Early Retirement Extreme Forums

Via Irish Times: ‘I could rent an apartment, but why?’ The teenager who lives on Germany’s high-speed trains

Originally Stolley bought the annual second-class youth ticket for €2,600 but has upgraded since to the first-class ticket for €5,888. (The adult BahnCard 100 costs about €4,000 and €7,700 for second- and first-class respectively).

Mostly things go well and Lasse no longer needs earplugs or his airbed. He has rationalised his other possessions, too: after starting with a 60-litre rucksack he has halved that again.

“Minimalism was always my thing, and having as few things as possible means I don’t have to think about things and have more time for the beautiful things in life,” he says.

Stolley shakes his head with a smile. The journeys cost DB little but, every day, he eats his breakfast, lunch and dinner in the rail company’s first-class station lounges. The food is simple – fruit, focaccia, soup, pizza – but it’s enough for the lanky teenager.

I think this is ingenious. For the first-class Bahncard 100 fare, he essentially gets housing, transportation and food -- for a 4%-rule approved €147'200, not counting subscription cost inflation.

I checked out of sheer curiosity. Food is not included in the Bahncard it seems.

it's really nice, but i wouldn't draw attention to it, because if too many people do it, it might get nerfed.
Something similar can be done in switzerland, but as their are no night trains, you wild camp in rural location.
Those strategy work well with interrail too. Interrail is cheaper, but doesn't include your country of residence.
Food is not included of course, but there are groceries in a lot of train stations, many have normal prices.
The biggest hurdle to frugality is the huge amount of convenience food tempting you while taking trains.

Jean wrote: ↑

Fri May 03, 2024 4:20 am

Those strategy work well with interrail too. Interrail is cheaper, but doesn't include your country of residence.

It can probably be made to work if one has residency cards in two countries

you'll still have one country where it wont be valid. But you get to pick which

loutfard wrote: ↑

Fri May 03, 2024 2:19 am

I checked out of sheer curiosity. Food is not included in the Bahncard it seems.

It gives access to the lounges at the bigger stations that provide food and drinks.

Bonde wrote: ↑

Fri May 03, 2024 7:20 am

It gives access to the lounges at the bigger stations that provide food and drinks.

Lots of fruits available, also cakes & coffee usually. Haven't tried them for lunch/dinner yet, but the article mentions it - should be decent.

I'd be concerned that one would spend too much time stationary living on a train. Trains are quite space-constrained.

I thought this would be a topic for 7W5 WL sexuality thread.