Program Directed by
John Ralston
If you have questions or would like to talk further about this program, please get in touch!
Germany & Sweden
The Future of Transportation
Travel to Germany and Sweden this summer and dive into the history of the automobile industry in these two influential countries, and witness how tech and automotive companies are propelling us into the electrified and autonomous future. Learn about automation and design with visits to Volkswagen, BMW, and Volvo factory headquarters, and see their current and future electric vehicles. Meet with experts and industry professionals in the worlds of electrified transport, charging systems, and autonomous driving; and explore careers related to engineering, automotive design, and urban planning.
- Highlights
• Explore the future of the auto industry with visits to VW, BMW, and Volvo
• Meet professionals in automotive engineering and design
• Meet with engineers developing electrified and self-driving cars
• Explore the Gothenburg archipelago of southern Sweden
• Meet professionals in automotive engineering and design
• Meet with engineers developing electrified and self-driving cars
• Explore the Gothenburg archipelago of southern Sweden
“Our leaders did a great job putting our activities into perspective and encouraging us to take initiative to seek future internship opportunities.”
—Kedhar B., Wayne, NJ
Featured
Expert
An Expert joins each Career program for a portion of the itinerary, lending their insights and perspectives to the experience.
2025 Expert will be announced soon!
2025 Expert will be announced soon!
No posts found
No posts found
Itinerary
This itinerary represents our best projection of the group’s schedule. However, we may implement changes designed to improve the quality of the program.
Departure — Travel Day
Meet your fellow high school student travelers and one or more of your program leaders in New York, and fly together to Berlin, Germany. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Berlin & Wolfsburg — 4 days
Begin your program in Berlin, known for its vibrant art scene, diverse culinary offerings, and varied architecture. Get to know your peers and leaders with a group orientation, then dive into the history of the automotive industry in Germany, long a leader and innovator in this field and others related to tech and manufacturing. Visit a Berlin car museum and Deutsches Technikmuseum, then get out to meet and interview Berliners to get a sense of their views on automation. Meet with journalists covering the auto industry and with German policymakers working to adapt laws to this rapidly evolving technology.
While here, take time to visit important historic sites, reminders of the country’s turbulent history, and memorials for victims of the World Wars and the Holocaust. Trace the path of the Berlin Wall by bicycle, and experience the sights, smells, and sounds of the Turkish market at Maybachufer.
Spend a day exploring Wolfsburg, home to Volkswagen, and learn about the scandal that rocked the automotive industry. Chat with Germans who refer to Volkswagen’s slogan “Fahrvergnügen” (“driving enjoyment”) and question whether automated vehicles can offer that same enjoyment. Visit Volkswagen’s Autostadt—an amusement park-style museum dedicated to the auto giant. Learn about the history and future of Volkswagen, experience a racing simulator, and get a peek inside the factory.
Dresden — 2 days
Travel to nearby Dresden to visit Volkswagen's Transparent Factory, which is dedicated to the production of electric vehicles. Then venture out to explore the baroque urban landscape of Dresden’s Altstadt, rebuilt with magnificent spires, towers, and domes after WWII bombings.
Stuttgart — 2 days
Next, head south to Stuttgart, a manufacturing city home to both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Porsche is dedicated to designing electric vehicles and Mercedes-Benz is taking its highly advanced driver assistance systems to a new level in the race to create self-driving luxury cars. Visit the expansive and impressive museums of these two luxury giants and meet with members of the teams dedicated to bringing these brands into the future.
Munich — 4 days
Travel to Munich, headquarters of one of Germany’s best-known automakers. Visit the BMW Museum and BMW World exhibition to learn more about the history of this iconic brand. Meet with professionals at a local startup who are developing solar-powered vehicles for the future. Spend an afternoon exploring the cobblestone streets of Bavarian Munich. Hear the bells chime at the Glockenspiel in Marienplatz and sample the traditional noontime meal of sausage and pretzel.
