Enjoys slow traveling

When the others on the committee took a flight, Jana Bergholtz got on the train to Antwerp, Belgium. The trip to Antwerp took 35 hours with 7 changes of train. It took 22 hours to get home with 4 changes of train. But despite the delay, she has no regrets.

– I will always take the train if possible.

JANA BERGHOLTZ trained as a geologist and has long had a passionate interest in the climate and the environment.

– I avoid flying, am a vegetarian and part of the Zero

Waste Movement, says Jana Bergholtz who works with various research projects within the Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC).

At the end of May, she attended a conference on person-centred care in Antwerp, where she presented a study on patient and public participation in healthcare.

FOR HER, IT WAS an obvious choice to take the train.

– I think we should do what we can to reduce our climate footprint.

But the trip down, which should have taken 27 hours, took 35 hours. Right from the start, from Stockholm to

Copenhagen, there were major delays and train changes.

– It was difficult with so many delays, but I was able to work on the train. Then I arrived in Odense in the middle of the night. But I got a refund.

The train journey cost just over SEK 3,800, including a four-day Interrail pass and seat tickets.

But it is important to leave in good time and be prepared for the fact that there may be delays.

– If the conference starts on a Monday, for example, it may be advisable to leave on the Saturday.

Another tip is not to buy all your seat tickets in advance, but to reserve seats in the Interrail pass app once you’ve started your journey. Then your journey is more flexible, she thinks.

JANA HIGHLIGHTS the advantages of travelling by train.

– It is wonderful to travel slowly and experience the changes in the landscape and beautiful sunsets. Moreover, you can take advantage of the breaks in the journey and see places you would otherwise never get to see. At most stations you can lock your luggage in the luggage lockers.

Jana Bergholtz thinks it is much easier to travel by train today. An increasing number of lines are opening up in Europe; for instance, it is now possible to take the night train from Stockholm to Hamburg.

THE ONLY DOWNSIDE, depending on how you look at it, is that it takes time.

– If you want to have a sleeping compartment, it costs a little extra and you have to be prepared to spend an additional night in a hotel, if necessary. But it's worth it. I’ll always try to take the train within Europe and hopefully I will inspire others to do so as well.