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The Silk Road Tour By Private Train

How many people will be on this tour?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; Aside from your Tour Escort Team, this tour takes between 70 and 90 people. Whilst it is a relatively large group we utilise the economics to charter our own Private Train, offering you a unique and hassle free journey across the ancient Silk Route. In addition we arrange for some exclusive events - such as caviar and vodka on the terraces of St Basil's cathedral. When sightseeing we do not fill buses to capacity, ordinarily there will be 30 people per bus - providing additional room for you to spread out and relax. Our buses normally operate to a different daily itinerary to avoid congestion at the key sites.

How much money should I take with me?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; It is difficult to make a general statement about how much money to take as each person is different and has varied needs. It is possible to complete the tour without spending an additional cent however if you wish to buy souvenirs, postcards, additional drinks, have laundry done, make telephone calls, etc., then you will need to pay extra. It is suggested that you bring at least US$300-500 in cash to avoid inconvenience. In China and Moscow there are a growing number of ATMs. Whilst ATMs are available you should not rely on these as your only source of cash and please be careful of scams with ATMs in Russia. Travellers cheques are a safe option as they are secure in case of loss or theft and can be changed back into Australian Dollars when you return home however they can often be exchanged only at major banks and take quite some time to change. Small denominations are best for travellers cheques and for cash, it is often hard to change money back from the local currency.

What currency should I take on tour?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; In China Australian Dollars can be freely exchanged at the Exchange Desks at each hotel. US Dollars are also acceptable. In China a slightly better rate of exchange is offered for travellers cheques than for cash, Australian or US Dollars. In Russia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan the exchange rate is reasonably uniform, although some exchange houses will offer a better rate than others will. Australian Dollars are completely useless in the former Soviet Union, thus you should carry US Dollars or Euro. In China it is almost always necessary to use the local currency, Yuan - also called Renminbi (People's money). US Dollars, in small denominations, can be used for some purchases in Russia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Be warned that it is impossible to change the currencies of Russia, Uzbekistan, or Kazakhstan into other currencies once you leave. It is also illegal to export currency. Please ensure that the US Dollar notes that you take with you are quite new notes. Pre 1994 notes - especially $100 dollar and $50 notes, due to counterfeiting, are not accepted in most of the countries we are visiting. Small denominations for both cash and travellers cheques are best as it can be difficult to exchange local currency back into the local currency. Credit cards, especially Mastercard and Visa, can be used increasingly in Moscow and many places in China. They are virtually useless in Kazakhstan and totally useless in Uzbekistan.

What is the electrical voltage?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; If you wish to use electrical appliances in the countries to be visited you will need to take a suitable adaptor. 220 volt power points are available on the train for charging phones, cameras, etc. Each compartment on 'The Golden Eagle Express' (Russian train) has a power outlet, you will need an adaptor to European plugs (two round pins). In China you will find a multitude of plug types. Our train, and many hotels, feature Japanese or US style plugs (two flat pins). The 'China Orient Express' has power outlets in the corridor of passenger carriages. A multi country adaptor is the best choice to ensure you can use any power point.

What will the weather be like?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; We have chosen March/April and September/October as the best time to travel the Silk Route. During summer the temperatures can reach 45-49oC and in winter drop to minus 30oC. In March/April and September/October you can expect quite pleasant clear days and cool nights. Our trains and hotels are air conditioned and heated.

What clothing should I take?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; The Captain's Choice Tour has no formal dress requirements. It is your holiday and you should select what you feel comfortable wearing. Casual, comfortable clothing is appropriate throughout the tour. There are no formal dress requirements however if you feel like dressing up in the elegant surroundings of our hotels in St Petersburg, Moscow, Tashkent, Almaty, Xian and Beijing you may like to bring something a little more dressy for some of our dinners. The vast distances we cover on The Silk Route present a variety of geographies and thus climates. You will need to bring warm clothing and dress "like an onion" in layers, so that you can add a coat or warm jumper when going outside. In hotels, restaurants, museums, other buildings, buses and trains, you will find the temperature is quite warm, while in some places we can expect cool outside temperatures. Whilst we don't expect much rain during the tour a compact umbrella is advisable. Comfortable footwear for the day is essential.

What is the activity level?

» Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here

You will need to be of average fitness or higher to fully enjoy this tour. There is sometimes quite a bit of walking to do at railway stations, both along the platform and up and down stairs. In addition we explore many of these ancient cities by walking tours.

We require all passengers to complete a Fitness Agreement at the time of your booking. Please click here for a copy of the form.

What visas do I need?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; The Captain's Choice Tour obtains visas on your behalf. The cost of obtaining visas (including courier fees) is in addition to your tour cost. We do not include visa costs in our tour prices as many passengers frequently travel with passports from different countries. Visa requirements and associated costs are differ from nationality to nationality. Visa requirements and costs change frequently. We will send you the visa requirements and appropriate forms three months prior to your tour.

What vaccinations do I need?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; Approximately three months prior to travel the doctor accompanying this tour will send a letter detailing his/her recommendations. These recommendations are general and should be discussed in conjunction with your personal doctor. Travel health advice can also be obtained from The Travellers' Medical and Vaccination Centre of Australia (phone 1 300 658 844 for your nearest clinic or check their site at www.traveldoctor.com.au ). Generally speaking, before travelling overseas, you should be up to date with Tetanus/Polio boosters and should have been vaccinated (within the last ten years) for Hepatitis A/B. Our doctors also recommend that you have had a fluvax injection within the previous 12 months as contracting the flu may spoil an otherwise wonderful holiday.

Why do you need to travel by private train?

» Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here

To travel the Silk Route from Western China, through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Russia, there are normally two practical choices.