Gothenburg — 4 days
Fly to Gothenburg, Sweden, an up-and-coming tech hub and the home of Volvo. The company recently introduced cars with driver assistance technology—the first step in gaining public trust in autonomous vehicles. Meet with Volvo representatives to learn about their innovations and how they are promoting them to customers. Hear their approaches to legal and ethical concerns, and go behind the scenes on the factory floor. Meet with CEOs and industry professionals developing charging systems and autonomous vehicles. Ride an autonomous bus already on the streets of this university city. Continue your investigation of public opinion through conversations with locals on the street. Brainstorm ways that self-driving technology could be promoted in your own town.
Visit the Skansen Kronan, an old fortress perched on a hill offering spectacular views of the city. Sample fresh seafood at the fish market, take a day trip to the vehicle-free fishing islands of the archipelago, and attend outdoor summer concerts in the park. Present your project to your group and take a Tesla to the airport for your flight home.
Return — Travel Day
Fly from Gothenburg, Sweden, to New York with your group and a leader, then continue on to your final destination. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Itinerary
This itinerary represents our best projection of the group’s schedule. However, we may implement changes designed to improve the quality of the program.
Departure — Travel Day
Meet your fellow high school student travelers and one or more of your program leaders in New York, and fly together to Berlin, Germany. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Berlin & Wolfsburg — 4 days
Begin your program in Berlin, known for its vibrant art scene, diverse culinary offerings, and varied architecture. Get to know your peers and leaders with a group orientation, then dive into the history of the automotive industry in Germany, long a leader and innovator in this field and others related to tech and manufacturing. Visit a Berlin car museum and Deutsches Technikmuseum, then get out to meet and interview Berliners to get a sense of their views on automation. Meet with journalists covering the auto industry and with German policymakers working to adapt laws to this rapidly evolving technology.
While here, take time to visit important historic sites, reminders of the country’s turbulent history, and memorials for victims of the World Wars and the Holocaust. Trace the path of the Berlin Wall by bicycle, and experience the sights, smells, and sounds of the Turkish market at Maybachufer.
Spend a day exploring Wolfsburg, home to Volkswagen, and learn about the scandal that rocked the automotive industry. Chat with Germans who refer to Volkswagen’s slogan “Fahrvergnügen” (“driving enjoyment”) and question whether automated vehicles can offer that same enjoyment. Visit Volkswagen’s Autostadt—an amusement park-style museum dedicated to the auto giant. Learn about the history and future of Volkswagen, experience a racing simulator, and get a peek inside the factory.
Dresden — 2 days
Travel to nearby Dresden to visit Volkswagen's Transparent Factory, which is dedicated to the production of electric vehicles. Then venture out to explore the baroque urban landscape of Dresden’s Altstadt, rebuilt with magnificent spires, towers, and domes after WWII bombings.
Stuttgart — 2 days
Next, head south to Stuttgart, a manufacturing city home to both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Porsche is dedicated to designing electric vehicles and Mercedes-Benz is taking its highly advanced driver assistance systems to a new level in the race to create self-driving luxury cars. Visit the expansive and impressive museums of these two luxury giants and meet with members of the teams dedicated to bringing these brands into the future.
Munich — 4 days
Travel to Munich, headquarters of one of Germany’s best-known automakers. Visit the BMW Museum and BMW World exhibition to learn more about the history of this iconic brand. Meet with professionals at a local startup who are developing solar-powered vehicles for the future. Spend an afternoon exploring the cobblestone streets of Bavarian Munich. Hear the bells chime at the Glockenspiel in Marienplatz and sample the traditional noontime meal of sausage and pretzel.
