A 17-year-old in Germany leaves his parents’ home to travel across the country and live on trains, as reported by Business Content.
According to Lasse Stoli, after finishing school he convinced his parents that he should wander the nation by train. For the past year and a half, the teenager has been riding the rails, working remotely, and sleeping in train cars at night.
“I’ve been living on the train as a digital nomad for a year and a half. I travel from one end of the country to the other, studying Germany,” he explains.
Lasse travels with a 36-liter backpack. That compact volume suits a teenager who embraces minimalism. He estimates annual travel expenses at about 10,000 euros.
“I have to catch the night train every evening,” the young traveler shares.
Lasse knows that a lifetime on trains is not feasible, but he does not plan a quick end to his journey. He wants to see how far the rail network can take him over the coming months without rushing to a finish line.
There are stories of other travelers who have set out with little more than curiosity and a small bag, letting chance rides and quiet depots shape their routes. The rhythm of train life appeals to those who crave freedom and the chance to observe the landscapes, cities, and people passing by. The journey becomes a moving classroom where language, culture, and history unfold in real time, not in a classroom with fixed desks. The railways offer a unique way to learn, reflect, and connect, even for someone barely out of adolescence.
Living on trains means discovering how to balance work with travel. Remote tasks, daily routines, and a growing sense of independence blend into a lifestyle that many might find impractical yet undeniably alluring. The experience tests practical skills such as time management, budgeting, and staying connected, while also inviting moments of solitude in dimly lit corridors and quiet sleeping cars. The ability to adapt to changing schedules, weather, and routes becomes a core skill. For a teenager venturing into adulthood, the rails become a continuous path of discovery rather than a single destination.
The journey also raises questions about family, responsibility, and the expectations placed on young people. While some cultures emphasize early independence, others stress the value of a stable home base. In this context, the tale of a teenager choosing to roam by train stands as a contemporary reflection on autonomy, education, and the role of work in shaping life choices. Observers may wonder how long such a path might endure and what it ultimately teaches about resilience, curiosity, and the sense of belonging.
Across the countryside, the doorways of stations become brief theatres where passing scenes flicker into focus—markets, schools, churches, and modern offices. Each stop offers new possibilities, new conversations, and possibly new work opportunities that suit a roaming schedule. The narrative of a young traveler who treats the journey as a classroom demonstrates how flexible work and travel can coexist when the traveler remains purposeful and prepared. In the end, the story invites readers to rethink conventional routes to adulthood and to consider the value of experiences that unfold outside the typical path.
Others who know the traveler describe a hopeful, pragmatic mindset—one that prioritizes learning and personal growth over settling into a conventional routine. The train becomes less a vehicle and more a moving home, a place where ambitions evolve and shifting landscapes mirror the internal shifts every young person experiences on the cusp of adulthood.