It is possible to travel by air between most of the cities involved, although there would be backtracking, as there are no direct air services between some of the points. The airlines include China Southern, Xinjang Airways, Kazah Air, Uzbekistan Airways and Aeroflot. Virtually all the carriers involved are airlines that do not inspire great confidence and certainly do not have a good record for reliability.

The other choice is to travel by regular train service. Normal trains in these countries are the main form of intercity transport and are extremely poor quality. The compartments comprise of soft class sleeper, soft seat, hard seat sleeper and hard seat. Soft class sleeper is the only class that most Australians would accept. There are 4 people to each compartment. Toilet facilities on normal trains are usually filthy!

What is it like aboard our private train?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; Our Private Train provides a relaxing way of travelling through some of the world's most remote regions. In China we have chartered the 'Shangri-la Express' and in Russia, a superb 'Hotel on Wheels' called the 'Golden Eagle Express'. Your accommodation on board is in comfortable sleeping compartments. We spend a total of nine nights on the train and the rest of the accommodation is in the finest available hotels. Our train has two comfortable dining cars and a most pleasant bar/lounge car. Travelling on our own private train allows great flexibility. Stroll the corridors, visit friends in their compartments or enjoy the convivial atmosphere in the bar/lounge car or dining cars and on occasion attend talks on the places we visit. We travel through some superb scenery during the day whilst aboard the train. Whilst we use the best and most comfortable train available in China it cannot be classified as 'luxurious'. NEW for September 2010 tour - the 'Shangri-la Express (Chinese train) will have a spacious shower car attached to the train (for our 3 nights aboard). The 'Golden Eagle Express' offers private facilities in both Registan and Marco Polo class. Also on September 2010 tour a guest lecturer will travel with the tour.

What are the different classes of travel on the train?

» Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here

On the ‘Shangri La Express’ we offer Registan and Marco Polo Class. Once we cross into the former Soviet Union on the China/Kazakhstan border an additional class become available – Genghis Khan Class.

Registan Class
Registan Class offers the premium way to travel through the Silk Route. Aboard the Golden Eagle Express – this train offers luxurious accommodation aboard the train. In the compartment is a lower double bed (which converts to a sofa in the day) and a single upper bunk. There is also a small sitting chair on other side of the window. There is a bathroom with private shower, toilet and washbasin. Each compartment also has a plasma screen TV and DVD player.

Whilst travelling in Registan Class aboard the Golden Eagle Express you have a private bathroom with toilet, shower and wash basin. Aboard the Shangri La Express you will have a washbasin and toilets are located at the end of the carriage. There are no shower facilities aboard the Shangri La Express.

Aboard the Shangri La Express – this class provides two separate compartments linked by a private washroom (actually two Marco Polo class compartments). Each compartment has a lower seat, which converts to a bed plus an upper berth if required. There is also a lounge chair style seat facing the bench seat (bed).

Often two people travelling together prefer to have a lower berth each and sleep in separate compartments while still traveling together during the day. You have full use of the private washroom. Other travellers prefer to use the lower and upper berth in one compartment and store their luggage and personal items in the other compartment.

Marco Polo Class
Aboard the Golden Eagle Express – the new Marco Polo Class compartments offer a three quarter sized double bed (approximately 4 feet wide) and a single upper bunk. Each Marco Polo compartment has a small private shower, washbasin and toilet.

Aboard the Shangri La Express – each compartment offers one upper and one lower bunk (which converts to comfortable seats during the day). Between each cabin is a shared washroom with washbasin. Toilets are located at the end of the carriage. There are no shower facilities onboard the Shangri La Express.

Genghis Khan Class
On both Golden Eagle Express and the Shangri La Express this class offers one upper and one lower bunk. On the Shangri La Express you share the washroom (with washbasin) with the adjacent compartment, toilets are at the end of the carriage, there are no shower facilities. Aboard the Golden Eagle Express you have a washbasin in your compartment. Toilets are located at the end of each carriage and aboard the Golden Eagle Express a shower car is attached.

What are the hotels like?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; At every stopover we use the best hotel in town. In Beijing we stay at the Peninsula Hotel, a short stroll from Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City; in Xian the excellent Sofitel Xian; in Urumchi the new Sheraton; in Almaty the superb Hyatt Regency; in Tashkent the InterContinental; in Moscow we stay at one of Russia's finest hotels, the Marriott Royal Aurora, close to Red Square and St Basil's Cathedral. All of these hotels are world class five star properties. In Luoyang, Jiayuguan and Dunhuang we stay at comfortable Chinese owned and managed properties, which provide comfortable three star rooms with private shower and toilet, plenty of hot water and good food. These hotels are the best available but do not meet top western standard. We use the best available hotels in Samarkand and Bukhara but please be aware neither of these hotels are of a high quality nor could be considered luxurious. They offer comfortable rooms with private facilities and are certainly the best in each city. In Turpan and Khiva, there are simply no good quality hotels so we arrive in the morning, do our sightseeing and rejoin the train in the late afternoon. Our train is the best hotel in town!

What are the meals like?

» Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here

Your tour enables you to taste a variety of excellent cuisine. On several occasions you can choose from the menu at any of the hotel’s restaurants to give you complete flexibility. There will also be some feature meals during our stay in Beijing, Xian, Uzbekistan and Moscow that will be arranged on a group basis.

In the other cities the group will dine together on varied menus. Throughout the tour western breakfasts, usually buffet, will be provided. In the smaller towns in China and aboard the Shangri La Express, lunch and dinner will usually be a multi course Chinese banquet ensuring that there will be ample dishes to suit most palates.

The cuisine served in the decorative dining cars of Golden Eagle Express is of a high standard, especially considering the remote locations through which the train will travel. Aboard both trains complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks will be served with lunch and dinner. At all group dinners, in hotels and at local restaurants, wine, beer or soft drink will also be provided.