A nomadic teen is having the time of his life, traveling every day by train. Lasse Stolley, a 17-year-old German, has made international headlines as a “trainsquatter” for living aboard a Deutsche Bahn train with a $10,000 annual ticket. Despite being ‘homeless’, he travels first class, traversing almost 600 kilometers every day across Germany and Europe, according to the New York Post.
He sleeps on overnight trains, eats in dining cars, washes clothes in sinks, and takes showers at public restrooms along the way.Stolley spends much of his days sitting at tables with passengers, working on his laptop. He then reclines across seats with his neck pillow and travel blanket, using noise-cancelling headphones to sleep. Stolley has visited historic places, explored national parks, and seen the northern lights of Scandinavia since embarking on his journey over a year earlier.
As a software developer, he uses an app to plan and track his daily trip. He frequently travels by commuter train during the day and long-distance rail at night.Lasse, 16, left his birthplace of Fockbek, Schleswig-Holstein, to embark on an unexpected voyage. Convincing his parents was difficult, but they eventually agreed and helped him clear out his childhood room.
This decision was made in the summer of 2022, after he graduated from high school. He hoped to undertake an apprenticeship as an IT specialist, but it was unexpectedly canceled. He received a Bahncard 100 after being inspired by a YouTube video. Since then, he has traveled extensively throughout Germany with Deutsche Bahn and is currently a self-employed developer.
The restless teen keeps his audience interested by posting updates on his blog, “Life on the Train,” about his travels. Meanwhile, Lasse has embraced a minimalist lifestyle, storing all of his stuff in a compact 36-litre rucksack. Despite the limited space, he prioritizes essentials such as clothing and comfort things. However, he emphasizes that his laptop and noise-cancelling headphones are his most valuable things.
As a nomadic teen, life aboard a train is difficult at first. “The first few months were a tough time, and I had to learn a lot about how it all works,” Lasse stated.Sleeping aboard the train at night proved difficult, although he often drifted off during the day. He occasionally missed trains, leaving him stuck at strange terminals late at night, according to Business Insider.
Reflecting on his adventure, he realizes that nothing went as planned. However, with time and experience, he gained insight into the complexities of life aboard the train.Nowadays, Lasse emphasizes the value of organization. He makes sure to catch the night train every evening and is ready to modify his schedule swiftly if it does not arrive on time.Lasse periodically expresses concerns about train safety, citing widespread robbery on night trains, particularly in congested places such as Ruhr.
He emphasizes a lack of security officers to manage theft, assault, or disruptive passengers. However, he believes the route between Frankfurt and Hamburg is relatively safe, thanks to onboard security. The nomadic teen has traveled 500,000 kilometers by train, the equivalent of twelve journeys around the world.