Lasse Stolley, a 17-year-old German “trainsquatter,” has made international headlines for living his life aboard a Deutsche Bahn railcar with an unlimited annual ticket for approximately $10,000. Despite being homeless, Stolley travels an estimated 600 miles a day in Germany and Europe, sleeping in overnight trains, dining in the dining car, and using public swimming pools and community centers for showers and laundry. This lifestyle provides him with the freedom to choose his destinations and enjoy different experiences across Europe.
On a typical day, Stolley can be found working on his laptop in a first-class booth and later stretching out across seats with noise-canceling headphones to sleep. He utilizes an app to plan his daily route, which often involves taking commuter trains during the day and cross-country red-eye trains at night. Since starting his journey over a year ago, Stolley has visited historic monuments, national parks, and even witnessed the northern lights in Scandinavia, documenting his experiences on social media and his blog.
Stolley’s decision to leave his hometown of Fockbek in northern Germany at age 16 was initially met with resistance from his parents, but they eventually supported his unconventional lifestyle. With only a single backpack containing a minimal wardrobe of four T-shirts and two pairs of pants, Stolley has embraced a minimalist approach to his belongings. His goal is to provide feedback to transport companies like Deutsche Bahn and train manufacturers in order to secure a job using his expertise and knowledge of train operations.
The young software coder hopes that his unique lifestyle and experience as a trainsquatter will lead to future job opportunities within the transportation industry. By leveraging his social media presence and blog, Stolley has become an expert source on Deutsche Bahn travel and aims to use his notoriety to secure a paid position providing feedback to transportation companies. Despite the challenges of homelessness and unconventional living arrangements, Stolley’s passion for train travel and exploration has allowed him to carve out a unique and fulfilling path for himself. Through his experiences, he has shown that it is possible to live a life of freedom and adventure, even in the most unconventional circumstances.
