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My First Interrail 🥰
  • Natalia Haichuk
  • Philipp Jacobius
  • Natalia Haichuk
  • Philipp Jacobius

My First Interrail 🥰

Germany 🇩🇪
Switzerland🇨🇭
Italy 🇮🇹
France 🇫🇷
Spain 🇪🇸
Portugal 🇵🇹 Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 10, 2026
  • My First Interrail 🥰

    First stop in Hamburg

    September 10 in Germany ⛅ 16 °C

    Short stop for few hours in Hamburg and getting on the night train to Zurich.
    I have no idea what future few weeks will bring, but I guess that’s kind of the point😄

  • My First Interrail 🥰

    Zurich was not that expensive!

    September 11 in Switzerland ☁️ 16 °C

    Zurich was great and so welcoming 🥰 We only had a few hours to explore before our train to the next destination.

    After leaving all our luggage in a locker at the train station, we headed up to the Polyterrasse viewpoint to get our first sight on the city.

    Then I remembered that I had saved one fun thing to do in Zurich: you can borrow a set of physical keys for free from the Stadthaus and use them to unlock hidden historical sites around the Old Town.

    We filled in a simple form, got our key and a map with all the spots marked and we were SO excited 😄

    In the meantime, we randomly got on a local police graduation celebration, where we were given some delicious treats. 🥰

    The self guided archaeological treasure hunt was so much fun! We got lost a few times, but luckily Phily is just way too good with maps💛.

    And then we got an unexpected bonus: at the very last minute, we managed to join a visit to the police building and see the incredible Giacometti frescoes! 🎨

    Not bad for just a few hours in Zurich. 😃    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰
    Somewhere on the way to Montreux
    1 men preparing breakfast for me is nice, 2 - even better! 🥰Little cutie🥹🥰Local Alpine cheese farmSomewhere on the way to Montreux

    Little Alpine adventure

    September 13 in Switzerland ☁️ 8 °C

    It was a beautiful morning waking up to views of the Alps from our balcony.

    We stayed at a little private hotel recommended by a friend of a friend of their friend… 😅 and it was lovely!

    We like to use our time productively, and this morning was no exception. In just under 3 hours, we managed to make a short hike through the gorge with a waterfall and my knees were shaking a little after that hike😅

    Then we continued towards the train station. On the way we spotted at the farm selling Alpine cheese, which turned out to have won awards for their products many years in a row!

    And somehow, we still made it on time for our train to Zweisimmen! After a long and emotional brotherly goodbye, we finally departed 😄🚆🇨🇭

    Next stop: Zweisimmen    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰
    1

    When the dream comes true

    September 13 in Switzerland ☀️ 19 °C

    4 years ago, I saw this train for the first time.
    Already then, I knew that one day I will be travelling on it.

    Simple as that, I just had to find the right person to share the journey with… and suddenly everything became easy and possible. 💛

    The Belle Époque is one of Switzerland’s historic trains, with beautiful vintage carriages. „It’s so you!” - My close ones would have said 🥰.

    We took it from Zweisimmen to Montreux, enjoying two hours of mountains, lakes and each other.

    After a short stop in Montreux, we continued further south and on the same day, we made it to Zermatt, where another long-awaited meeting was waiting for us…

    The Matterhorn. 🏔️    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰
    Best views guaranteedThis and not knowing what day it is

    Beautiful hiking day

    September 14 in Switzerland ☀️ 10 °C

    That bed in our accommodation in Zermatt was soo comfortable, I was feeling like in the clouds that night ☁️
    In the morning we had a ready-to-hike breakfast and underground funicular took us to more than 2500m above the sea level 😳

    Matterhorn was hiding behind the clouds for a bit and appeared in its all beauty in the second part of our hike. That was a time for us to slow down. We had a small lunch and enjoyed the moment. No rush, no plans - just us and mountains. ❤️

    If someone ever will write me a poem, please let it start like this „My heart, my Matterhorn …”.

    You really have to be there to understand how magical this place feels.    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰
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    Zermatt - Brig - Celerina

    September 14 in Switzerland ☀️ 16 °C

    Our next scenic train adventure was the Glacier Express, one of Switzerland’s most famous railway journeys, taking us from Brig towards the eastern part of the country.

