Vodkatrain

AT A GLANCE

Experience Russia, Mongolia, China & Vietnam at ground level, travelling with the locals, experiencing the cities with a local Honcho, eating out and getting around at local prices.  Vodkatrain takes the traditional ideas of group travel (regimented meal times, enforced sightseeing and following strange people holding umbrellas aloft) and gives them a hearty kick up the backside. They prefer to think of it as a collection of young (they run with the classic 18-35 age bracket), like-minded individuals who happen to be following the same itinerary.

Enroute you simply travel on trains between cities as any local or foreign traveller would, and meet a new Honcho at each city stop. You have the benefit of being with a small group (max 15) but none of the restrictions that a tour, with its fixed daytime schedule, might bring, and none of the hassles of making hotel and sightseeing/activity arrangements. It’s a nifty combination of backpacking and small group travel at budget do-it-yourself prices, with some priceless information from the local Vodkatrain legends thrown in! 

Vodkatrain is your support network – providing accommodation, transport, transfers en-route and local Honchos to help you get the most out of your stay. You decide what you want to see, you decide what you want to eat, you decide what you want to experience and you pay the much cheaper local price for everything you do. Whatever your destination its an unforgettable hassle free journey, with company (and a company) you can have fun with. 

HONCHOS
Young, fun and energetic your local Honcho is a friend in a distant city. They are usually local students who speak excellent English who have grown up in their city and love showing you around – not just the tourist sites (they are important too!) but the real heart beat of the city, its people and those underground places you normally need weeks to find!  They’re not libraries of local history, but can definitely show you where to find one. They can show you how to use local transport, where to change money, their favourite cafes, bars and restaurants, can translate all the latest gossip and if there is something they don’t know they have the language skills to find out.

ACCOMMMODATION
A mixture of hotels, hostels, local guesthouses and traditional gers. Some may be multi-share but most will be twin share with private or shared facilities. Staying in a traditional Mongolian ger is a highlight for many on Vodkatrain trips.

TRANSPORT
Let’s get something straight from the start: you are NOT going on the Orient Express! These are not chartered trains but scheduled services. Overnight accommodation is in four – share sleeping compartments – two upper and two lower bunks.  Depending on group size, you may be sharing with other group members, or with local travellers. Don’t be afraid to say hello! Compartments have bedding, reading lights, a big window, a small table, room for a rucksack or two and if you’re REALLY lucky – a vase with a plastic flower. Carriages have two washrooms (no showers); boiling water and a couple of friendly attendants.

If you are ready for a truely unique adventure than look no further Vodkatrain.