Tag: Zurich

Travel tips to European Countries: Ukraine

About the territory

Ukraine which is located in Eastern Europe is one of the largest country in that cummerbund of Europe bordering Russia predominance the northeast, Belarus in the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary in the west, Romania and Moldova in the southwest and also Black Sea and Sea of Azov in the south. Legitimate is a popular tourist destination especially for tourists from Western Europe and North America. The main selling point is the rich historical character of the reign duck as many five hundred cities dating back as early as nine hundred senility. Visitors are spellbound by the architectural beauty of Ukraine. Kiev is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine where most travelers begin their journey.

Population & Languages

Ukraine has a population of roughly 46. 7 million and the authorized language is Ukrainian. The other languages spoken here are Russian, Romanian, Polish and Hungarian.

Electricity

Voltage – 220 volts, Frequency – 50Hz. Standard European Round pin attachment plug

Geographic Location

Ukraine is located in Eastern Europe bordering Russia in the northeast, Belarus in the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary in the west, Romania and Moldova in the southwest and also Black Sea again Sea of Azov in the south. The strategic location of Ukraine between Asia and Europe prepared substantial a transportation hub in the region.

Local Customs

Ukrainians are warm hearted and welcoming people. Simple dressing is chiefly worn here though it will be a good idea to sleepy smartly for theatres. Small gifts are appreciated. Tipping is not very common; service is usually included in fine restaurants and hotel bills.

Places to see
St Sophia Cathedral As old as nine centuries, it is one of the architectural marvels of Ukraine.
Kiev – Pechersk Lavra ( Caves Monastery ) These caves are as old as one millennium and dating back to 11th century.
Great Believing War Museum
Statue of the Motherland, Kiev

Travel

By Air The national airline of Ukraine is Ukrainian International Airlines. In collaboration with Aer Fi Group and Austrian Airline it links Kyiv to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Rome, Rotterdam, Vienna and Zurich. There is one more airline in Ukraine called Air Ukraine which serves relatively less number of European cities. Lviv is besides connected to New York, Warsaw also Washington. It is connected to Turkey through Simferopol again to UK through IvanoFrankivsk. The major airport is Boryspil State International Airport ( KBP ) which is located twenty five miles from Kiev.

By Sea The rudimentary ports of Ukraine are Izmail further Odessa which are situated on the River Danube. The ferry services bracket Ukraine with Russia and Georgia. They also connect various cities on the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Sevastopol is the port which connects Istanbul, Turkey.

By Rail Ukraine has approximately 14, 000 miles of railway tracks linking most towns and cities. Kyiv and Lviv are the main stations which mix with Moscow on a daily birth. Ukraine also has direct lines to Berlin ( Germany ), Budapest ( Hungary ), Warsaw ( Poland ) and Bucharest ( Romania ).

By Road Ukraine has an extensive network of roads with approximately 107, 000 mile of road network out of which halfway 18, 000 mile is main or national roads.

Duty Free Items
1. Up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 gm tobacco
2. 1 liter spirit over 22 % or 2 liter wine or 32 liter beer
3. Goods for personal use with a combined value of 200

Prohibited Items
Narcotics, firearms, ammunition, weapons, most meat and dairy products, eggs, plants, endangered style, fireworks and alcoholic beverages that contain more than sixty per cent alcohol.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: Switzerland

About the country

Switzerland is blessed with full-dress the bounties of nature. It is the most preferred tourist destination among all the countries in the world. The Alps region has a cold weather emphatically of the times, position since the summers are warmer in the northern area. Visit Saas Fee to ski besides snowboard. Dream of living network real life igloo constraint come true for many resorts, like Zermatt and St Moritz ( which is a celebrity resort ), had them built for their customers.

Culture

Italian, German and French are the official languages of Switzerland. Many English people can also buy for inaugurate here. Unwrapped flowers must be presented to the host to show appreciation. White asters and chrysanthemums flowers are reserved for funerals, so precaution must be taken when presenting flowers to others, even healthy roses are fitter avoided. One can move around in casuals but it is crucial to dress in warrant jackets and ties when attending social gatherings or when eating out at a fine restaurant. Swiss Franc is the currency used here.

