The BIG Train Ride:
The Trans-Siberian
Express
VLADIVOSTOK - KHABAROVSK - ULAN UDE - BAIKAL/ IRKUTSK - NOVOSIBIRSK
- YEKATERINBURG - ST PETERSBURG - MOSCOW
June 3-16, 2001
Fully inclusive 14-day tour Vladivostok to Moscow
One of the World's 20 Best Railway Adventures (as determined by the editors of the International Railway Traveler.)
DAILY ITINERARY
June 3 (Day 1)
Arrive Vladivostok and transfer to the central Hotel Hyundai.
This evening meet fellow tour participants over a welcome dinner.
June 4 (Day 2)
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before a city tour of Vladivostok,
located on the Sea of Japan and Headquarters of the Russian Pacific
Fleet. Take in the principal military attractions and enjoy lunch
in the city. This evening we will settle into our compartments
aboard the Trans-Siberian Express for an evening departure. The
first class sleepers are fitted with two lower berths which convert
to couch seating for day use, bedside table, reading lamps and
mirros. Dinner will be served on the train.
June 5 (Day 3)
Breakfast on
board. Morning arrival in Khabarovsk. Visit to Natural History
Museum by the Amur River. Lunch and dinner also on board.
June 6 (Day 4)
Travel close to the Chinese border today along the Amur and Shilka
Rivers. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner on board while watching
the scenery pass. Pass through Chita over night.
June 7 (Day 5)
Breakfast and lunch on board. Arrival in Ulan Ude, capital of
the Buryat Republic. Visit to the nearby Ivolginsk Buddhist Datsan,
seat of Buddhism in Russia. Dinner in a local restaurant with
Buryat folk music and dancing.
June 8 (Day 6)
Breakfast on
board. A very spectacular part of the journey along the Port
Baikal branch, cut into the cliffs through tunnels and over bridges
along the shoreline of Lake Baikal. Stop en route for a barbecue
lunch (weather permitting), followed by a brief cruise on the
lake. Visit Listvyanka and the fascinating exhibition of the
area's unique ecology at the Limnological Institute. Dinner back
on the train.
June 9 (Day 7)
Breakfast on board. Morning arrival in Irkutsk, where we
spend the day visiting the major sights, including the classic
Siberian wooden architecture. City tour includes the Angara steamship,
which houses the museum of Baikal Navigation. Lunch and dinner
in local restaurants.
June 10 (Day 8)
Heading west, passing Krasnoyarsk, enjoy the relaxed pace of
life on board. All meals on board.
June 11 (Day 9)
Breakfast on
board. Morning arrival in Novosibirsk, largest city in Siberia,
located on the River Ob. Our city tour features the Opera House
and Lenin Square. Lunch is served in a dacha by the River Ob.
Dinner back on the train.
June 12 (Day 10)
Breakfast on board. Yekaterinburg, last city in Asia and Capital
of the Urals. Our tour includes the Romanov execution site, and
the Urals Mineralogical Museum. Lunch and dinner in city restaurants.
Shortly after departure cross the Europe/Asia divide.
June 13 (Day 11)
Make the most
of your last full day on the train, enjoying the facilities and
views heading west through Vyatka (Kirov). Breakfast, lunch and
farewell dinner served on board.
June 14 (Day 12)
Breakfast on board. Morning arrival in St Petersburg, Peter the
Great's capital of Russia, where we spend the whole day. Visit
Catherine's beautiful Summer Palace. Lunch in a traditional restaurant.
Afternoon visit to the State Hermitage with its remarkable collection
of art. The Hermitage is so large that to see everything requires
a walk of 14 miles! Dinner in a local restaurant. Optional visit
to the Mariinsky theatre (subject to performance) before late
night departure on the final leg of your epic journey to Moscow.
June 15 (Day 13)
Breakfast on
board. Morning arrival in Moscow. City tour includes Red Square
and the Kremlin. Lunch in a city restaurant. Optional visit to
the Bolshoi Ballet (subject to performance). Overnight in the
Hotel Ukraina opposite the White House following farewell gala
dinner
June 16 (Day 14)
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time in the morning. Airport transfer.
PRICES*
Vladivostok - Moscow
$ 3,995 per person
Single supplement (subject to availability ) $ 1,995 per person
*IRT members only single supplement $1,275 per person
Save $200 per person if booked by December 15!
*Please note: the above tour prices are for Society of International Railway Travelers members and one guest only. Non-members pay $50 per person more. Please inquire about Society membership if you are not currently a member!
TRAIN CONFIGURATION
We are proud to offer this tour through GW Travel of England,
the largest operator of private trains in the former Soviet Union.
GW Travel does not operate a fixed formation train, it varies
the configuration to suit the number of passengers. Maximum capacity
is 84 passengers. 45 passengers are needed for each departure
to run a full train. Our cars are detached for the city stopovers
and continue on a later train. Train configuration is announced
two months before departure.
FLIGHTS and other OPTIONS
IRT's Group Air
Please note that the following fares require at least 20 people
to travel on Korean Airlines out of the US either from JFK or
LAX combined. Connecting air out of several US cities is possible.
