Mark Bibby Jackson goes interrailing around Europe. Is the Level8 Voyageur the best luggage for Interrailing? Read his review.
The first time I went Interrailing, like most people, I lugged a backpack around Europe. To say it was a labour of love would be light on the labour.
I remember one particular occasion at Strasbourg station when I cast the backpack onto the floor in disgust. A train official saw me and decided to have some fun. He hid it and claimed someone had run off with it. The smile on his face gave him away. Clearly no poker player.
This time, as I set off on another Interrail adventure, I had something rather different. LEVEL8 had kindly provided me with its Voyageur Carry-On 20, a wheeled case designed for travellers who presumably have no desire to spend several weeks dragging their luggage around European railway stations.
After travelling through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, I have a much better idea of what makes good Interrail luggage.
And the first thing I noticed about the Voyageur was just how easy it was to move.
LEVEL8 Voyageur Carry-On 20
There is no labour involved in wheeling the Voyageur around. Its 360-degree spinner wheels are smooth, quiet and remarkably easy to manoeuvre.
This was particularly noticeable at airports and railway stations, where you are constantly changing direction, avoiding other passengers, searching for departure boards and trying to work out whether your train is leaving from platform 4 or platform 14.
The wheels rotate effortlessly, meaning I could pull the case behind me, push it alongside me or change direction without having to wrestle with it.
At Heathrow I actually found myself pirouetting the case around the terminal.
Perhaps that ease of movement explains what happened next.
I had been booked to fly to Düsseldorf, from where my Interrail journey would commence. Unfortunately, this was the day the mapping system went down and flights from London were grounded.
I was already checked in and at Heathrow Terminal 2. After an hour or so being bussed between terminals and going through several scanners, I found myself back on the land side of Terminal 2.
Unfortunately, my bag was on the air side.
My panic wasn’t helped by the chaos all around me. Because I hadn’t checked the bag in, there was no conventional baggage tracking system to rely on. Eventually, I found a wonderful member of the security team who tracked down my case and escorted me back airside to be reunited with it.
I can’t imagine ever leaving my old backpack behind, at least not intentionally. The LEVEL8 is simply so easy to wheel that, quite literally, you can forget you have it.
Taking the Voyageur across Europe
A day later I returned to Heathrow. This time I managed to fly to Düsseldorf and begin my journey through Germany, Austria and Switzerland before heading into France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The journey was a proper test of the Voyageur.
There were numerous trains, several changes, a replacement bus and countless platforms. One journey from Zell am See to Mulhouse involved five trains, a replacement bus and four countries.
Throughout it all, the Voyageur was simply there.
That sounds like faint praise, but for luggage it isn’t. A good travel case should not become another problem to solve. I wasn’t having to lift it unnecessarily or fight with the wheels. When a platform changed or I needed to move quickly between trains, I could just wheel it along.
How much can the Voyageur Carry?
One of the things I particularly appreciated was the amount of space inside the case.
Interrailing for several weeks means packing for different climates and occasions. My journey took me from Germany and the Alps to France and Belgium, so I needed enough clothing for changing weather without turning the case into an immovable object.
The Voyageur’s interior organisation makes packing straightforward, while the wide handle design is intended to maximise usable storage space as well as providing stability and manoeuvrability.
For me, that extra space matters more than simply having a case that looks good.
There is a tendency when travelling by train to think that a backpack is automatically the sensible option. It isn’t necessarily. Once you reach a certain age, the ability to wheel your belongings rather than carry them on your back becomes rather more attractive.
My shoulders certainly weren’t complaining, nor was my lower back.
The Paris Test
The hardest part of my Interrail journey was travelling across Paris.
My TGV arrived at Gare Montparnasse and I had to cross the city to catch the Eurostar from Gare du Nord. In theory, this was straightforward. One Metro line, seven stops or so.
In practice, buying a Metro ticket was something of a saga and getting luggage through the barriers was considerably more difficult.
In fact, I managed to become separated from my case for the second time on the trip.
Fortunately, a friendly Parisian helped me negotiate my way through the barrier and I was reunited with the Voyageur.
This is where having a case that manoeuvres easily really matters. Paris Metro stations are not designed around the needs of someone travelling with a suitcase. There are stairs, barriers, crowds and plenty of occasions when you need to change direction quickly.
A case for changing the way you Interrail
One of the interesting things about taking the Voyageur on this trip was that it changed my attitude towards luggage.
On my first Interrail journey, the backpack was something I carried. Literally.
This time the case was something I moved.
That might sound like a subtle distinction, but over several weeks it makes a considerable difference.
There were times when I had to negotiate cobbles, stairs, platforms and cramped train carriages. On some trains there was plenty of space. On others, luggage storage was less convenient. French trains were generally a different experience from those in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with more expensive reservations and, on some services, less space for luggage.
Yet I rarely found myself thinking about the Voyageur.
That is probably the best compliment I can give a piece of travel luggage.
What I like about the LEVEL8 Voyageur Carry-On 20
The 360-degree spinner wheels are the standout feature for me. They make moving the case through stations and airports almost effortless.
The case also feels spacious for a carry-on, while the interior organisation makes it easier to keep everything under control during a trip when you are constantly unpacking and repacking.
The wide handle is another useful feature. It doesn’t just make the case easy to manoeuvre, it contributes to the usable space inside.
The TSA-approved lock provides another useful layer of security, particularly when travelling through airports.
And then there is the appearance. LEVEL8 has clearly put considerable thought into design. The Voyageur looks smart without being covered in unnecessary branding. Perhaps this is why it was so speedily recognised by the staff at Heathrow.
That fits my idea of what good travel equipment should be.
Is the LEVEL8 Voyageur Carry-On 20 the best luggage for Interrailing?
I wouldn’t have expected to say this before starting my journey, but I now think a wheeled case makes considerably more sense for Interrailing than I once believed.
I’m not sure my younger self would have agreed.
Back then, I thought carrying a backpack was part of the adventure. Now I realise that the adventure is the places you visit, the people you meet and the journeys you make. There is no particular virtue in arriving at the station with a sore back.
The LEVEL8 Voyageur Carry-On 20 made moving between trains, airports and cities considerably easier for me.
For me, that’s what good luggage should do.
It should carry what you need, protect your belongings and make moving from one place to another easier. The Voyageur did that throughout my Interrail journey, while its smooth wheels meant that I spent rather less time thinking about my luggage than I had on my first trip around Europe.
And, now I am considerably more than 40, I am perfectly happy with that.
LEVEL8 Voyageur Carry-On 20 Factfile
Product: LEVEL8 Voyageur Carry-On 20
Type: Carry-on suitcase
Key features: 360-degree spinner wheels, wide handle design, smart interior organisation and TSA-approved lock
Best suited to: City breaks, rail journeys, Interrailing and air travel
Warranty: Lifetime warranty when purchased through the official LEVEL8 website, subject to the brand’s terms and conditions.
Discover more here.
