What does a ski trip by train look like? Determined to find a more environmentally friendly way to travel, the Innsbruck-based ski crew El.Makrell decided to find out last season. “Stanice” is the souvenir they brought back from their 4,000-kilometer, one-month rail journey through southeastern Europe.

Going on ski trips to exciting new places is one of the finest experiences that skiing has to offer. Unfortunately, getting to many of those places often involves air travel—one of the easiest ways to inflate your carbon footprint. Taking this into consideration, the El.Makrell crew decided to try something different, and do an extended trip traveling as much as possible by rail.

Admittedly, this is much easier said than done. The making of Stanice involved more overnight train rides, unavoidable taxi shuttles, and long-haul ski bag calisthenics than most people might desire on their ski trips. Even so, they say that the journey is the destination, and the Makrells definitely came home with experiences and stories they’ll remember for years to come.

The Makrell’s journey is also documented as a full travel feature in Downday’s new print project, 2019 Ski Stories. If you haven’t already, make sure to scoop up a copy in our webshop while supplies last!