Gothenburg — 4 days
Fly to Gothenburg, Sweden, an up-and-coming tech hub and the home of Volvo. The company recently introduced cars with driver assistance technology—the first step in gaining public trust in autonomous vehicles. Meet with Volvo representatives to learn about their innovations and how they are promoting them to customers. Hear their approaches to legal and ethical concerns, and go behind the scenes on the factory floor. Meet with CEOs and industry professionals developing charging systems and autonomous vehicles. Ride an autonomous bus already on the streets of this university city. Continue your investigation of public opinion through conversations with locals on the street. Brainstorm ways that self-driving technology could be promoted in your own town.
Visit the Skansen Kronan, an old fortress perched on a hill offering spectacular views of the city. Sample fresh seafood at the fish market, take a day trip to the vehicle-free fishing islands of the archipelago, and attend outdoor summer concerts in the park. Present your project to your group and take a Tesla to the airport for your flight home.
Return — Travel Day
Fly from Gothenburg, Sweden, to New York with your group and a leader, then continue on to your final destination. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Featured
Leaders
Meet some of our featured leaders. Please note that these may not be your leaders for the program.
Featured
Leaders
Meet some of our featured leaders. Please note that these may not be your leaders for the program.
What to Expect
Review specific program expectations here. For more general information:
Program Theme
Engineering, Design, & Automation • During your time in Germany and Sweden, you can expect to interact with engineers, artists, designers, urban planners, and policymakers, as you explore the future of cars. This program provides students with opportunities to work alongside individuals who have dedicated their lives to innovation in the automotive industry. Hands-on experiences, such as design workshops, interviews with engineers, and factory tours enable students to learn more about potential career paths connected to cars, design, and innovation.
Language Practice
Proficiency in German and Swedish is not required. However, if you study either language in school you will have opportunities to practice while communicating with local people. English is used in all the offices, factories, and laboratories we visit, and previous language study is not required. Students who do not speak these languages will equally enjoy their experience and learn some basic phrases and vocabulary.
Independent Project
Pursue an independent project and explore an aspect of the automotive industry of particular interest to you—become an expert on the state of automation, design a mock-up of your own vehicle, or map out the changes necessary to bring electric or autonomous vehicles to your hometown.
Technology
To encourage full engagement and immersion in the Putney travel experience, we limit the use of cell phones and other devices on our High School programs. Students are allowed to use their phones in transit to the program, and keep their devices throughout. During in-country orientation, leaders will lock phones with a code, unlocking them for the second half of the program. During the tech-free portion of the program, students have the opportunity for a weekly call home according to a pre-arranged schedule. For more details, please see our FAQ.
Physical Activity
This is an active summer travel program. You can expect to spend time walking and cycling as you explore cities in both Germany and Sweden. You do not need to be at peak fitness to participate, but it is important that you have a desire to be physically active, and that you are excited about trying all activities.
Accommodations
Rooms are separated by gender and leaders stay in the same residences as the students throughout the program. We stay in a mix of small and large family-run hotels throughout the program, and rooms vary throughout the itinerary. In some destinations we stay in rooms that are dormitory-style (larger rooms separated by gender, with a shared bathroom), while in other destinations we stay in double rooms with private baths.
Meals
We eat breakfast in our accommodations or at restaurants while out. A typical breakfast might include bread with butter and jam or honey, muesli with yogurt and fruit, eggs, and sliced meats and cheeses. Lunches are either eaten in restaurants or picnic-style on the go. Dinners are eaten out at restaurants. Students can choose from a variety of local specialties, including items like schnitzel, currywurst, fischbrotchen and knäckebröd. All dietary needs and restrictions can be accommodated.
What to Expect
Review specific program expectations here. For more general information:
Program Theme
Engineering, Design, & Automation • During your time in Germany and Sweden, you can expect to interact with engineers, artists, designers, urban planners, and policymakers, as you explore the future of cars. This program provides students with opportunities to work alongside individuals who have dedicated their lives to innovation in the automotive industry. Hands-on experiences, such as design workshops, interviews with engineers, and factory tours enable students to learn more about potential career paths connected to cars, design, and innovation.