Please specify your needs upon booking. The plan calls for using
Korean Air and Scandinavian Airlines. Also please note that air
prices and schedules are always subject to change before ticketing.
Option #1: Round-trip
New York/Newark
Depart US
JFK to Seoul May 31 #KE86 Departs 9:50 p.m. Arrives 6:05 a.m.+2
days
(about 13 hours)
Seoul to Vladivostok
June 2 #KE981 Departs 10 a.m. Arrives 1:15 p.m. June 2
(about 3 hours)
Depart Moscow
Moscow to Copenhagen June 16 #SK735 Departs 3:50 p.m. Arrives
4:35 p.m.
(about 3 hour flight)
Copenhagen to Newark
June 16 #SK901 Departs 7:45 p.m. Arrives 10:10 p.m.
(about 8 hour flight)
Option #2: Departure
from LAX, Return to Newark
From LAX to Seoul May 31 #KE12 Departs 11:55 p.m. Arrives 6:30
a.m.+2 days
(about 10 hour flight)
Seoul to Vladivostok
June 2 #KE981 Departs 10 a.m. Arrives 1:15 p.m.
(about 3 hours)
Return would be identical to Option #1. Both plans require 1 overnight pretour in Vladivostok.
Cost for above group
air depends on city of departure:
Option #1 New York - $1659 plus tax
Option #2 Los Angeles - $1485 plus tax
Business class (same
schedules as above)
Option #1
New York to Vladivostok (KE), Moscow to Newark, (SAS)
Cost: $3,625 plus tax
Option #2
LAX to Seoul to Vladivostok on KE
Moscow to Newark on SAS and on to Los Angeles on CO or UA
Flights would be business from LAX-SEL, Coach from SEL-Vladivostok
(VVO)
Business class from Moscow (SVO) to Copenhagen, Copenhagen to
Newark, and Coach from Newark (EWR) to LAX.
Cost: $3,550 plus tax.
Korean is a mileage partner with Delta and Scandinavian Airlines partners with United. Seat assignments can be made before departure if booked early enough. The Korean flight is scheduled to be a 747 with 3-4-3 seating. The SAS flight is scheduled to be a 767 with 2-3-2 seating.
One caveat about all air prices: they are subject to change until they are ticketed. Please note that they are subject to cancellation penalties after ticketing.
Korean Air flies into Vladivostok from Seoul only on Tuesday and Saturday, departing 10 a.m., arriving 2:15 p.m. The tour starts on Sunday. That means that 1 extra night will be required. If you want to go to Vladivostok earlier than that, you would spend 5 nights there pre-tour.
Additional add-ons:
London-Moscow by Rail:
Available via the Channel Tunnel (Eurostar) and the Cologne to
Moscow sleeper service. Cost from $649 per person, which includes
2 nights in sleeping car.
Beijing by Rail: From/to Vladivostok by regular service train.
While the Eastbound schedule requires 7 days with additional
time in Vladivostok, Westbound only 3 days due to more favourable
rail schedules. Cost is $ 495 Westbound, includes hotel(s) and
Beijing city tour program. Connecting flights available one way
to Beijing, one way Moscow. Please ask for separate details.
Other destinations from/to Vladivostok: Flights available to
Japan, Korea, the Far East, the US and Alaska. Weekly ferry to
Japan in Summer. Details on request.
Please indicate your requirements for all add-ons on your booking form and you will be sent full details with your booking confirmation.
HOW TO BOOK
Please call our toll-free number, and we will hold your booking
with no obligation for 7 days. Upon receipt of your Booking Form
and a 15% deposit, we will issue a booking confirmation. Deposits
are accepted by check or Visa, Mastercard or Discover. A 3% surcharge
applies for credit card usage. The balance is due by check 90
days before your tour departure.
BOOKING CONDITIONS
All bookings are accepted subject to the booking conditions of
The Society of International Railway Travelers and GW Travel,
as listed below. These conditions require you to have adequate
Travel Insurance.
Please read carefully the following conditions to which your booking is subject. Payment of deposit and signing the booking form indicates you have read these conditions and agree to abide by them.
1. CONFIRMATION OF BOOKING. A booking is not accepted by IRT and no contract exists until the earlier of a) The date we accept your payment or b) the date we issue our 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) IRT-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. It is also a condition that you take out Medtrip insurance, cost $22, explained overleaf.
3. FINAL PAYMENT. We must receive the balance due at least 90 days prior to departure or in full upon receipt of our 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 then 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 as a percentage of
scheduled departure date total, excluding insurance premium.
90+ days $250 per person administrative fee
89 days-departure date 100% of tour cost
5. 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. Tickets are usually arranged on departure for those bookings made within seven days. Please take your confirmation with you on 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.
By signing the booking form you are accepting these conditions.
SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL
RAILWAY TRAVELERS
1810 SILS AVE. SUITE 306B
LOUISVILLE, KY 40205
Telephone: 800-IRT-4881 or (502) 454-0277
Fax: (502) 458-2250
www.irtsociety.com
GW TRAVEL LIMITED
6 OLD MARKET PLACE
ALTRINCHAM
CHESHIRE WA14 4NP
ENGLAND
Please call us with questions, bookings:
800-IRT-4881
www.irtsociety.com
Send us e-mail with comments or questions