I spent a week alone in Europe and learned 9 lessons about solo travel in other countries

• Solo travel can be daunting, especially in countries where you don't speak the language. • I traveled to Germany and Austria alone during a two-week train trip through Europe in October 2022. • Here's what I learned, from combating loneliness to making the most of your solo trip.

I'd taken 30-hour train rides up and down the East Coast, spent seven nights on one of the world's largest cruise ships sailing the Caribbean Sea, and traveled by rail to Niagara Falls, Montreal, and Quebec City — all by myself.

So I was pretty used to traveling alone by October 2022, when I went backpacking through Europe. It was a two-week train trip through Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland. I spent the first half of the trip by myself, and a friend joined me for the second half.

That first week