She smashes disability stigmas for a living. Her tips for a great Interrail trip

What made travelling Europe by train so appealing to you? 

I'm a lover of train travel. I lived in New York City for many years, and I would ride the train from New York to my home state of Maryland for the holidays. It was so easy. 

I have anxiety when I travel on a plane, and travelling by train is less stressful for me. I love the experience of just showing up, getting on the train, looking out the window, and just walking off when I arrive. 

We're curious about your recent trip. Where did you travel? 

So, this was my first time using the Eurail Pass. With it, I was able to travel on multiple kinds of routes with different styles of trains.

For example, my partner and I travelled first-class from London to Edinburgh, which came with a meal. And then, instead of flying from Edinburgh to Dublin, we took the train to Holyhead and then took a ferry over to Ireland. 

Along the way, we rode through Wales, which was so beautiful and so green. It was a very adventurous train travel day, but it was really fun. 

After Ireland, we flew to Paris and took more trains, first to Bordeaux. Bordeaux is gorgeous –  it has a waterfront with a walking path, with lots of space and distance from cars. It’s peaceful with lots of green areas. From Bordeaux, we took a train to Biarritz in France and another train to San Sebastián in northern Spain. I had not yet experienced the French areas of Basque country, so that was really cool. 

What’s your advice for first-time Interrail and Eurail travellers? 

If your train requires or recommends you to make seat reservations, book your seats right away and don't delay. There are often seating plans of the trains online that will show you which way your seat will be facing, in case you have a preference. 

I appreciate when I can get information on trains in a written way, like when there’s a list of stops on a display screen. With my hearing disability, it can be difficult to hear verbal announcements – but if there are no visual displays, I use a maps app on my phone to track the progress of the train. 

If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask. In general, Europe doesn’t have the rush culture of large cities in the U.S. I found that people, when we asked questions, were super helpful.

When speaking with strangers I encounter on my journeys, I try to communicate really clearly, with short messages that convey exactly what I need. It becomes a script, which is really helpful when I have a lot going on. I encourage disabled travellers to try this method, using the same language each time to convey their needs. This way, you don’t need to come up with new sentences. You don't have to name or explain your disability if you don’t want to. 

For disabled travellers, communicating with your companions is really important, too. For example, my partner knows that if we don't have assigned seating on a train, I’ll take longer to understand the environment. I won't really be able to give input on where we sit for a little while. So, if he can take the lead, it can help me. 

Lastly, as a blind person, I can injure myself when I move too quickly or don't give myself time to notice an obstacle. So, even if other people are around, I just give myself extra time and make sure that I'm focused if I’m trying to find a handrail, for example. 

I hope people travel and have adventures. So, beyond practical tips, I would urge disabled travellers to give yourself the gift of patience.

Looking back, what was the biggest highlight of your trip? 

I think it was the train from London to Edinburgh. It was one of the most comfortable train experiences that I've ever had, being in first class, with the meals and service. 

The countryside was very beautiful, too. Looking out the window and seeing the scenery changing all the time. You're getting a live show, seeing different small towns, farms, and animals. It feels like you're in a movie.