24.09.2025
Arabella Saavo traveled through European cities with the support of a Rail Baltic Estonia scholarship, learning that a train not only takes you from point A to point B, but also takes unexpected paths to yourself.
When Arabella Elisabeth Saavo from Tartu packed her backpack this summer, her travel plan wasn't just a list of cities and train times. It was an attempt to push boundaries – both her own and the meaning of those boundaries that young Europeans increasingly associate with the railway network.
But before all that, he applied for the DiscoverEU program. The scholarship that allowed him to implement his plan was provided by Rail Baltic Estonia – a small but symbolic step towards the future.
22 days and eight cities
Arabella's journey took her from Berlin to Zurich, Salzburg, Budapest, Bratislava, Brno, Kraków and Warsaw over 22 days, before returning to Estonia via Vilnius. The route was not random – she wanted smaller cities to alternate with larger ones. So that in one place she could recharge her batteries with architecture and art experiences, in another she could see nature and in a third she could dance to street music until night turned into morning. Bratislava stood out to her – and this city was not even in her original plan. “It was very small, cozy and the light was warm everywhere. There was music on every street and people were dancing,” she recalls.
On the first train journey of the journey, an eight-hour journey from Berlin to Zurich, an unexpected emergency led to a chaotic change of buses and trains. But the bus that ran away from under his nose was not a disaster for him, but rather an introduction to a new world: one where planning meets chance.
From Lake Lucerne to Zakopane
In Switzerland, on Lake Lucerne, he found himself in the same boat as the locals – a father, son and friends – and while trying out a surfboard for the first time, he noticed how shared music and laughter could pave the way over language barriers. He arrived in Zakopane, Poland, on Independence Day, August 15, just in time for the folklore festival, and saw horse races, local markets and tasted traditional food. Not Instagram Poland, but real Poland.
There was also fatigue, especially after her first serious mountain hike in Switzerland. There, near the summit, with her tent up and the sunset in front of her eyes, Arabella came to the conclusion that sometimes the hardest steps bring the greatest joy: “I never expected the views to be so amazing! Being in muscle pain and having difficulty walking for the next few days was 100% worth it!”
A solo traveler is never alone
When traveling alone, safety was never a real concern. But she discovered that if she boldly entered into conversations, smiled, and asked more than she had to, she would be reciprocated. Thus, hostels and stations became not just stopping points, but lessons in social geography.
At the end, however, he felt that the journey didn't really end at the Vilnius bus station. "I had a lot of time on the train, which gave me the opportunity to reflect on my life: what changes I could make in my daily life and what kind of person I want to come home from this trip as," he says.
DiscoverEU scholarship – what, how and for whom?
DiscoverEU is an Erasmus+ programme that gives 18-year-olds the opportunity to discover Europe by train. The competition, which takes place twice a year, awards free travel passes that allow you to visit almost 30 European countries for up to one month. You can travel alone or with a group of up to four friends. In addition, young people receive discounts on accommodation, transport, culture and more.
Every spring, Rail Baltic Estonia provides five young Estonians with a 500-euro travel grant, which helps cover food, accommodation, and other travel expenses.
Keep an eye on the RBE website and social media and don't miss out on the opportunity next year!
The article was first published on September 23, 2025 as a content marketing story in Õhtuleht.
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