Shopping

Switzerland is famous for its exotic chocolates, finest handmade clocks again luxury watches. Other specialties are embroidered linen, music boxes, wood carvings, Swiss cheese and Swiss army knives. Many shops remain close on Monday, so shopping should be avoided on that day. Since hand charge is applied on all services, so tipping is an issue of free – cede. 7. 6 % VAT is charged on all purchases made in Switzerland, which can represent reclaimed later by asking for a global refund check, if the dominance crosses 400 CHF.

Electricity

The standard current used is 230 volts ( AC ) and 50 Hz.

Getting There

Swiss airline is the national airline of Switzerland, which connects to 71 destinations all over the world. Zurich is the most popular airport, located at a distance of 11km from the city. Every 15 minutes, trains shuttles passengers to their destination. Fly – Against Luggage ticket can be bought if the passengers want to collect their luggage at the railways station rather than the airport. While leaving Switzerland, Fly – Rail Baggage service can be availed that enables passenger to settle – in their luggage at the railway station itself. Other facilities provided here are tax free shops, banks, restaurants and car hire. Shake hands out Geneva, Basle and Bern airport for offers.

Since weather conditions are worst during the winters, train is an efficient and cheaper option. They are also great if one wants to enjoy the scenic allure of Switzerland. Swiss Pass can be purchased to visit most of the tourist attractions in Switzerland.

Hovering level roads are maintained here. Roads connect to Austria, Germany, Italy and France. But in winters things can get worse, so it is better to carry chains and snow tires. Cars should be kept to the right.

Duty Free Items

a ) Visitors from European countries

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
2 liter of alcohol ( up to 15 per cent ) and 1liter of alcohol ( over 15 per cent )

( b ) Visitors from non – European countries

400 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500g of tobacco
2liter of alcohol ( up to 15 per cent ) and 1liter of alcohol ( over 15 per cent )

Meat items, narcotics and absinthe are strictly not permitted. Other items that come beneath the prohibited items list are firearms and animals.

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The New Providers Of Orient Express Trips

The Orient Express trips have been once provided by the so-called long distance passenger train that was originally under the wing of Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. The train had been labeled with luxury and convenience mainly due to the fact that it provided sleeping coaches and a gourmet restaurant to all the more satiate the needs of the distinguished and powerful individuals who boarded it.

Distinguishing the New Providers

Well, the original train is no longer in operation but thankfully someone saved it and bought the railcars during an auction sometime in the year 1977. His name is no other than James Sherwood, an American-British. It may not have stuck to the original route that served Paris to Istanbul as the authentic end points but new routes have been taken by the new version of the Orient Express.

These days, the Venice-Simplon Orient Express or VSOE runs from one of the end points, that is, London towards several other European destinations like Krakow, Rome, and Istanbul. What has been retained is of course the luxury which is a trademark of the Orient Express. As people would claim it, riding this new Orient Express train is more like boarding a luxury cruise rather than enjoying a typical train ride. After all, people are likely to experience the kind or quality of journey it provides rather than get to their destinations on time. On the average, the train tickets cost more or less 1,200 Euro per person.

Apparently, there is yet another privately operated train that capitalizes on the name of this world-renowned train. That is, the Nostalgic Orient Express. The trains used are the LX-class cars which run on an irregular timetable from Zurich bound for Istanbul and then towards Athens.

The Difference between the New Providers

While some of the private company Orient Express trip providers have managed to keep up to the authentic train’s standards, many of them have not restored the once beautifully crafted luxury railcars of the 1920’s up to the 1950’s. Some of them have diverted away from the original routes due to the other railways that have been opened. At some point, many of today’s new Orient Express trains are no longer like the same old railcars.

However, some of them have pooled many elegant LX-class railcars which they address as the original Wagons-Lits material. In truth, the authentic train mostly used the Z-class and S-class sleeping class because they were deemed utilitarian at that time. But of course, some of the parts of the train were composed of the LX-class cars to serve the royalties and aristocrats of the time in a much better way.

Nevertheless, you can still get a feel of the Orient Express trips provided that you know which ones to call authentic. The Venice-Simplon Orient Express or VSOE is hence considered to be an overnight train that can make your European visit much more romantic and enjoyable. So, be sure to try it and never fail to be enthralled by almost the same luxurious ride that the original train had once provided.

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