Rick Steves Says To Try One Unexpected Thing If You End Up On The Wrong Train In Europe

It's a situation you probably dread — one wrong platform, a tight connection, or a confusing announcement in a language unfamiliar to you, and suddenly, you're watching the European countryside blur past from the wrong train. But if this happens to you in Europe, travel guru Rick Steves has one unexpected piece of advice: stay on board.

In Steves' article "The Beauty of Spontaneous Travel," he explains: "Years and years ago, I was on a train heading to Rothenburg to update the ultimate medieval town in Germany for my guidebook. I knew the town well and was anticipating a happy homecoming. The cute lanes would be filled with my readers, who cheered me on. I loved going to Rothenburg." But then something unexpected happened that would send most travelers into a panic — Steves boarded the wrong train. "As I was preparing for a connection, I realized the train I was on was heading for Prague," he recalls.

Rather than getting off at the next destination and making his way back to start the journey again, Steves decided to go with the flow. "I started comparing the value of spending the next three days in Rothenburg versus doing a groundbreaking research stint in Prague shortly after the end of the Cold War. I stayed on that train and didn't get off until I reached the Golden City of a Hundred Spires. What followed was one of the most exciting and rewarding weeks of guidebook research I can remember." Sometimes, going with the unexpected creates the best travel memories. As Steves explains, "When I think back on that trip, I'm reminded of the value of tossing the schedule once in a while and living in the moment."

If you're inspired by Rick Steves' story and want to lean into more spontaneous adventures, there are a few things to keep in mind for a smooth experience. First, leave space in your itinerary. Not every hour of your trip needs to be booked. That empty afternoon might just turn into your favorite memory when you stumble across a festival you didn't know about or get lost in a neighborhood that just happens to have the most amazing pizzeria. "With no agenda, you can blow like the wind freely through Europe," Steves shares. "I've made some of my best discoveries by not planning and simply talking to people."

However, one of the mistakes people make when traveling by train is treating it like a taxi. While you can easily city-hop across Europe by train without a lot of advance booking — many routes are good for same-day tickets — some routes are better to book a little in advance. So check itineraries and prices during your trip to avoid sticker shock or major wrenches in your plans. Eurail passes are a great way to get around spontaneously on most train routes.

Next, travel light. As Steves shares in many of his stories, being nimble makes traveling a lot easier and will help when pivoting plans. A small suitcase or backpack gives you more freedom to hop trains and explore new cities. Most importantly, say yes to the unplanned. If it starts raining, hop on a train to a sunnier city. If someone mentions a cool village you've never heard of, go check it out. So the next time your plans go off-track (or you feel the urge to change course), take Steves' advice and just go with the flow.