The Jingpeng China Orient Express
From Beijing to Inner Mongolia
February 26-March 7, 2004
A remarkable journey aboard China's most prestigious private train, the China Orient Express, to the world's last genuine main line steam-operated railway, deep inside Inner Mongolia. This tour combines the "last great steam show on Earth" with popular highlights of China from the dazzling neon lights of Hong Kong, Xian's world-renowned Terracotta Army, to the Great Wall and China's vibrant capital, Beijing.
Daily Itinerary
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Airport transfer from Beijing Capital Airport to the Sino-Swiss Hotel for lunch. Afternoon brief orientation tour of the city en route to Beijing main station to board China's most prestigious train, the China Orient Express, our home for the next ten days. Time to get settled into your compartment and enjoy a welcome dinner as you head north.FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Arrival in Harbin after breakfast. We will take a tour of this thriving city, the industrial center of Heilongjiang province, situated on the Songhua River. You will gain an insight into the city's Russian origins and have the opportunity to see real Siberian tigers in a nearby Tiger Park. Rejoin the China Orient Express in the afternoon and set off for China's far North East.SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Arrival in Huanan, where we spend the morning visiting the narrow gauge former forestry line, which has a fleet of around six 0-8-0s, now used for coal traffic. We rejoin the China Orient Express in the afternoon.SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 29
Morning arrival at Daqing, connection with the Tiefa Coal Railway. Today will be spent on the industrial branch lines radiating from Tiefa, photographing the SY hauled freights to and from the mines and the intensive suburban passenger service. Photobuses will be available or you can ride the regular passenger trains, which operate over four 20-40 km branch lines radiating from Tiefa, with a fleet of around 20 of the handsome SY class 2-8-2s. Evening departure north for Inner Mongolia.
MONDAY, MARCH 1
Early morning we pass through Tongliao and the first of up to 15 QJ 2-10-2s will back onto our train to haul us over the JiTong line towards Jingpeng. This new railway, only opened in 1995, runs 600 miles southwest to Jining and is worked by a fleet of around 100 QJ class 2-10-2s. At Chabuga, there will be time to visit the depot while locomotives are changed before we continue to Daban, arriving mid-afternoon. The remainder of the afternoon will be spent at Daban depot, the world's largest working steam depot. Evening departure for our first run over the Jingpeng Pass.
TUESDAY, MARCH 2
During the night we will have returned over the Jingpeng Pass, passed Daban and arrived in Lindong, a 'mini Jingpeng.' At sunrise we will stop to drop off photographers at Lindong, with the choice of: remaining in the Lindong area for the whole day, photographing our train as it leaves for Chabuga past the Pagoda and rejoining 10 miles further on, spending the day in and around Chabuga and the busy nearby town of Tianshan, or riding the regular steam-hauled passenger trains.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3
A full day photographing the double-headed QJs pounding up the steep grades of the Jingpeng pass on their heavy freight trains. Four photobuses will be available to take photographers to different lineside locations. Tailor the day to your own requirements with options to leave the train before first light, a more relaxed start around 0900 at Jingpeng before our train makes its daylight ascent of the pass, or ride the train to the summit, Shangdian. The train will stage at the summit for the rest of the day and there will be opportunities to switch between the train and the lineside buses, or simply relax aboard the train. At sundown rejoin the China Orient Express in Shangdian before dropping down to Daban during the evening.
THURSDAY, MARCH 4
An exact repeat of yesterday. There will also be opportunities for riding the locomotive footplates, both on our passenger train and the heavy freight trains. An optional visit to the Reshui hot springs will also be made today.FRIDAY, MARCH 5
A final full day on the Jingpeng Pass with similar arrangements to the previous two days except that the train will make two daylight ascents of the pass today with the option to ride the train to Daban and back in the afternoon. Photographers rejoin the train in Shangdian at sunset as we continue through Jingpeng and Haoluku during the evening.
