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Traveling with a disability: Lisa’s Train Journey (Part 1)

by Lisa 

June 19, 2023

Category: Travel

Hello! My name is Lisa, and I live in Canada. At the end of June, I’m going to be traveling by train to visit one of my oldest friends, who lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

This trip will have several legs, starting with taking DARTS (Disabled and Aged Regional Transit System) from my home to the Aldershot train station. From there, I will take VIA Rail Canada to Toronto Union Station, where I will transfer to a different VIA train to finish the journey to Ottawa. In Ottawa, my friend will pick me up 🙂 The total trip will be well over 9 hours. 

I’ve done this trip before, but I will be looking at it with fresh eyes this time, because I want to share my experience planning an accessible trip with you!

Planning

Below is a screenshot of the train route from Aldershot to Ottawa, via Toronto’s Union Station. I’ll leave around 10:30AM and arrive around 6:30PM, with a one hour layover in Toronto. The final leg will be another 30+ minute drive to my friend’s house. I’m going to be pretty beat after this! 

Image: Screenshot of Google maps showing yellow train route from a starting point near Mississauga to Toronto to Ottawa

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I did learn from last time that I don’t want to be in my wheelchair the whole time, because if I want to rest, I have no neck or head support. I didn’t think to ask for a seat last time. This time, I told them that I have a manual wheelchair that can be folded up, and they told me it will be folded up and kept with the baggage in the same car that I’m in. 

I will have a regular seat with a headrest, and I also bought a neck pillow so that I can be comfortable should I want to rest or sleep. [Update: the neck pillow that I bought from Amazon has a hole in it that’s leaking the little bead things – ugh! My husband got crafty and put a little cement glue over it, but if if the hole gets worse during the trip, I’ll have to abandon it.] Here’s a photo of it:

Image: Gray neck pillow with a button clasp at the front

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Requesting Assistance

VIA Rail customer assistance has just been incredible so far with accommodations and help. It’s really been refreshing and encouraging. I told them that I don’t need a lift to get onto the train, and I can walk to the seat. The train aisle is narrow enough for me to always have something to hold on to. 

Here’s part of an email confirmation that the VIA Rail Canada Special Services Desk sent me, noting the assistance that I’ve requested:

Image: Screenshot from VIA Rail Canada email listing the assistance and notes for Lisa’s train journey as a disabled passenger

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I’m a tiny bit concerned about having to go to the washroom. But I think it will be okay. My concern about going to the washroom is all about how much space I would have to navigate on my feet without having anything to hold on to. I told them that, and they booked a seat for me that is closest to the washroom. And I can ask for help. I don’t think I will need to adjust my routine at all.

Where I’m staying

The friend who I am visiting and I go way back. We were each other’s Maid of Honour in our weddings 🙂 They are going to create a completely wheelchair accessible path for me in their home so that I will be able to access the kitchen living room, dining room, washroom, and then bedroom and washroom upstairs (I will have to scoot up and down the stairs). And they are moving furniture to accomplish all that! I told Cindy that I wish they didn’t have to do all that for me to come to visit. Cindy says, that’s what friends do.

Other considerations for this trip

How I’m packing…

I am hoping to get by with just the backpack that is on my wheelchair that I will then be able to keep with me at my seat. Along with my backpack I have a larger than usual over the shoulder purse to hold documents and whatever else I need to get at easier than the backpack. Here’s a photo showing the size of my everyday purse (black) compared to my larger travel purse (purple):

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And here’s a short video showing you all of the features of this bag:

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Don’t forget the snacks and drinks!

I’m planning to pack some snacks from home. I will probably fill my water bottle with ice and then refill it with water at Union train station. There is a Tim Hortons at Union train station! I will totally avail myself of their services and food products and probably grab a coffee and maybe a sandwich or a bagel or something like that. They’re not cheap there but they are a  WHOLE LOT cheaper than on the train! [Of course, my husband has reminded me many times that no coffee is worth missing my connecting train, no matter how much I love the stuff!]

