As interrail turns 50, Airbnb is offering six travellers the European rail trip of a lifetime. Photo / Supplied
As interrail turns 50, Airbnb is offering six travellers the European rail trip of a lifetime. Photo / Supplied
Fancy a summer of riding the rails in Europe and being ticketed through to a French chateau, Spanish Villas?
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Interrail pass, a booking website is offering a group of up to six friends the chance to explore the continent via the scenic route on a summer of slow travel. Airbnb has gotten on board with the European Rail pass to revisit some of the most glamorous, historic homes along the network.
This is not the interrail experience you'll remember from backpacking Europe or long summers OE. Airbnb is putting their rail explorers up in style.
Saint-Georges-sur-Cher, France, is a chateaux in Chissay-en-Touraine. Photo / Supplied
Over 19 days the group will visit an English mansion in Bath, French chateau in Saint-Georges-sur-Cher, and a 400-year old villa in Lucca, northern Italy. Equally storied is the collection of property owners. From retired naval officer to former hoteliers, hosts come from a variety of backgrounds and will greet the interrailers and share the story of their stately piles.
Airbnb's Interrail competition is closer to the spirit of 1872 than 1972. As regional director Emmanuel Marill says, it will be a celebration of "the golden age of 19th century travel," when the continent was first connected up by reliable rail routes.
Regency Bath by rail: the tour will start in a 19th C pile in England. Photo / Supplied
"By combining the very best of train travel with the best of heritage in Europe, we hope travellers will reconnect with history and culture and enjoy travel as it once was," he said.
In the summer of 1972 the Interrail pass invited those under 21 to explore Europe on public transport. It was billed as a celebration of a 'borderless' interconnected continent and free-movement. For young travellers it was a cheap, convenient way to hit all the major cultural centres on a budget.
Retro rail travel is back in travel for those under 21. Photo / Supplied, Eurail
Many backpackers, including Kiwis were quick to get onboard and the Interrail pass is to thank for many a long summer riding the rails from the Mediterranean to the arctic circle.
Since first being launched over 10 million passes have been issued.
Carlo Boselli, General Manager of Interrail owners Eurail said that there has definitely been a shift in attitude towards slower rail travel which has given the train passes a new lease of life:
"Each year, hundreds of thousands of travellers use our Passes. We advocate for the positive impact travelling can have in the world and the way an Interrail Pass allows for the exploration of Europe in a more environmentally sustainable manner. We inspire our customers to go one stop further and to discover lesser-known destinations."
Villa Sant Pere de Ribes, Spain, is one of the stops. Photo / Supplied
To enter the Airbnb competition, you will not have to be under 21. It is a chance for those to relive their interrailing adventures in style, or those who have always dreamed of a dream heritage tour of the rails.
You have until 11 am on Thursday (or July 20, 2022 at 11:59 PM CET) to share the reason why you and your group of rail enthusiasts would be the perfect group for this adventure.