    We decided to make it an experience, so we ordered the three-course menu and got it paired with beautiful views! Last one wasn’t on the menu😅

    Eventually, after crossing around 250 bridges and passing through more than 80 tunnels😄 we made it to our little home for the night in Celerina💛.

    And here are few interesting facts that we found out during our trip about trains:

    🏔️ The Glacier Express reaches it’s highest point at more than 2,000m above the sea level.

    😄 Glacier Express has a fun nickname: it is known as “the world’s slowest express train.”

    🚂 Swiss Railways operate more than 1,350 km of single-track railway, meaning trains travelling in opposite directions often have to be well scheduled to pass each other at specific points. And in 94% they are on time!    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰
    My first fondue😋 sooo yummy!

    A day full of adventure!

    September 15 in Switzerland ☀️ 12 °C

    But we had it all planned… 🙃

    Phily, with his magic brain and skills, figured out that we could get off at a station called Alp Grüm, right on the Bernina Pass. The plan was to leave our luggage somewhere, hopefully at a cafe or restaurant, and then take the next train one stop back to start our hike and come back to Alp Grüm. 😅

    It was a perfect plan… the only problem was that we had less than 15 minutes to figure it out, and there was absolutely no information anywhere about luggage storage. 😂 We had to take a risk, and we did!

    Luckily ladies at the station restaurant were incredibly helpful and kindly agreed to keep our luggage. They didn’t even charge us! 🥰

    We jumped on the next train and started exploring the area.

    The Bernina Pass is famous for its glaciers, alpine lakes and incredible mountain views, and it’s one of the most beautiful scenic railway routes in Switzerland.🇨🇭

    We took our time enjoying the nature and the views together, and after a great hike, we came back to the same restaurant for some amazing local fondue. 🫕🥰

    Then it was time to continue our journey through the mountains, all the way to Tirano 🇮🇹. After spiralling through the Alps we have arrived and immediately got ourselves huge gelatos, which was an official welcome to Italy.

    One more train and we reached Lake Como, where we finished the day with a quick dip in the lake and another beautiful sunset together. 🌅♥️    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰
    Our accommodation viewPhily is busy with booking trains, I help as much as I can🙃😇1

    Meeting my dad🥰

    September 16 in Italy ☀️ 20 °C

    After a relaxed morning by Lake Como, we continued our journey to Bologna on a very fast train, for a very special meeting. 😇

    My travel app thought I was travelling by plane, because our train was reaching 300 km/h. 😅

    The days in Bologna were special because I introduced Phil to my dad. 🥰 Everything was a little chaotic, with changing plans, different energies, lots of food, presents, more food, getting to know each other, and of course… lots of translating! 😅

    But most importantly, we had two very precious days all together. 💛    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰

    Long travel day

    September 18 in Italy ☁️ 17 °C

    Early in the morning, we got on a train from Bologna towards Marseille. Our destination was La Ciotat, which is one stop before Marseille. On the way, we stopped to change trains in Ventimiglia and got our last bite of Italy - gnocchi and tiramisu. 🇮🇹

    Did you know that on the way from Bologna towards Marseille you actually pass by Monaco?
    We did!

    Did you know that the train station is fully underground, so you can’t see the city at all?
    That we didn’t! 😂

    It was a bit surprising to be there and not to be there. 😅

    After Monaco we could’ve enjoyed the views of the French Riviera, if… there weren’t so many tunnels. 😂 So we just accepted our fate and enjoyed each other’s company.

    We continued to Toulon and finally arrived at our apartment in La Ciotat. It was beautiful, and we immediately agreed with a silent sight between us that we could spend here more than just 3 days.

    The apartment was modern and stylish 🥰, close to the beach, swimming places and the city centre. The city was very lively and welcoming. Plenty of highly rated restaurants, local markets and little shops.

    We were excited to explore more in the following days… 🥰    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰
    1

    La Ciotat day 2

    September 19 in France ⛅ 23 °C

    We started our day with a visit to the local food market, where we got to see more of the everyday life here. Colorful houses, blue water, sunny streets and all the little details that make southern France feel like southern France. I got some soap from Marseille for myself and for gifts, excited to try it🥰

    We explored calanque, eat good food and had the feeling that we had nowhere else to be. ❤️

    La Ciotat was definitely giving us everything we hoped for from the French coast.    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰
    1I made a flower from leftovers🥰

    La Ciotat Day 3

    September 20 in France ⛅ 25 °C

    We got very lucky on this day!

