A nomadic teen who has been living on a train for almost two years is having the time of his life

A nomadic teen is having the best time of his life traveling every day by living on a train.

Lasse Stolley, a 17-year-old German, has gained global fame as a “trainsquatter” for living on a Deutsche Bahn train with a $10,000 annual ticket.

Despite being ‘homeless’, he travels first class, covering approximately 600 miles daily across Germany and Europe per the NY Post.

He sleeps on overnight trains, eats in the dining car, washes clothes in sinks, and showers at public facilities along his route.

Stolley sits at tables with passengers, working on his laptop most days.

Then, he reclines across seats with his neck pillow and travel blanket, wearing noise-canceling headphones to sleep.

Since beginning his journey over a year ago, Stolley has visited historic sites, explored national parks, and experienced Scandinavia’s northern lights.

As a software coder, he relies on an app to plan and track his daily route.

He often travels on commuter trains during the day and long-distance trains at night.

At 16, Lasse left his hometown in Fockbek, Schleswig-Holstein, to start an unconventional journey.

Convincing his parents was challenging, but they eventually agreed and helped him clear his childhood room.

This decision came in the summer of 2022 after he graduated from secondary school.

He intended to pursue an apprenticeship as an IT specialist, which was unexpectedly canceled.

Inspired by a YouTube video, he got a Bahncard 100. Since then, he has traveled all over Germany with Deutsche Bahn and is now a self-employed coder.

The nomadic teen keeps his audience interested by regularly writing on his blog, “Life on the Train,” where he talks about his experiences.

Meanwhile, Lasse has adopted a minimalist lifestyle, fitting all his belongings into a small 36-litre backpack.

Despite the limited space, he prioritizes essentials like a few pieces of clothing and comfort items.

However, he stresses that his laptop and noise-canceling headphones are his most important possessions.

Living on a train as a nomadic teen has a rough start.

“The first few months were a tough time, and I had to learn a lot about how it all works,” Lasse said.

Sleeping on the train at night proved challenging, yet he frequently dozed off during the day.

Occasionally, he missed trains, leaving him stranded in unfamiliar stations late at night, according to Business Insider.

Reflecting on his journey, he acknowledges that everything differed from his initial expectations.

However, through time and experience, he gained insight into the intricacies of life on the train.

Nowadays, Lasse emphasizes the importance of organization.

He ensures he catches the night train each evening and is prepared to quickly adjust his schedule if it unexpectedly doesn’t arrive.

Lasse occasionally frets about train safety, citing frequent theft on night trains, especially in crowded areas like Ruhr.

He highlights a lack of security personnel to handle theft, violence, or disruptive passengers.

However, he finds the route between Frankfurt and Hamburg relatively safe, thanks to onboard security.

The nomadic teen has traveled 500,000 kilometers by train, which equals twelve trips worldwide.

“Life on the train gives me the freedom to choose where I want to go at any time. Breakfast by the Baltic Sea in the morning and enjoy the sunset in the Alps in the evening — the possibilities are endless!” Lasse said in one of his posts on Instagram.

He enjoys walking along the Wall Trail in Berlin to discover more about the city. He finds Berlin magical because of its diversity, accessibility, and lively atmosphere.

He regularly arrives in Berlin by ICE train several times a week but also visits Frankfurt and Munich every few days.

The nomadic teen dreams of his life on the train becoming self-sustaining.

He aims to advise railways on service and safety, leveraging his expertise in different train models and operational processes.

“My wish would be to give feedback to the transport companies, for example Deutsche Bahn or the manufacturers of the trains, and to be remunerated for this.”

Although he has been invited to share his experiences with railway employees, there hasn’t been a permanent partnership offer yet. Nonetheless, he remains optimistic about doing it in the future.

You can follow the nomadic teen on Instagram and be updated with his inspiring adventure.