Nachtbahn is a quiet corner of the internet about Germany, belonging, and the journeys we take to become ourselves.
Some people come to Germany for a degree.
Some come for work.
Some come because they are searching for something they cannot quite name.
This website is for all of them.
Here you’ll find essays, reflections, and photo notes about life in Germany—not as a travel destination or a checklist of practical advice, but as a place that changes people in unexpected ways.
The word Nachtbahn means “night train.”
A night train carries people between places while they sleep. When they wake up, the landscape outside the window has changed.
Life abroad often feels the same.
You leave one version of yourself behind and arrive somewhere new, not quite sure who you are becoming.
Nachtbahn is a collection of stories from that journey.
If a story reminded you of something, if you have a thought to share, or if you’d simply like to say hello, I’d love to hear from you.
Write to me at: station49@nachtbahn.com
— Kathie NT