    We visited the La Ciotat yacht repair shipyard, which happened to be open to the public only because it was Heritage Day. We had no idea this was happening when we planned the trip, so it felt like one of those perfect travel coincidences. It was really cool to see how these giants are repaired. Though every time we were trying to get some information - noone spoke English 😅

    After that we went to the calanque to enjoy the sun, swim and beautiful blue waters.

    For dinner we had an amazing meal prepared by a French chef and decided to try two desserts. The waitress kept telling us some names in French, explaining ingredients and finishing it with „… and its very good!” 😄, so I didn’t need any more convincing, was sold after that phrase already 😂 One of the desserts we ordered was made with mushrooms 😳 and the other with prunes, which were in season. Both were incredible. I definitely wouldn’t have ordered the mushroom dessert without being encouraged to try it, but I’m very glad I did.

    We left home happy and full.

    Another beautiful day in La Ciotat. ❤️    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰
    1

    On the way to Madrid

    September 21 in France ☁️ 18 °C

    I was heading to Madrid, and Phily was going to Amsterdam that day. Marseille train station will keep a memory of our romantic goodbye 💛.

    My journey started pretty dramatically. 😂 Our high-speed train from Marseille to Madrid got stuck inside a tunnel near Girona because of an electrical fault. We had an ambulance, police, firefighters and railway workers all together, and eventually they sent a completely separate train to evacuate 300 passengers.

    I arrived to Madrid much later than planned, I had booked five-star hotel for that night with my Marriott employee discount and was excited for the stay. Room was so beautiful 🥰 Shower helped to wash off the stress of the day, and I went out for some paella and empanadas at a local restaurant with a glass of house wine. A small walk around Madrid afterwards was pretty much all the energy I had left.

    Madrid will have to wait for me to properly explore it another time. 😅

    I fell asleep in that ridiculously huge hotel bed hugging my pillow, pretending it was Phily. 😂❤️

    And then it was time to continue the adventure.    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰
    1Is time travel real?Meet Carlos !

    All the way from Copenhagen to Lisbon by train

    September 21 in Spain 🌙 25 °C

    An early start, a beautiful breakfast under the hotel cupola, and then off to the train station.

    I had to take a train to Badajoz and they like to announce the platform almost at the last possible moment. 😅 So when it finally appeared on the board, everyone suddenly started running to catch the train.

    Once I found my comfortable first-class seat, I made myself a tea, unpacked some takeaways from my hotel breakfast and enjoyed passing views.

    I reached Badajoz, where a tiny green Portuguese train was already waiting for me. It wasn’t even a proper locomotive, it looked like parts of the train were missing, or maybe even the whole train. 😂 But it was taking me to Entroncamento, so I trusted the process. And also Phil warned me it will be like that 😅.

    I met two girls from Germany who were also doing their first Interrail adventure. We started sharing stories, and they told me all about their trip so far. It was so exciting to meet adventurous spirits. ❤️

    I didn’t have a ticket for the next train to Lisbon, cause it’s almost impossible to buy it online 😅. So I spoke with conductor and explain my situation.

    His name was Carlos. He was incredibly helpful and also very strangely funny. 😂 It was hard to tell when he was joking, because he was saying everything with the same voice tone and serious face. But Carlos was a responsible man, and somehow he secured me a spot on the next train. I could feel that he was happy to practice his English as well 😄

    The last part of the journey was… hot. Very hot. There was no air conditioning, and by the time I reached Lisbon I felt like I had been boiled. 🚂

    But I made it!

    All the way from Copenhagen to Lisbon by train. 🚆❤️

    I was very proud and happy when I finally arrived.

    And then familiar face appeared - my friend Maria was waiting for me, I was feeling very welcomed.

    We spent the evening having dinner with her family and enjoying a beautiful view over Lisbon from their terrace.    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰

    Exploring Lisbon

    September 23 in Portugal ☀️ 30 °C

    The next day, Maria took me around Lisbon and showed me some local brands and little shops. I loved just walking around and seeing how colourful and contrasting everything was. Everything felt so authentic and so beautiful.

    The local food was incredible.

