Title: Living on a Train to Save Rent Money? This Teenager Makes It Work!

Living on a Train: A Money-Saving Lifestyle

The Beginnings of a Train-Living Journey

A SAVVY traveller has managed to save hundreds on rent and expenses after deciding to swap his home for overnight trains. For the past two years Lasse Stolley, 17, picks his night train and waits for it to swing him across Germany as he sleeps.

Discovering the Cost-Effective Lifestyle

The young man realised his life on tracks costs him less than renting and he manages to get food for free, but he later found out a huge downside to it.

A Family’s Concern and Acceptance

Having grown up in a village in the north of Germany, Lasse has always enjoyed travelling to Scandinavia with his parents and going on nature tours. He also had a lifelong passion for computer programming and taught himself all the skills needed during the pandemic. In the summer of 2022, Lasse was going to begin an apprenticeship as a software engineer after graduating from high school. But he soon had to find a replacement plan after the programme had to be cancelled a few weeks before it was scheduled to start.

The Challenges and Rewards

A few weeks prior, Lasse had watched a TV report about someone who lived on a train and it was enough for the thought to never leave his mind. The teen loved the idea of being able to travel anywhere in Germany every single day. So Lasse was onboard his first train on August 8, 2022, and never looked back.

Balancing Lifestyle and Practicality

But the young German’s family did not share the same excitement for his new lifestyle. They were concerned that Lasse might not be able to sleep through the night, that he would be by himself or that it could be a dangerous adventure. They were still sceptical for the first few months, when hardly anything worked out, Lasse admitted.

The Daily Journey on Tracks

He revealed that he would often go back to his parents’ house since he was too exhausted and stressed out from planning everything and couldn’t sleep. But now that everything sorted itself out, Lasse’s family have been quite helpful. Talking about how he has a different adventure every day, he told The Guardian: “I have the freedom to decide where I go every day, and can visit my friends who live all over Germany.”

Financial Aspects of Train Living

The teen traveller, who works 10 hours a week as a software developer, revealed the huge downside of his life on tracks. He said: “Living on the train means I have to do without some things that I used to take for granted. I don’t have privacy. I have also had to reduce my possessions so that everything I own fits into a 30-litre backpack. But the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

A Day in the Life of a Train-Living Teen

For Lasse, a normal day entails taking an overnight InterCity Express train that arrives at a city between 6 and 8am. He starts by having breakfast at the guest lounge of the train company, such as croissants, muesli or cake. After that, he’ll quickly wash in the lavatory or take a shower at the local swimming pool. He’s then ready to select his destination looking at the trains leaving that day. Lasse explained, however, that despite living on trains, he spends a lot of time going on outdoor adventures.

Economic Breakdown of Train Living

How much does Lasse spend living on trains? LASSE started with a BahnCard 100, which offers unlimited travel on Germany’s national train network. At the time of his purchase, the junior pass cost €2,664 (£2,290). Before his first BahnCard expires, the teen upgraded his pass to first class, which costs €5,888 for anyone under 27. The pass allows him to eat “all the food I want” in the Deutsche Bahn guest lounges at train stations. This includes croissants, muesli, wraps, focaccia, soup or cake.