Language Practice
Proficiency in German and Swedish is not required. However, if you study either language in school you will have opportunities to practice while communicating with local people. English is used in all the offices, factories, and laboratories we visit, and previous language study is not required. Students who do not speak these languages will equally enjoy their experience and learn some basic phrases and vocabulary.
Independent Project
Pursue an independent project and explore an aspect of the automotive industry of particular interest to you—become an expert on the state of automation, design a mock-up of your own vehicle, or map out the changes necessary to bring electric or autonomous vehicles to your hometown.
Technology
To encourage full engagement and immersion in the Putney travel experience, we limit the use of cell phones and other devices on our High School programs. Students are allowed to use their phones in transit to the program, and keep their devices throughout. During in-country orientation, leaders will lock phones with a code, unlocking them for the second half of the program. During the tech-free portion of the program, students have the opportunity for a weekly call home according to a pre-arranged schedule. For more details, please see our FAQ.
Physical Activity
This is an active summer travel program. You can expect to spend time walking and cycling as you explore cities in both Germany and Sweden. You do not need to be at peak fitness to participate, but it is important that you have a desire to be physically active, and that you are excited about trying all activities.
Accommodations
Rooms are separated by gender and leaders stay in the same residences as the students throughout the program. We stay in a mix of small and large family-run hotels throughout the program, and rooms vary throughout the itinerary. In some destinations we stay in rooms that are dormitory-style (larger rooms separated by gender, with a shared bathroom), while in other destinations we stay in double rooms with private baths.
Meals
We eat breakfast in our accommodations or at restaurants while out. A typical breakfast might include bread with butter and jam or honey, muesli with yogurt and fruit, eggs, and sliced meats and cheeses. Lunches are either eaten in restaurants or picnic-style on the go. Dinners are eaten out at restaurants. Students can choose from a variety of local specialties, including items like schnitzel, currywurst, fischbrotchen and knäckebröd. All dietary needs and restrictions can be accommodated.
A Day in the Life: Berlin
Due to the traveling nature of this student program abroad, each day is different. Here is a snapshot of a day in Berlin.
- Morning
9:00am
Eat a hearty breakfast with your group
10:00am
Visit the German Technikmuseum to check out their exhibit on transportation through the ages
- Afternoon
12:00pm
Grab lunch from the food trucks at Alexanderplatz
2:00pm
Take a guided tour from a former race car driver of the Classic Remise museum
4:00pm
Take a bike ride to see some of Berlin’s most famous historical sites
- Evening
6:00pm
Relax in Viktoriapark—toss the frisbee, relax on a picnic blanket, or take a stroll
8:00pm
Head out to a traditional German dinner of kase spaetzle and bratwurst
10:00pm
Visit Brandenburg Gate, lit up spectacularly in the evening
10:30pm
Group meeting to discuss the next day’s schedule
A Day in the Life:
Berlin
Due to the traveling nature of this student program abroad, each day is different. Here is a snapshot of a day in Berlin.
- Morning
9:00am
Eat a hearty breakfast with your group
10:00am
Visit the German Technikmuseum to check out their exhibit on transportation through the ages
- Afternoon
12:00pm
Grab lunch from the food trucks at Alexanderplatz
2:00pm
Take a guided tour from a former race car driver of the Classic Remise museum
4:00pm
Take a bike ride to see some of Berlin’s most famous historical sites
- Evening
6:00pm
Relax in Viktoriapark—toss the frisbee, relax on a picnic blanket, or take a stroll
8:00pm
Head out to a traditional German dinner of kase spaetzle and bratwurst
10:00pm
Visit Brandenburg Gate, lit up spectacularly in the evening
10:30pm
Group meeting to discuss the next day’s schedule
“Jessie came home feeling inspired, engaged, curious, and enthusiastic about the upcoming school year and their future.”
—Corrina & Peter B., Yardley, PA
Program Directed by
John Ralston
If you have questions or would like to talk further about this program, please get in touch!
