# Student lives on a train



## landpirate (Aug 26, 2015)

Its not quite that simple as it seems she couchsurfs and sleeps at boyfriends house too, but she spends a lot of time taking advantage of what the train/stations have to offer and instead of being tied down by a flat she can travel. I'm wondering if anyone has actually managed this full time? 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniemcneal/train-life#.dxmJEB3BD

*A Student Says She Got Tired Of Paying Rent So She Decided To Live On A Train*

And now Leonie Mueller said she is saving money overall.

posted on Aug. 25, 2015, at 8:26 p.m.



Stephanie McNeal
BuzzFeed News Reporter

*A German college student is living on a train after she got tired of paying rent and wanted to travel.*





Leonie Mueller
*Leonie Mueller told BuzzFeed News that she had been paying 450 euros a month (about $515) for an apartment in Stuttgart, Germany, when she got into a fight with her landlord and decided she didn’t want to live there anymore.*

So she decided to research a train pass in Germany that allows the user to travel to any destination in the country. The pass is 340 euros a month (about $388).

She realized that she could save money by buying a train pass and seeing the country, rather then spending money on an apartment.

“I noticed I didn’t feel the desire to live somewhere myself,” she said.

*Since May 1, Mueller has been using the train as her “home base.” She showers there…*




Leonie Mueller
*And even has ordered pizza to the platform.*




Leonie Mueller
*Of course, the 23-year-old doesn’t spend every night on the train because that would be “inconvenient and unsafe,” she said.*

When she is not on the train, Mueller spends nights with her boyfriend, her friends, or with her family.

She said she is happy with her new life, is saving money, and doesn’t mind the solitude of constant travel.

“I enjoy being alone and being on trains, as well as I enjoy staying with my friends,” she said.

*When she is on the road, Mueller carries a small backpack full of clothes and other items. She keeps the rest at her family’s home.*




Leonie Mueller
As for other home chores, Mueller said she does laundry at her boyfriend’s house and buys food at the store to eat on the train.

Her mom and grandmother have always been very supportive of her idea, Mueller added.

“They always traveled a lot with me,” she said.

*Now, Mueller is writing about her experience as part of her university work. She plans to be on the go for a year.*




Leonie Mueller
Mueller said she hopes to inspire others to step out of their comfort zone.

“I want to inspire people to question their habits and the things they consider to be normal, because there are always more opportunities than you think there are,” she said. “The next adventure is waiting just around the corner — provided that you want to find it.”


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## psychofoamer (Aug 26, 2015)

Not quite trainhopping, but pretty cool regardless


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## Matt Derrick (Aug 26, 2015)

that's pretty awesome. it reminds me back in the day when i was living in nyc and didn't have a place to live, i would buy a 7 day metro pass and i would take the longest route i could find from manhattan to say, queens or something like that, and just sleep the whole way. if i remember correctly, i would go back and forth maybe around 3 or so times in a night, so the only bad part was having to wake up that many times every night. otherwise, it wasn't too bad really.


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## milkhauler (Aug 26, 2015)

Matt Derrick said:


> that's pretty awesome. it reminds me back in the day when i was living in nyc and didn't have a place to live, i would buy a 7 day metro pass and i would take the longest route i could find from manhattan to say, queens or something like that, and just sleep the whole way. if i remember correctly, i would go back and forth maybe around 3 or so times in a night, so the only bad part was having to wake up that many times every night. otherwise, it wasn't too bad really.


Back in JR high I had a similar plan. I lived in So Cal and had a quarterly bus pass for RTD and Foothill Transit. Back then before home schooling, truant officers could stop a kid on the street and ask him why you wasnt't in school during the normal hours. 

I would get on the bus near my house as usual and never pull the buzzer rope near the school. After all the kids got off, I moved up to the front and talked to driver for 8 hrs as we zigged and zagged all over LA country. I got away with it for 6 weeks till I heard heard a knock at the door one day while moms was at work. I peeked though the blinds, it was a city cop and the school attendance lady. My ass was grass. Good memories this train story conjured up. 

I would do it again!! [emoji12]


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## Matt Derrick (Aug 26, 2015)

milkhauler said:


> Back in JR high I had a similar plan. I lived in So Cal and had a quarterly bus pass for RTD and Foothill Transit. Back then before home schooling, truant officers could stop a kid on the street and ask him why you wasnt't in school during the normal hours.
> 
> I would get on the bus near my house as usual and never pull the buzzer rope near the school. After all the kids got off, I moved up to the front and talked to driver for 8 hrs as we zigged and zagged all over LA country. I got away with it for 6 weeks till I heard heard a knock at the door one day while moms was at work. I peeked though the blinds, it was a city cop and the school attendance lady. My ass was grass. Good memories this train story conjured up.
> 
> I would do it again!! [emoji12]



is it just me, or is it totaly fucked up that LA is the only city i've been to where cops ticket/arrest you for not going to school? that's a damn fine use of resources there...


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## psychofoamer (Aug 26, 2015)

Matt Derrick said:


> is it just me, or is it totaly fucked up that LA is the only city i've been to where cops ticket/arrest you for not going to school? that's a damn fine use of resources there...



They do that in tons of places. Especially smaller towns & cities. My high school had a truant officer who would show up at your house after he knew parents may be home in order to basically rat you out and give your parents a ticket for said child not being in school. My little brother was frequently truant and it eventually got him in jail...


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## landpirate (Aug 26, 2015)

Leadbellytherxrcur said:


> My little brother was frequently truant and it eventually got him in jail...



over here they fine the parents and then they can send them to prison if their kids don't go to school.


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## milkhauler (Aug 26, 2015)

I was threatned with juvenile court. The judge said I'd be a ward of the court If my parents couldn't controll me, which meant Juvenile Hall till 18. That was enough to to keep me somewhat inline till I moved out.


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## milkhauler (Aug 26, 2015)

That train riding idea would work 20 yrs ago the US. Now a days theres to many wack jobs, and over anal-paranoid transit cops looking to label someome a torrist.


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## Matt Derrick (Aug 26, 2015)

milkhauler said:


> That train riding idea would work 20 yrs ago the US. Now a days theres to many wack jobs, and over anal-paranoid transit cops looking to label someome a torrist.



i disagree, the nyc thing i was talking about still works today, it's not hard.


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## milkhauler (Aug 26, 2015)

Mabe I'll throw this onto my bucket list. Hmm. [emoji12]


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## SnakeOilWilly (Aug 26, 2015)

Matt Derrick said:


> is it just me, or is it totaly fucked up that LA is the only city i've been to where cops ticket/arrest you for not going to school? that's a damn fine use of resources there...



This used to happen a lot but I think now since homeschooling got big the LAPD has cooled down on the truancy bullshit. I guess some parent threatened a lawsuit when his/her homeschooled kid got in trouble. The LAPD loves fucking people over but hates getting sued. Usually.


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