Since the early 1970s, European residents have been able to buy an Interrail Pass and travel freely around Europe, by train. It’s a collaboration still going strong, even after Brexit, with Interrail celebrating its 50-year anniversary this year. Being the old soul that I am, I couldn’t help wondering what it looked like to Interrail in the 1970s. I wasn’t expecting to find this incredible collection of vintage photos on Messy Nessy Chic, one of my favourite websites.
They were taken by an Italian photographer called Carlo Bavagnoli in July 1970 for LIFE Magazine who sent him to Europe to document a group of American college graduates travelling around Europe on a new second-class Eurail Pass, the American equivalent of a European Interrail Pass. “This ticket offered a whirlwind tour of Europe, including the obvious stop-offs: France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, as well as the new must-see city at the time, Amsterdam!” reports Nessy. Side note: Carlo might have snuck into first class too for a sneak peek…
Meanwhile in first class……
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1 Comment
Interesting to see two of the photos of myself (and my 2 traveling companions) that were taken of us for Life Magazine that summer. (One of which was from the “outtakes” that were not included with the original article.) They took literally over a hundred photos to get that one shot that was included in the magazine. (The “sleeping” students under the picturesque swinging boots!) We were paid with lunch in the dining car – after taking photos of us eating our own modest food in our own car.