It is a while since I last blogged. It’s not that I’ve nothing to write about, but that I’ve been too busy actually doing things. Anne and I have just returned from four weeks travelling through central Europe: eight countries and more than 5,000 km (mostly by train, with a few Flixbuses when necessary).

I was a little apprehensive beforehand but it was a really enjoyable experience. Let me tell you about it – and you can’t stop me – because you may want to consider doing something similar. For advice about all aspects of rail travel in Europe, and beyond, there is a very comprehensive website called The Man in Seat 61. There is also a great Facebook group called Interrailing for the older crowd.

What does it cost?

The first-class Interrail Pass gives you 10 days of rail travel, to be used any time within two months. If you are 60 years old and over you pay £312 (second class, quelle horreur, is £250). These prices take into account a 25% discount in the late November Black Friday Sale. On some trains there are additional compulsory reservations, usually just a few euros. See the Interrail website.

Needless to say, it’s all run on an app (although you could use a paper alternative), with you able to decide at the last moment if you want to take a train. It automatically creates a valid ticket (QR code) for each journey and a map of your entire trip. Once you get the hang of it, it’s easy and soon becomes indispensable.

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Thursday 30 May

And so it was just after 7am when we left home for Herne Hill Station, each of us with a cabin-sized wheelie case, a small but heavy rucksack and a little round-the-body bag containing all the essentials (passport, smartphone and charger, wallet, specs etc.) that became our bosom buddies. The 07:27 to St Pancras arrived on time. A good start! But then… our 09:01 Eurostar to Brussels was delayed.

We finally got away at 09:41, aware that our planned route to Zürich via Germany was no longer viable because we would miss our already tight connections. At best we would arrive at our accommodation an hour late. While you can’t expect everything to run smoothly it would have been nice to get across the Channel on schedule.

Arriving at Brussels Midi at 12:57 we scampered for, and made, the packed 13:01 to Paris Gare du Nord. An odd route from London to Paris you might think, but it was our best option. Then, RER line D south three stops to Gare de Lyon. After negotiating a long and slow-moving queue Anne came away with replacement tickets for the 16:22 TGV Lyria to Zürich. With no time for a swift demi at Le Train Bleu we ran for it.

Finally we could relax

Sharing our carriage was a party of cheerful 60-year-old South Korean women chatting away and taking, you won’t be surprised to hear, the odd selfie. We communicated as best we could, with sweeties being passed around. It was quite jolly. After they got off, we fell into French conversation with a Cambodian granny visiting her daughter. She was interesting when describing growing up in Phnom Penh at a time when French language and culture were dominant (we have been there, and French influence is all but extinct), but soon she launched into a tedious, repetitive diatribe about about how dear Switzerland was. And she was not wrong. At last we arrived at Zürich Hbf, just half an hour later than planned.

We trundled our cases over the cobblestones and under threatening skies to Hostel Otter in Oberdorf, an atmospheric quarter of the old town, with posh boutiques offering books, antiques, kitchen knick-knacks and so on. Here we bought our first souvenir, a Le Creuset wine cooler (special offer.)It started to drizzle, and carried on raining for the next 24 hours.

Zürich is not Madrid: all the restaurants were shut by 22:00. We resorted to one shared cheeseburger plus fries from Burger Meister (yes, really!). It cost about 20 quid but was quite good. We completed a long day at the lively Wüste Bar downstairs at the Otter with a couple of negronis – there would be many more on this trip.. Don’t knock hostels: ours was 15 minutes from the station, friendly, informal and great value – for Switzerland – at £140 a night. You can get a pint of lager in the bar for a measly 8 CHF (£7). And nuts came free.

Friday 31 May

We had both been to Zürich before, in winter. Though it was now midsummer it didn’t feel like it. Swimming in the lake was not a sensible option. I was glad of my pullover, hat and rain jacket. I soon realised, as we strolled alongside the lake getting soaked, that my trainers were leaking. Squelch, squelch went my socks. The only alternative was open-toed sandals. I saved them for the morrow.

As I may have mentioned, Switzerland is eye-wateringly (clichéwatch) expensive. If you intend to eat or drink anything during your stay, I would point you in the direction of Lidl or COOP.

We visited the city’s three main churches but spent more time at that huge, well-stocked art gallery, the Kunsthaus.

That’s enough art for one blog

Despite the weather, we thought Zürich was lovely. It would be nice to try living there, on an appropriate pension of course.

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After two soggy days it was time to move on to Vienna.

We’d seen on Swiss TV that there had been flooding in southern Germany but didn’t realise how serious it was.

Click to read part II >