and Canal beautiful organ I AmSterdam Garden of the museum Sunset near the train station Bob's hostel Schiphol airport Schiphol airport, flowers for the plane destroyed this summer New radio tower Parking of bikes Train Station Windmill near Zaandam Somes Windmills near Zaandam Windmill near Zaandam Hotels in Zaandam Hotel in Zaandam Area to board the ferry Shop and restaurant area The beach where I stayed The Ferry The sea when I am in the ferry
Germany#3 · Berlin and the great garden of Hamburg23 photos · 1 video
Train station Berlin Hauptbahnhof City center with dusk City center with dusk Church near the radio tower Radio tower Organ in the church next to the radio tower Musem Brandenburg Gate Memorial art Wall of Berlin The French Cathedral Museum für Naturkunde dinosaur Museum für Naturkunde animals Museum für Naturkunde Train station My room in Generator Hostel People doing music in the street Church in the center City hall Big garden Fountain at the garden Harbor boat and music Harbor tower
Denmark#4 · Legoland was a childhood promise49 photos · 1 video
City hall Umbrella's roof New area harbor New area harbor New area harbor New area harbor (more expensive place) New area harbor (more expencive place) Legoland entrance Haunted House (new attraction) Splash dragon Choose you want to do with the card Aquarium Aquarium big crab (2m) Lego's Statue Lego for kinds before attractions Viking gathering Viking's village Viking's fight Beach with tents Museum rainbow Fountain Beach near the city center Cirkus building Museum and canal Shop's building Ny Havn Royal's place Royal's place Frederik's Church Frederik's Church dome Other church with fountain Exeriment city Christiana no pictures allowed inside Spiral tower View at the top Stairs spiral tower top City hall Ny Havn Vase near the station Cathdral in UNESCO Map of the Cathedral Central line inside cathedral Organ of the cath. Graves of Queens and Kings Amazing art with "trompe l'oeil" Viking's food Old boat of Viking Rebuild of old viking's boat Equipment used to rebuild boat
Norway#5 · up to the fjords32 photos · 1 video
City hall City hall City hall art inside City hall room of meeting City hall room full of arts Opera View at the top of Opera Fram museum Fram museum Behing the boat The Vigeland Park with lots of sculptures The Vigeland Park with lots of sculptures The Vigeland Park with lots of sculptures The Vigeland Park with lots of sculptures The Vigeland Park with lots of sculptures The Vigeland Park with lots of sculptures High point of view of Oslo near Frognerseteren Olympic ski stadium Boat going to the island Coast of the island Tower next to the train station City hall? Graves and church Olympic stadium JO winter 1994 Olympic stadium JO winter 1994 View of Lillehammer over there with clouds View in front of the train station Church in the city Altar of the church Houses colored next to the Old town bridge Old town bridge Cathedral of Trondheim
Sweden#6 · the favourite — Stockholm surprise61 photos · 1 video
Shop with ONLY Kiwi City hall Cathedral Nice garden High point of view of the city Harbor Church in front of the station Little Harbor Differnt monsters of the lake in the city Differnt monsters of the lake in the city Let's go to the island View from the forest The tower at the top of the hill View of Östersund from the hill Museum The train I took from Östersund View inside the train Archangel VS Dragon Church next to Zorn area Zorn museum and house Art of Zorn in the museum Famous Dalecarlian horse The lake in dusk Train station Cathedral Small park with nice fountain Red Church Main room of the parliament Secret room of the parliament Royal chapel Typical street in the old town City hall over there Park of the city hall Main hall of the city hall Room for vote in the City hall Last gold room in the city hall Fanfare for the birthday's queen City hall Inside the tower of the city hall Stairs in the city hall High view of the city Bells of the city hall's tower Boat in the Vasa Museum Boat in the Vasa Museum Symmetric towers View from the bridge Night is coming City in the night City in the night Fountain where water "turn" Place of the city hall Different dragons in the city Different dragons in the city Church Inside the church Casino Old town of Luleå Church in the old town Students apartments Emblem's clubs 40 years of the university
Finland#7 · the last leg, down to Helsinki63 photos · 1 video
Pink Church Typical house Wanna take a taxi ? 3 statues of bird on the river Street with new houses Field where I played Freesbee golf Symbolic statue View from the library Inside the cathedral of Oulu Main place with city hall Harbor Church Cemetery with red flowers Weapon from the war Park with dusk Main place with city hall Park with the river The Cathedral Inside the Cathedral Vapriikki Museum Weapons from the war The feeling of the end... History of the shoes Hockey section Some animals Behind the Vapriikki Museum Fountain Särkänniemi tower High point of view from the tower High point of view from the tower Another church Tower in the forest Another high point of view The intercity train Big map of the city Kiss my Turku ;) Harbor The castle of Turku Models of history's castle construction Main room to eat Room of treasures Cathedral Inside the cathedral Improvisation theater for the night of arts Concerts for the night of arts The city with sunet The falls by night Train station The cathedral Inside the cathedral Outside the cathedral Marketplace in the harbor Look the guy ;) Another church Crane in the harbor (other side) Olympic Stadium (marathon of Helsinki) View from the Tower of the stadium Begin of the marathon of Helsinki Lake close to the center Festival area for 1 week Festival area for 1 week with jungle of ropes Wedding in the cathedral Jerome's bar where I drank the special beer!

The best part of traveling

Encounters

CouchSurfing hosts, friends, and people met along the way — the faces I owe this trip to.

Lisa in Antwerpen Guyon in Den Haag Tri in Berlin's CS meeting Anthony in Berlin's CS meeting Lars and Petra Hoydenova John with American's CS in Copenhagen Julien, Leon, Benjamin Thellier, Joeri uilenreef, Frederick Hartung, Moritz Hartung in Göteborg Polyanna, Thiego and Tomas in Oslo Helle in Lillehammer Eloise and Thomas in Trondheim Mikael in Östersund Amina, Johan and the Dog Kinzo in Sundsvall Frida and Jakob in Luleå Jaakko in Oulu Kaisa in Kuopio Tamara in Tempere Tapio, Kaisa and Katariina in Turku Me, Tarra & Mika (couple), Paula in Helsinki's pub Jérôme (french) and Paula in Helsinki Covoiturage with Sarah and Thibault Aurore in Bruxelles Andhika and Vitor in Amsterdam 2 guys from England, 2 french and one Australian in the corridor during the train to Berlin Stan and Victoria (French) in Berlin Mark, tour guide for Berlin NewEurope Tour John in Aarhus during the Viking gathering Esben, Guide Tour in Copenhagen French guys I met in the train to Oslo Girl I met in the forest in Östersund Alessio and Emilio in Mora Kajsa (sister), Joost (her husband) and Anton (their child) van Dijck, Kalle in Stockholm Jesson from USA in Kemi
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