SATURDAY, MARCH 6
Early morning the last QJ uncouples from our train as we leave the JiTong line after 1,650 miles of steam haulage and head towards Kangzhuang where we visit the Great Wall of China before reboarding for the run down to Beijing and the end of our 4,300-mile tour on the Jingpeng China Orient Express. Overnight at the Paragon Hotel.SUNDAY, MARCH 7
Transfer to Beijing Capital airport for the morning group flight departure for London Heathrow, arriving later the same day. Optional two-day Beijing extension available which will include Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven as well as the Dahuichang narrow-gauge limestone railway and the new Beijing Railway Museum. Includes two additional nights at the Paragon Hotel and airport transfer on Tuesday, March 9.
Prices
Tour Double occupancy Single occupancy Beijing to Beijing land only: $ 3,995 $ 5,235 Post-tour Beijing extension: $ 560 $ 675
All prices are per person
THE TOUR PRICE INCLUDES
- Accommodation aboard our private train.
- Hotel accommodation where indicated in the itinerary.
- All meals including a generous allowance of wine or local beer, soft drinks and water with meals on and off the train.
- The services of an experienced Tour Manager, with local guides for scheduled off-train touring.
- Complimentary tea, coffee and mineral water around the clock from your car attendant.
- Gratuities to local guides, drivers, tour management and train staff.
- A Doctor who travels with the train throughout the tour.
THE TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
- Insurance (it is a booking condition that passengers have adequate insurance).
- International airfare or surface transport to the point of joining/leaving the tour (except where stated otherwise)
- Charges of a personal nature on the train or at the hotels (laundry, telephone, bar account, etc.).
- Visa or Excess Baggage Charges, Airport Departure Taxes, Vaccination or Medical Costs.
- Alcoholic and soft drinks in the bar outside of meal timesGENERAL INFORMATION
A full passport with at least six months validity from the start of the tour is required, as are Chinese visas.
Accommodation on the train is in modern, air-conditioned, first-class sleeping cars, two people per twin compartment; single occupancy is available at a supplement. A washbasin and shower is shared between each two compartments. There is a large amount of luggage space under the seats and above the door, hangers are provided for clothes and there is a small table by the window. There are two washrooms in each car, chemical toilets are available for use during stops.BOOKING CONDITIONS
Please read carefully the following conditions to which your booking is subject. Signing the booking form indicates you have read these conditions and agree to abide by them.
1. CONFIRMATION OF BOOKING. A deposit of 25% of the total tour cost is required in order to confirm a reservation. A booking is not accepted by IRT and no contract exists until the date we accept your payment, upon which a confirmation invoice which will be sent to you. Your confirmation invoice will specify exactly what is requested by you. It is your responsibility to check the invoice and advise us immediately in the event of any error. A provisional booking can be made by telephone to (800) 478-4881 and, if space is available, we will hold your reservation for seven days with no obligation on your part. After seven days the reservation will lapse.
2. TRAVEL INSURANCE. It is a condition of your booking that you take out adequate Travel Insurance coverage. This may be done through IRT's recommended insurer TravelPlus; you will receive a brochure about this upon confirmation of your booking or earlier by request. The policy covers: Accident medical expense: $5,000; Sickness medical expense: $5,000; Medical evacuation/repatriation: $50,000; Accidental death and dismemberment: $25,000; Trip Cancellation/Interruption : full cost of trip; Lost Baggage : $1,000. Coverage limits are subject to change. If you take out an alternative policy this must provide at least the same amount of coverage as shown above and you must supply us with a copy of your policy and name address and telephone number of your insurers.
3. FINAL PAYMENT. We must receive the balance due at least 90 days prior to departure or in full upon receipt of a confirmation invoice if the booking is made less than 90 days from the departure date. If full payment is not received 90 days prior to the departure date, we reserve the right to treat the booking as canceled and you will lose your deposit(s).
