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Faq[1] = new faq( 'How much luggage space is there on the train?','There is not a great deal of space in your compartment. Remember you are sharing with 3 other people. A good size rucksack or small suitcase/holdall together with some hand luggage should be OK. Good advice is that if you can carry it and it is OK for the airlines, then you should be OK on the train.','Onboard','6 ');
Faq[2] = new faq( 'Is there a risk of avian flu if I visit countries on the Trans-Siberia railway?','I am not a flu expert so I would recommend you seek advice from your government or doctor. A good source of advice can be seen on the UK government website.','destinations','5 ');
Faq[3] = new faq( 'Where can I buy train tickets from?','Because of the high demand for tickets it is advisable to purchase them in advance. I would recommend the tours on my website. We can ensure we reserve your place on the train and have all the other formalities covered. I have heard of some people purchasing tickets through other people on the internet, but sometimes with problems.','before','5 ');
Faq[4] = new faq( 'When is the best time of year to make the journey?','I normally travel in September. This is just outside the peak season, still warm and a little less expensive. Obviously if you wish to travel in the cold of Winter, let me know what it is like as I would like to do the same one day. I also travelled in July, especially to see the Naadam Festival in Mongolia. The days can be very hot and the nights a little cool. Choose a time that you prefer and enjoy it !!','before','5 ');
Faq[5] = new faq( 'How much does the journey cost?','Prices for our tours range start from as little as just over £500. Prices vary according to how many stopovers you make, what luxury you prefer and additional tours. Our top range deluxe tour is only about £10,000!! On my first trip I chose to take 1st Class. This gave me my own cabin with shower, wash basin and more comfort. If you can afford it I would recommend it. You will find that you will then be travelling with more English speaking people. in the 2nd Class you will find many backpackers and local people.','before','4 ');
Faq[6] = new faq( 'Is it possible or required to make reservations at the train in Beijing or is it possible to just go to Beijing and catch the train to Moscow?','For both China & Russia, you will need to have a visa for your passport to allow you into each country. I know of people that got into China and managed to get a Russian Visa within a few days. If you are to travel via Mongolia you will also need Visa. In my case as I did not to stop in Mongolia, I only needed a transit visa, plus visitors visas for Russia and China.
My personal recommendation, is to arrange for all you train tickets, passport visas and hotel accommodation through a specialists agency a few months before you leave. This will ensure that you have all your paperwork in order and make in fun to travel rather than having headaches when in a foreign country. This is even more important if you have only a limited time to travel !!! I only had two weeks and could not afford to wait for the authorities to think about paperwork. I have friends who had no time restrictions on their journey and could afford to spend additional days in China to wait for a free space on the train and to arrange visas. See our tours section for booking details.','Visas','5 ');
Faq[7] = new faq( 'Is the First Class deluxe (with own showers) is just available on board the Chinese train or is it also on the Russian train ?','I believe that the Deluxe First Class is only available on the Trans-Mongolian route. I travelled on this and it was a Chinese train. I have heard that the Chinese trains are the best. I do not know if the Russian trains also have showers, but all cars have toilets/wash basins at both ends of each car. Obviously the Chinese train will be available both west to east and east to west.','Onboard','5 ');
Faq[8] = new faq( 'Im looking at going from Moscow to Beijing in August but have not really looked into it yet (i.e., viability, cost, safety, etc). Who did you buy your tickets through and how long in advance did you buy them?','I would recommend arranging your trip using one of our tours.
There is a good brochure and various options to suit your budget and requirements. E.g. add extra days, arrange flights, extra hotels, etc, etc. They will also arrange visas, etc. The further advance you can start to arrange things the better. I allowed about 6 months.','Before','4 ');
Faq[9] = new faq( 'Im planning to travel in September or October. Will I see snow, and how cold will it be?','The coldest time when you are likely to see snow is late November & December. As you are travelling in Sept/Oct it will not be too cold. I would suggest you take a range of clothes. The trains have heating, but they are not always reliable. When the train stops and you get off for a few minutes, it would be worthwhile to have good clothes. You can always buy them from the many traders on the train.','Before','4 ');
Faq[10] = new faq( 'Can you recommend a good book to help plan my trip?','The book that I found most useful was "Trans-Siberian Handbook" by Bryn Thomas. I found it useful as it is updated frequently and it has details about the towns you will be passing through and the timetables. Also useful is what you will see at the various Kilometer markers. These are beside the track and indicate how far you are from Moscow/Beijing. This is important so as to not miss a specific view - you cant ask the train driver to stop and reverse back !!!! Have a look at the books section on my website for details of this and other books. The Lonely Planet book is also very good.','Before','3 ');
Faq[11] = new faq( 'We want to go on the train Nr. 3 from Beijing to Moskau. How many days does it take to go further from Moskau to Berlin by train?','Allow around 30 hours for a direct journey from Moskva Belorusskaja to Berlin Ostbahnhof, longer if changing. I am told the train runs daily. It is advisable to book your ticket before you leave your home journey. For further details contact your International train operator or travel agent. Details are also available from Deutsche Bahn AG - http://bahn.hafas.de.','Before','7 ');
Faq[12] = new faq( 'What is there to do in Vladivostock?','Vladivostock is a medium size city with a commercial and naval port. There are a few museums, mainly related to shipping. There is an old S56 submarine to visit. A number of nice cafés and restaurants can help pass the time. I spend almost 2 days there and that was plenty unless you are thinking of visiting attractions outside of the city.','destinations','5 ');