Creative Alexander Trunk and his friends Melker Keim and Elvin Franke had talked about Interrailing for years. Summer ‘25 was the moment - and they brought Dr. Denim along for the ride. Here’s the story.

The three friends got on the train in Gothenburg with a solid plan for their interrail trip. This plan later came to be more of a moodboard than a finished map, because when Berlin turned grey, they traded structure for spontaneity and followed the sun.

”That’s the charm of interrailing, you can change your plans along the way”, Alexander says. ”When the weather changed, we decided to change our route entirely – only aim was to end up in Milan where we knew we were wrapping up our trip”.

That change of route led them to Trieste, Italy - the unexpected star of the trip. A coastal city of grand buildings, winding alleys, perfect swims, and food worth writing home about.

”None of us had heard of Trieste before, but after a long journey through Slovenia, mostly by replacement bus due to train cancellations, we were completely swept away by this hidden gem on the Italian coast”, Alexander says.

Of course, no adventure is complete without a few hiccups. Like getting stuck in a Berlin elevator at 5 AM after a night out and a failed döner hunt. The emergency line offered little comfort.

“A man on the other end tried to calm us by saying, ‘Nothing can hurt you, except maybe if the air runs out,’” Alexander laughs. After an hour of trying to reach help, a helpful man came to their rescue - a memory sealed in laughter and mild panic.

When asked what the trip gave them, physically, figuratively - Alexander reflects: ”You learn a lot when traveling with this intensity. About yourself. About each other. Patience, problem-solving, and the quiet confidence that things always work out”. They met people from everywhere. Swapped stories. Made friends.

And yes, they collected beer coasters - one from every stop. In Austria, a relative heard about it and gifted them crates. By the time they reached Italy, their bags were full.

So, would they do it again? Absolutely. Next time: climbing in the Austrian Alps. Rain stole that chapter - but there’s always another summer.