4. CANCELLATIONS. If you or a member of your party is forced to cancel your booking you must confirm this to IRT in writing immediately. The letter should be signed by the person who signed the original booking form. The date of cancellation is the date on which your letter is received by us. There will be a cancellation charge to compensate us for making your booking and the risk that we will be unable to resell your place(s). Insurance charges are non refundable. Cancellation charges are:
Notice given before the Cancellation fee excluding insurance premium
scheduled departure date
120+ days:$300 per person administrative fee
120-90 days: Loss of deposit
89 days-departure date: 100% of tour cost5. TICKET CONDITIONS. You are required to accept the Terms and Conditions of Carriage of Air, Sea and Rail carriers used in your tour, some of which limit or exclude liability. These conditions are the subject of international agreements between countries. Copies of conditions that will apply to your tour are available on request.
6. COMPLAINTS. The stated mission of The Society of International Railway Travelers is to offer the very best in rail travel around the globe for its members. However, if you have any problem or complaint during your journey please bring it to the attention of the tour guide immediately so that he may have the opportunity to put it right. Should a problem remain unsolved, please write to the Society at its main office at 1810 Sils Ave., Louisville KY. Our desire is to set things right. We cannot accept liability for any claims received more than two months after the completion of your journey. We also cannot render any refunds for any reason outside the terms set forth in these booking conditions. All claims will be settled by arbitration in Louisville, Kentucky.
7. YOUR CONTRACT. Upon signing the booking form, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions herein. Your contract with us, made under the terms of these booking conditions, is subject to U.S. Law and jurisdiction and is held to be made in Louisville, Kentucky.
8. SURCHARGES. IRT does not expect to make surcharges. IRT does, however, reserve the right at any time to receipt of the final balance to impose a surcharge of such an amount as will, in the reasonable opinion of IRT, compensate the company for any adverse movement in currency exchange rates.
9. RESPONSIBILITY: The Society of International Railway Travelers, Inc. (IRT) and Hardy Publishing Co., Inc. (HPC), parent company of The Society of International Railway Travelers, act only as agents for the passenger with respect to travel services. IRT and HPC do not own or operate any of the suppliers of services or accommodations for your trip. As a result, IRT and HPC are not responsible for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any such supplier of any other third party over whom IRT and HPC has no control. We can assume no responsibility nor liability in whole or in part for any delays, delayed or changed departure or arrival, missed carrier connections, loss, damage, weather, strikes, acts of God, circumstances beyond our control, force majeure, war, quarantine, criminal activity, expense, accident, sickness, injury or death to person or property, or mechanical defect, failure, or negligence of any nature howsoever caused in connection with any accommodations, restaurant, transportation or other services, for any substitution of hotels or of common carrier equipment beyond our control, with or without notice, or for any additional expenses occasioned thereby. If due to weather, flight schedules or other uncontrollable factors you are required to spend an additional night, you will be responsible for your own hotel, transfers and meal costs. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour due to these causes or voluntary cancellations. Baggage is at the owner's risk entirely.
No revisions of the printed itinerary or its included features are anticipated; however, IRT and HPC reserve the right to make changes at any time and for any reason, with or without notice, and IRT and HPC shall not be liable for any loss whatsoever to passengers by reason of such cancellation, substitution or changes. All fares as well as ship and train schedules, port calls, hours of arrival and departure, special programs, and guest lecture series (if applicable), are subject to change without prior notice. IRT and HPC shall not be required to refund any portion of the fare or make any other compensation under these circumstances. IRT and HPC cannot be responsible for penalties assessed by air carriers that may result due to operational and/or itinerary changes, regardless if the passenger and/or IRT and HPC make the flight arrangements. Any additional expenses resulting from the above will be paid by the individual passenger. IRT and HPC reserve the right to substitute a similar category for those listed in this brochure. IRT and HPC reserve the right to increase the tour price in the event of cost increases due to changes in air fares, currency fluctuations or fuel surcharges and such increases are to be paid to IRT and HPC by the tour participant upon notice to the tour participant of such increases.