I will bring my Contigo travel coffee cup, probably with a full cup of coffee when I start my journey with DARTS. And I will definitely get another one at Tim Hortons in Union station. So I will have my Contigo for coffee and my Thermos water bottle for cold drinks. Both fit very conveniently in the side mesh pockets of my wheelchair backpack. [Side note: Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s a Tim Horton’s at my final train destination, which means… no Tim Horton’s coffee for the first leg of my return trip — now you know how much I plan around coffee ☕️ ]

Request the assistance you will need in advance, when possible

I let them know of my needs on May 14th when I booked my tickets (for my end of June trip). I received an email with all of the accommodations they are going to make for me the next day on May 15th! So even before I set out, I am really confident and thrilled and ecstatic about all the customer service I have received already. And I have also been assured that those same accommodations will be noted and afforded to me for the trip home a week later. The accommodations might even be noted for whenever I take a VIA train trip!

Final thoughts

Here is a recap of my packing strategy, most of which is already sitting by the door….

Image: Lisa’s black wheelchair backpack, purple crossbody bag, blue wheelchair gloves, neck pillow and foot rests ready by the door.

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  • That over the shoulder bag (in the photo) is holding pretty much everything that I want to have close to me. Although my backpack will still be at my feet.
  • I have my pillow for snoozing and resting.
  • My foot rests are in that pile on the floor in this picture but they will be attached to my wheelchair. (DARTS will not accept any riders without foot rests or open toed shoes.)
  • My runners will be on my feet, sandals are packed.
  • My gloves will be on my hands, and my little black purse fits in the over the shoulder bag, but I might need it tomorrow for a credit card or ID or keys. It’s great just to be able to put that in my over the shoulder bag, and not having to go through it. I know where everything is in that little black purse. I’m grateful not to have to try and find things in other places that I’m not used to.
  • Medications packed! 
  • My manual wheelchair will be completely folded up and stored with other baggage in the same train car that I’m in.
  • A few snacks in baggies. And MULTIPLE chargers and cords. My Fitbit has a proprietary cord, my Bluetooth headphones have a proprietary cord and my tablet and my phone have the same USB-C charger + cord.
  • My glasses have Transition lenses so I don’t need to worry about sunglasses. I have a hat packed in my backpack. It’s supposed to be quite warm in Ottawa – 75-86F for the daytime highs. 

Thanks for reading!

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Lisa is a team member of Day Undefined, you can meet our team here. These are many of the items that Lisa will be using during her trip:

How do you plan your travel? What are the things that you don’t leave home without?

Part 2 of this blog is now available! Lisa tells us all about her trip. 

about the author

A white woman with short brown hair is smiling at the camera. She is wearing glasses with a black eye patch over one eye, and a pink shirt.

My name is Lisa, I am 56 years old. I was born on the east coast of Canada and grew up most of my life, even until now, not too far outside Toronto in different locations. I’m a proud Canadian! I have spinocerebellar ataxia. There are a number of different symptoms with this progressive genetic neuromuscular condition. But by far the most pervasive symptom is gradually losing my balance. I’ve been using a wheelchair for almost 2 years full time now. And that helps a lot. I can still stand and use my legs but only if I am holding on to something stable or being supported by preferably 2 people. If I try and take one or two steps on my own, I’m on the floor. I am married to my wonderful husband for almost 33 years, who helps me with tasks without a word or a sigh. He’s wonderful. Our 30 year old daughter is married and has a seven month old daughter. That makes me a grandmother! Our youngest daughter, 28, lives quite close to us. Her little dog is often here four of seven days per week. My favorite product that I have is the vinyl coated wire dish rack. It holds all of our plates, big and small, and bowls in one corner of the bottom shelf of our kitchen cupboard and is wonderfully accessible to me. I have always loved to read, but in recent years I tend to listen to audiobooks and podcasts. I actually spent 3 years in Australia from age 10 to 13. My dad got a job transfer. What a job transfer, eh? And so our family of five moved to the suburbs of Sydney, Australia for 3 years. I would love to go back because Australia is so beautiful.

more posts by Lisa >

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