Slow travel: interrailing, still all the rave to travel in Eastern Europe

There was a time when interrailing across Europe was very popular for the good value of passes and for the ease of just being able to set off without much prior planning.

Various passes are available but interrailing now requires a little bit more planning as national rail companies have started to up their tariffs for pass-holders. Having said this, interailing is still an extremely popular way of exploring several countries in a relatively short amount of time and on a small budget. Also, with the current emphasis on slow travel for environmental reasons, train travel still has an advantage over flying from country to country.

Join us onboard for our 10-stop interailing trip across Europe, from Berlin's divided past to Romania's eerie Transylvania, but before setting off, here are a few things to think about.

Passes can only be purchased and used by European citizens (including British nationals). Several passes are available and if you are under 26 years old, then discounted rates apply. For travellers over 26, prices range from 267-638 euro (for a second class pass) depending on the duration of the trip, which is between 10 days to a month. The most popular pass tends to be the Global Pass, which is valid for travel in 30 countries. Next, you need to decide how flexible you need your pass be. Will you be catching a train every day? If so you will need a 'continuous' pass. If not, then you will need a 'flexi' pass, allowing you to spend a day or so at each destination, which depends on the duration of your trip and how many destinations you want to visit; for the trip we carried out, you need the maximum of a month.

Now that you have your pass, jump on, we're off!