Discovery Trains Portrait: Albane

Albane developed a love for rail travel at a very young age. Originally from western France, she was already crossing much of the country by train while attending boarding school near Paris. By the age of fourteen, she was traveling alone every week from the Atlantic coast to Paris — a routine that gradually turned the train into a familiar and trusted companion.

Exploring the world… by train © Albane Turck – Discovery Trains

But her true love story with rail travel really began when she turned eighteen — thanks, in a way, to the European Union. That’s when she discovered DiscoverEU, a program that gives thousands of young people each year the chance to win an Interrail pass. She applied without expecting much, answered a quiz about Europe… and then received the news she hardly dared hope for: she had won.

First solo journey
From that moment on, Albane threw herself into planning what would become her first major adventure. She saved money, bought printed guidebooks, mapped out her route, and prepared for a full month of travel — from mid-May to mid-June — exploring Northern Europe by train. It was her very first solo trip, a real leap into the unknown, and she was determined to savor every single step.

Her journey truly began in Marseille, heading north to Amsterdam for a connection. The train ride through the Netherlands was initially meant to be just a practical stop on the way to Germany. Instead, it turned into an unexpected love at first sight. The relaxed atmosphere, the canals, the light — everything immediately appealed to her. She decided to stay longer, explore, and let herself be surprised. It was the first real proof that traveling by train often comes with the most beautiful, unplanned discoveries.

Stockholm, Albane’s favorite city during her train journey © Albane Turck – Discovery Trains

On the rails of the Nordic capitals
Next came Berlin, where she met up with a German friend, before heading north to Denmark. Copenhagen instantly won her over. By train, she continued on to Klampenborg, a small seaside station just outside the city. Within minutes, she found herself on Bellevue Beach — pale sand, calm waters of the Øresund Strait, and that unmistakable feeling of already being on vacation.
“I went swimming,” she recalls, “in a Baltic Sea that was surprisingly mild and full of light.”

From there, she made her way to Dyrehaven, the vast forest park famous for its free-roaming deer. “They wander around in small groups through the clearings. You can get really close to them, and they never seem disturbed.”

Free-roaming deer near Copenhagen © Albane Turck – Discovery Trains

The most beautiful stop of her journey was in Sweden: Stockholm was a revelation. She stayed for a full week, drawn at first by the affordable prices of the city’s hostels, but ultimately held there by its beauty. Her days were spent moving between museums, long walks, and food discoveries; her evenings unfolded with golden sunsets over the water, a beer in hand, a bit of music — and that bright, unmistakable feeling of being exactly where she was meant to be.

Sunset in Stockholm © Albane Turck – Discovery Trains

The most striking moment of the entire journey, however, was the train ride between Oslo and Bergen. Along the way, summer landscapes gradually gave way to a pure winter scene — white and blue, deep in the mountains. At both ends of the route, temperatures were above 70°F, yet in the middle, it was all snow and alpine scenery. Passengers boarded wrapped in heavy coats. The contrast was breathtaking — and it stayed with her long after the journey ended.

View from the Oslo–Bergen train — Albane’s reflection in the window! © Albane Turck – Discovery Trains

The Interrail adventure continues in Canada

Some time after her Interrail journey, Albane extended the adventure on the other side of the Atlantic. She traveled to Canada for about ten days to visit a friend she had met during that formative trip. Based in Vancouver, he showed her the city like a local — neighborhoods that visitors don’t always see, the forests of Capilano Suspension Bridge Park with their hanging bridges, the wildlife, and even bald eagles.

The journey continued by car toward Kamloops, crossing the Rocky Mountains. It was a long-held dream for Albane, and one that fully lived up to her expectations: vast landscapes and a constant sense of scale and openness.

The next day, she headed to Calgary, where she discovered a different side of the country — more urban and deeply rooted in local life. A hockey game, Halloween events, costume parties where everyone dresses up: friendly gatherings, sometimes with fifty people or more, where conversations flow easily and barriers seem to disappear.

The trip ended with a day in Banff National Park. In October, the cold was already setting in, but a hike around Lake Louise quickly made her forget the fatigue. The beauty of the place outweighed everything else.

A rich, immersive journey — experienced from the inside — that still shapes the way she approaches Canada today: through landscapes, of course, but just as much through people, everyday life, and genuine encounters.

When a calling is born from travel

That month of solo travel, followed by her journey through Canada — moving between major cities, iconic rail lines, and wide-open landscapes — changed everything. When it came time to choose her academic path, Albane set aside linguistics and chose to study tourism instead. And when she began looking for a travel agency where she could truly grow, the decision was quick and obvious: Discovery Trains. For its sustainable approach, for its sense of purpose, and of course… for the love of train travel.

Albane hiking in the hills above Bergen, Norway © Albane Turck – Discovery Trains

Today at Discovery Trains, Albane is responsible for Germany and Italy, Scandinavia, Canada, and the United States. She loves designing itineraries, imagining routes that truly make sense, finding the right pace, the right connections, and those unexpected moments that make a journey special. In her work, she rediscovers the same excitement she felt on her own travels — the pleasure of building a rich, immersive itinerary.

In her personal life, Albane has also become a true advocate for the Interrail pass. Whenever she meets young people approaching their eighteenth birthday, she encourages them to apply for DiscoverEU and take the leap. Because she knows that a single pass can change a life. Because it changed hers. And because she hopes everyone will one day experience the freedom that only a long train journey can offer.