Erasmus+ Green Travel

Last winter, I took part in an Erasmus adventure that was so much more than just a semester abroad. On the way from Germany to Rome, I decided to take the road less traveled. Instead of getting on a plane, as most people would do, I opted for a bus ride, in the
spirit of sustainable travel.
The Erasmus Green Travel Initiative's message of traveling responsibly really appealed to me, so even though I knew it would take longer, I opted for the bus option. I was so glad I did
! The journey through Switzerland was nothing short of magical. Perfect landscapes, snow-capped mountains and picturesque towns unfolded outside my window, giving me the feeling of a
real adventure.
But what made it really special was the feeling of accomplishment when I finally got off the bus in Rome. I knew I was making a contribution, however small, to reducing my carbon footprint. It was eye-opening when I realised that sustainable travel isn't just about saving the planet, it can also make your trip so much more meaningful.
Sure the journey took a little longer, but it was more than worth it.
Blue skies, breathtaking views and a deeper connection to the places I visited - that's
the true reward for travelling responsibly. My Erasmus adventure taught me that you don't have to sacrifice experiences to travel sustainably. In fact, it might just make your trip even better.

I took advantage of the “green travel” option and started my Erasmus semester with a short “trip through Europe”. I had planned a week for this, so I spent 1-2 days at each of the four stopovers. I first travelled by train to Paris, from there to Toulouse, on to Carcassonne and my fourth stop, Barcelona, I reached by bus before arriving at my final destination, Valencia. The medieval fortress of Carcassonne, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was definitely my highlight of the trip. I really enjoyed the train journeys and short stops, also because I was able to slowly adjust to my semester abroad. Travelling by train requires a bit of planning, as it is a lot cheaper to buy tickets in advance. Accommodation should also be booked in advance. If you are planning a train journey, I recommend comparing train prices (individual train lines or Interrail, for example) and staying in hostels or Airbnbs, as they are much cheaper than hotels and you have the option of cooking. However, you should realise beforehand that such a trip is not the cheapest alternative and that the ‘green travel’ package is not sufficient. As a train journey through Europe had always been on my bucket list, this was still a good opportunity for me and the perfect start to my semester abroad.

I spent a semester abroad at NTNU in Trondheim from August to December 2024 and travelled to Norway in an electric car  together with af ellow student from another department. We covered the distance of around 2000 km in three days. We started our journey in the morning near Cologne. From there we drove to Kiel, where we spent the late afternoon until the evening. In the evening we took the ferry to Gothenburg, where we spent the night. Unfortunately, the next day our plan to explore Gothenburg a little before travelling on fell through. Instead, we visited the Universeum science museum before travelling on towards Oslo. However, we didn't drive straight through Oslo, but instead travelled along the nicer country roads around Oslo. We spent the second night of our road trip in a hotel in Lillehammer, just after Oslo. The last part of our journey took us through the Rondane National Park, where we spent some time taking photos before arriving in Trondheim in the evening. Especially if you have the time, it's worth taking the country roads instead of the motorway to get a first impression of Norway's breathtaking landscapes. We took our time on the return journey and set off from Trondheim on 7 January. Our stopovers consisted of Vinstra, Geilo, Oslo, Malmö, Copenhagen and Lübeck, until we finally arrived home on 20 January. If you have the opportunity, you should definitely consider travelling to Trondheim in an electric car, as you have more space with your luggage, can see more of the Norwegian countryside and are more flexible during the semester. The charging station infrastructure is also much better developed than in Germany. However, winter tyres and snow chains are a must in winter.

I started my semester abroad by travelling sustainably all the way to Bilbao. I thought that green travel was a great way to combine sustainable travelling with city trips and start the new chapter. So in mid-August, I travelled with a friend on the Flixbus from Duisburg to Paris. We travelled overnight, which of course wasn't the most comfortable night. But it wasn't expensive (€35) and let's not forget that luggage is much cheaper than flying. In my case (a rucksack, a bag and a 20kg suitcase) the luggage was also included in the price. As Paris had been a destination of mine for a long time, I was very happy to start my trip with it. The 2.5 days we spent in Paris were absolutely beautiful. My highlight was the Palais Garnier, the interior of the opera house was breathtaking. My girlfriend then went back to Germany and I travelled on to Bordeaux by train (29€ + 5€ for luggage). The journey, which took just over two hours, was also much more comfortable than the Flixbus. I didn't have any great expectations of Bordeaux, so I was all the more surprised. The city is absolutely beautiful and offers affordable options, e.g. for museums. There was also a live band playing in my hostel one evening. People were talking, dancing and the atmosphere was just great. After another 2.5 days here, I travelled to Bilbao. Again, I travelled with the Flixbus (22€). As the journey started in the morning, it was much more pleasant than the night journey to Paris. You could also see the beautiful countryside during the journey and slowly get used to arriving in your new home. I have to say that the idea of travelling to Bilbao by bus and train was rather daunting at first - but now I would do it again and again. I think two stops on the way to Bilbao are appropriate and would recommend taking the time to see the cities and not just changing trains there. For me, the trip was the perfect start to my semester abroad.

When I heard about the green travel option, it was immediately clear to me that I really wanted to take advantage of it. Sustainable travelling is close to my heart and the opportunity to travel in a more environmentally friendly way immediately appealed to me. But that wasn't all: another decisive factor in my decision was that I wanted to get to know many different countries and cities on the way there instead of just flying directly to my destination. Initially, I started in Leipzig about 2.5 weeks before my arrival in Varna and took a train to Prague via Dresden. I spent a few days there and then took a through train to Bratislava. After a few days, I travelled on from there to Budapest by Flixbus. There I met up with 2 fellow students from my degree programme and we continued our journey in a car that belonged to one of them. We travelled through Hungary and Serbia, spent a night in Sofia (Bulgaria) and then arrived in Varna the next day