The Ultimate Packing Guide For Interrailing in Europe
I spent almost 3 weeks interrailing around Europe a few years ago and had a blast. It's a relatively budget-friendly way of exploring multiple European countries at once. Some of the train journeys are attractions in themselves and provide insane views, Switzerland I'm looking at you.
One of the challenges of interrailing is constantly lugging your bag around from the trains to your accommodation. So today I'm sharing with you the tips and tricks for packing for your interrailing adventure.
Take a backpack
This will make your life a million times easier than if you had a suitcase. Unless you need particular equipment or want to pack your entire wardrobe a backpack/duffle bag offers ample space for your necessities. I took a suitcase and regretted it as there are a lot of cobbled streets in Europe and lifting on and off the trains got to be quite the slog.
So a big piece of advice from me is to pack light and take a backpack. Choose one wisely you don't want one that overpowers you, I would say to opt for a 40/60l backpack. Don’t forget a day bag, whether that be a tote or a backpack, just make sure you have a smaller option. You can look like a classic backpacker with one on the front and one on the back.
Comfy is key
You will likely spend long periods on trains especially if you opt for night trains (which I do recommend as it saves on accommodations), so you want to be cosy. Also, they can blast the air-con on some trains so I recommend a big cosy hoodie or wrap-around to keep you warm.
Another item I consider essential is a lightweight rain jacket if you are going to be out all day exploring the last thing you want is to be soaking wet. It will also double up as an extra layer if it gets chilly at night time.
Washing on the go
This is the key to saving some space when you pack, instead of taking enough clothes for your whole trip, pack lighter and wash and reuse your clothes instead. Some accommodations e.g. hostels may have washing facilities but if they don’t you could take your clothes to a laundrette.
If you are tight on time and running out of clean clothes it's also great to check out the shops in a new country or get creative with what you have. For example, I often use swimwear as underwear whilst travelling. Also, think about the material of the clothes you pack, it's much quicker to dry clothes made of lighter materials.
Travel Tip- Get yourself a microfibre towel for your trip, as it's way lighter/smaller in your bag and also dries so much quicker.
Packing cubes are your new best friend
Packing cubes are an organised traveller’s dream item, not only do they help organise the clothes they also help compress the clothes, giving you more space to pack your items. If you keep cubes organised and have one for tops and one for your bottoms etc, it will save you so much time. Trust me you'll be so happy when you don't have to search all through your backpack just to find a fresh pair of socks. You can use any spare ones to hold dirty washing to keep the dirty and clean clothes apart.
Be safe and prepared
Unfortunately, you do have to consider your safety wherever you go now, but it's nothing to majorly be concerned about. I think one of the things to be most cautious of is pickpocketing, so secure your valuables away when in a big city and opt for a bum bag to keep things close to you. For this reason, I also tended to avoid carrying much cash, most places accept card payments.
I would write down any important numbers on some paper and take them in your luggage just in case your phone and wallet get stolen. Another thing if you're staying in hostels you should take a padlock as many of them will have lockers where you can safely store your valuables.
Basic Packing List for Interrailing Europe
5 x tops
3 x bottoms
2 x dresses/jumpsuits
1 week’s worth of underwear and socks
2 x swimwear
Hoodie
Waterproof jacket
Comfy trainers
Sandals
Toiletries
Microfibre towel
Small first aid kit and any medications
Headphones
Chargers and plug adaptor
Portable charger
Passport
Interrail tickets
