With over 80 million views for the #interrailing on TikTok, it is evident that interrailing is a popular choice for travellers in 2023. But which European cities should you be adding to your itinerary?
The study by Bounce analysed European cities on a range of factors including hostels, safety scores, nightlife and restaurants, to reveal the best European cities for interrailing.
Top 10 best European cities for interrailing
|
Rank |
City |
Country |
Hostels Per km2 |
Attractions Per km2 |
Restaurants Per km2 |
Bars & Clubs Per km2 |
Safety Index Score |
Google Searches Dec 2021 – Nov 2022 |
Interrailing City Score |
|
1 |
Barcelona |
Spain |
0.84 |
46.46 |
97.55 |
5.24 |
49.74 |
437,000,000 |
8.48 |
|
2 |
Porto |
Portugal |
0.89 |
31.39 |
50.60 |
1.59 |
64.55 |
39,480,000 |
8.22 |
|
3 |
Paris |
France |
0.32 |
77.34 |
168.09 |
4.03 |
42.86 |
81,260,000 |
8.04 |
|
4 |
Amsterdam |
Netherlands |
0.21 |
13.78 |
18.42 |
1.20 |
67.61 |
56,020,000 |
7.63 |
|
5 |
Milan |
Italy |
0.15 |
11.35 |
42.86 |
1.62 |
50.57 |
109,220,000 |
7.56 |
|
6 |
Lisbon |
Portugal |
0.56 |
29.14 |
52.03 |
1.95 |
70.49 |
9,129,000 |
7.55 |
|
7 |
Valencia |
Spain |
0.11 |
9.64 |
31.01 |
1.00 |
67.67 |
32,060,000 |
7.33 |
|
8 |
Athens |
Greece |
0.74 |
62.40 |
71.10 |
4.47 |
43.95 |
9,433,000 |
6.97 |
|
9 |
Bordeaux |
France |
0.12 |
18.62 |
51.78 |
0.83 |
52.39 |
17,423,000 |
6.74 |
|
10 |
Florence |
Italy |
0.11 |
21.48 |
21.43 |
1.02 |
61.20 |
14,766,000 |
6.70 |
Barcelona, Spain ranks as the best European city for interrailing, with a score of 8.48/10.
The city scored highly for its number of attractions (46.46 per km2), it’s proportion of restaurants (97.55 per km2), and nightlife variety, as well as proving popular on Google with 437,000,000 searches in the last year. Barcelona Saints is the central railway station in the city and is considered one of the most utilised transport hubs in Spain.
Porto, Portugal, ranks as the second-best European city for interrailing, with a score of 8.22/10. Porto scored high for its number of restaurants (50.6 per km2), attractions (31.39 per km2), and safety index score of 64.55/100. The central station, Porto Campanha, is a modern station that serves the main lines.
Ranking as the third best city for interrailing in Europe is Paris, with a score of 8.04/10. Paris is arguably one of the culinary capitals of Europe, home to a wide variety of restaurants (168.09 per km2). The city also boasts a series of world-class attractions (77.34 per km2), including the iconic Eiffel Tower, and Disney Land Paris. You can catch the Eurostar to London, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands from The Gare du Nord, an ideal station for interrailing opportunities.