    I’ve been told Lisbon is built on seven hills, but after walking around all day, I’m pretty sure there are way more than that 😂.

    We walked A LOT and Maria showed me many beautiful miradouros along the way. And somewhere during the day I tried a warm pastel de nata for the first time.

    It was warm, crispy with the creamy egg filling and it was incredible. It quickly became one of my favourite things in Portugal. After that, every time we passed a bakery, I would ask Maria if we could get another one. 😂 She told me she’s very picky about where she gets them, so I decided to trust the expert.

    In the evening we met a friend for dinner and ordered a seafood situation, I can’t explain it differently 😅. The menu said it was for two people, but honestly, I think it was for minimum five people😂!

    Crabs, mussels, oysters and so many other things that I had never seen before and whose names I don’t even remember. It was slightly too much, but absolutely delicious.

    I think after Portugal I’ll need to take a little break from seafood. 🦀😂

    The next morning we were meeting another friend and heading off to the summer house in Tróia. 🌊🇵🇹    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰

    Troia Day 1

    September 24 in Portugal ☀️ 26 °C

    We arrived in Tróia and settled into a beautiful little house surrounded by pine trees, with a swimming pool and the ocean just a short walk away with a private beach access.

    The first thing we did was, naturally, go to the beach. 😂 It was a little hidden paradise, and I was happy to enjoy it for the following few days.

    We watched the sunset, had a slow evening and started getting into the rhythm of Portuguese life.

    After so many trains, this was exactly what I needed. To slow down❤️    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰

    Troia Day 2

    September 25 in Portugal ⛅ 21 °C

    I spent most of the day sunbathing, listening to the ocean and enjoying the rhythm of our new routine.

    I tried Compal juice for the first time, and I think every Portuguese person has their own favourite flavour, so I guess I just had to try them all to discover mine. 😁

    Dinner, drinks, some music and games. Feels like vacation 🥰🍸🍹🌴    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰

    Troia Day 3

    September 26 in Portugal ☁️ 22 °C

    We officially entered holiday mode.

    The only real problem we had was to decide if we should go to the beach or stay by the pool. 😄🌊🏊‍♀️

    Every morning I was going to the beach after breakfast to spot playful dolphins 🐬 since everyone else already seen them at the first day and I had an online meeting at that time.

    I was hoping they will come back🥰    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰

    Troia Day 4

    September 27 in Portugal ⛅ 26 °C

    All these days Maria had been teaching us how to jump into the water headfirst like a mermaid. It was something I had never done before. So I spent a lot of time trying to get it right. 😂

    The first attempts were not good and my belly was hurting from the splash … and after I mastered it a bit more. 🧜‍♀️🌊

    More tanning, more sun, more beach and more peace.

    And, of course, another beautiful sunset. 🌅🥰

    That night’s Disney movie was Madagascar.    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰

    Troia Day 5

    September 28 in Portugal ☁️ 18 °C

    No dolphins again that morning, but I got beautiful views and a quiet moment by the water.

    I spent some time meditating next to the ocean. The weather was a bit rainy, but later that day it went back to normal - lots of sun, swimming and sunbathing. ☀️🌊

    In the evening we went to the little town of Comporta for some shopping, dinner and drinks.

    P.S
    Movie of the night: Madagascar 2 - with Moto Moto 😏.    Read more

  • My First Interrail 🥰

    Lisbon -> Copenhagen ✈️

    September 29 in Portugal ☁️ 21 °C

    We took the ferry to Setúbal in the morning - one more taste of Portugal in the local restaurant before the journey home.

    I was still hoping the dolphins would finally show up, but no luck. 🐬 They want me to come back 🥰😁

    We reached to Lisbon and Maria showed us a few more beautiful places around, and we spent the last hours doing some very important Portuguese shopping. I found a little ceramic spoon rest for my kitchen, which I loved. 🥰 I also got some sweets for my colleagues at work and some for home as well.

    Then it was time for the airport. My Interrail trip is officially finished 🥰🚂

    P.S In the last few days of my journey, Phil discovered that Interrail was having a 50% off sale on 1-, 2- and 3-month Continuous Global Passes. 😅

    You can call it a coincidence.
    But I call it fate. 😂❤️

    So, of course, we got two more for next year. 🚆🥰    Read more

    Trip end
    September 30, 2026