When issued, the air tickets shall constitute the sole contract between the air company concerned and the purchaser of these tours and/or passenger. Please note that advertised air rates can change before ticketing. The airlines and other transportation companies concerned are not held responsible for any act, omission, or events during the time passengers are not on board their conveyances.
11. MEDICAL. Any physical or mental condition which may require special medical attention must be reported in writing. All Society trips require some walking. In Russia, almost no facilities exist for disabled persons. By forwarding of deposit by either check or credit card, the passenger certifies that he/she does not have any mental, physical or other condition of disability that would create a hazard for him/herself or other passengers and accepts the terms of this contract. IRT and HPC reserves the right to decline to accept or retain any person as a tour member should such a person's health, mental condition, physical infirmity or attitude jeopardize the operation of the tour or the rights, welfare, or enjoyment of other participants.
12. HEALTH. Passengers should refer to the Department of Health leaflet 'Travelers guide to Health' (number T1) which is available from Travel Agents or from the Dept. of Health. Clients should check with their doctor before departure as to which inoculations are considered necessary or recommended for the area in which you will be traveling. Such precautions do not take the place of Insurance. In some foreign countries the standard of hygiene and safety may differ from those in the U.S. For your own protection you should take particular care with hygiene and to what you eat and drink while abroad.
13. BAGGAGE. Baggage and personal effects are taken at owner's risk throughout the trip and baggage insurance is strongly recommended.
14. VISAS & PASSPORTS. A full passport with at least 6 months validity from the end of the tour is required for all our tours. Passengers should ensure that they obtain all the necessary documentation and visas prior to departure as IRT and GW Travel assume no responsibility for passengers refused entry into a country for incorrect documentation and any repatriation charges will be the responsibility of the passenger. Please advise your nationality at the time of booking in case additional visas may be required.
15. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS. Travel Documents will be issued after receipt by the Company of the full price or final balance and not normally later than fourteen days prior to departure.
16. BEHAVIOR. Passengers are expected to behave in a reasonable manner toward other passengers, IRT tour guide and other persons with whom we have contact during our tour. If a passenger behaves, in the opinion of the tour guide, in a way likely to disrupt the enjoyment or endanger to safety of other passengers the tour manager will issue him or her with a verbal warning. Should this not resolve the matter a second, written, warning will be issued. If the disruptive behavior continues after the second warning then the passenger will be removed from the tour and will have to make his or her own arrangements to return home. No refunds for the untravelled portion of the tour will be entertained. The right is retained to refuse any application for reservation(s), cancel any reservation(s) or decline to accept or retain any person as a member of the tour group at any time.
17. OTHER CONDITIONS. All bookings are accepted and all arrangements are made by us subject to (a) any and all conditions imposed from time to time by IRT, HPC, GW Travel Limited, airlines and sea, road and rail carriers, providers of accommodations and catering and other services and facilities connected with your holiday (and such conditions will apply to you just as if they were incorporated in these conditions) and (b) any law direction or order imposed from time to time by any competent authority. Some of the third party conditions seek to exclude or limit liability of the third party concerned: for instance the responsibility of IATA airlines in connection with the holiday(s) in this brochure is limited to the carriage of passengers and their luggage in accordance with the Conditions of Carriage of the participating airlines. All charter flights are offered subject to Government approval.
18. SAFETY ON RAIL TOURS. Railways are busy and potentially dangerous places. If you alight at any photostop, other than scheduled stops at recognized stations, or visit any railway installation, whether included or not in the tour, you do so at your own risk and are advised that your travel insurance MAY NOT cover you in case of mishap. Permission to travel on the locomotives may be given during the tour however you do this entirely at your own risk; IRT, GW Travel and the Railways concerned will not and do not accept any liability in case of mishap.
Please call us with questions, bookings:
800-IRT-4881
www.irtsociety.com
