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‘Travelling by train is freedom for me’
What made you become a railway enthusiast?
I come from a big city and have always travelled by public transport without ever getting a driving licence. I moved to a city over five hours away by train for my studies and learnt to love travelling by train. My BahnCard 100, which I had already dreamed of back then, allows me to travel freely today and I enjoy every minute of it. It's a place for thoughts, jokes, news and sometimes a good book.
And how did you find out about InnoTrans and the Railway Influencer Festival?
Through a DB employee (Christian Schaalo) who invited me to the ‘Future of Local Transport’. I was already very enthusiastic about this trade fair and he sent me the information about the Railway Influencer Event. I wrote to the organising team to see if there was still a place available for me.
Influencer Enya Aßmann visited the Deutsche Bahn stand at InnoTrans 2024.
How did you find your stay at InnoTrans 2024?
The exhibition centre was huge, I'd never seen anything like it. It was impressive to see how many companies are involved in a train - even door knobs come from different manufacturers. It was also fascinating to see the foreign trains in the centre of Berlin and to climb into business or 1st class carriages. And seeing business people holding their meetings in the stationary trains was an amusing sight.
How do you see your future as a railway influencer?
Especially in terms of sustainability, I think it's becoming increasingly important to promote train travel - there are so many adventures waiting right on our doorstep, without any long-distance travelling. I hope to inspire even more people in the future and show railway employees that there are still many people who enjoy travelling by train.
Which innovations or technologies impressed you the most at InnoTrans 2024?
The Stadler tunnel rescue train was exhibited at the trade fair. Even if you naturally hope that it will never be used, it was still impressive to see the many different devices and tools up close. I found it impressive how many different companies there are that I had never heard of, how many technical innovations are in development and how many people in this sector are working every day to make things better.
What was your experience of networking with companies and other influencers at the Railway Influencer Festival?
Initially, the atmosphere among the railway influencers was reserved, as it was the first event of its kind. As I already knew some of them, it was easier for me to get started. As an open person, I sought out lots of conversations - I even created a joint YouTube format with Tom Thornton later on. The possibilities are endless and everyone was very friendly.
The railway community exchanged ideas at the Railway Influencer Festival. Pictured here: influencers Poorna Serasinghe, Yapa Milan Boucher and Tom Thornton (from left).
Which topics in the rail sector interest your followers the most?
My followers are enthusiastic railway fans. I ask technical questions directly in a story and quickly get lots of answers. It's often about the BahnCard 100, my travel destinations and my favourite ICE.
As a railway influencer, what message would you like to convey to your followers, but also to the industry?
Keep involving customers in the best possible way. Documentary projects such as ‘Bahnsinn Riedbahn’ and ‘S-Bahn Wache Hamburg’ help to give an insight behind the scenes and create a sense of community. At the end of the day, we all want to get from A to B in a good mood and share a few nice interpersonal moments along the way. Don't close yourselves off to encounters and new impulses.
Curious who else was at the Railway Influencer Festival? All info about the event.