Australia by Bus and Train: An Upper Bavarian Journey

When Valentin Oeckl talks about his journey, he seems liberated. Free from expectations and fixed itineraries. His motto is that the journey is the destination. The 22-year-old is currently traveling to Australia. Special feature of his journey: He closes the route without planes. In November 2023, he decided to pack his bag and leave his home for a year. He brings his savings and passion with him – an important quality. Because not everything goes according to plan.

Through 15 countries without a flight

After training as a surgical assistant, he wanted to retire in Australia. “I wanted a challenge. Flying there was boring for me, so I wanted to travel without a plane,” says the young man. He has already covered about 16,000 kilometers. To do this, Valentin Oeckl used buses, trains, taxis or barriers. He has already crossed a total of 15 countries, including Hungary, Turkey, Armenia, Iran and Afghanistan.

Public transport: “More pleasant everywhere than in Germany”

Valentin Oeckl's experiences with local public transport abroad are better than in Germany. Especially in China where he is currently. “The trains here are on time to the minute,” he says. In his journey so far, all the trains used to depart and arrive on time. This credibility makes such a journey possible for him. Another point: in his opinion, local public transport is significantly cheaper abroad. “For example, I don't understand that a train ticket costs 20 euros per hour in Germany. In China I can travel two thousand kilometers for 30 euros,” Oeckl makes a comparison and adds: “I have to be honest: I'm more like the general public than in Germany. The seats are very comfortable.”