Frequently Heard Grumbles

Why didn't I get a guidebook / phrasebook / temperature chart / rail schedule before departure?

Because Vodkatrain is aimed at the smarter, independent - minded traveller, we thought we'd let you do your own research, choose your own guidebooks, do some web-surfing and only carry the bits of paper that you think are most relevant. By providing very basic, email friendly documentation & information with none of the general fluff (which - hello - gets built into your trip cost) we stay true to the 'no-inclusions-bumping-up-the-price' philosophy of Vodkatrain. We definitely recommend you do some research, but we don't want to dictate how/what you learn about our destinations. And a flick through a guidebook of your home town will show you exactly how fast info becomes outdated too!

I had to pay all these 'extras' like linen on the train and hotel (visa) registration - shouldn't they have been included?

Linen is not included in all train ticket prices along the Trans-Mongolian route - to ensure the lowest possible price is offered to clients this small fee (US$1-2 per train) is paid directly to attendants when required. Visa registration is required in Russia at each hotel. This is not a tourist scam… locals have to be registered too, and are happy to pay the registration fee! When you check in your Honcho will assist you with getting your visa registered. This is not a part of the hotel price, but a service provided by selected hotels on behalf of OVIR (the registration office). Sure, we COULD include these things into your trip price (and add the handling/admin fees necessary to make it all work smoothly), but wouldn't you rather pay it directly and know that it's the absolute minimum cost required to get by?

Our accommodation was too far out.

When we pick the accommodation we have a couple of key criteria - it should be budget (this is how we keep your costs low) and if not central, within easy reach of public transport. We also need to be able to book it in advance for your particular dates of travel, it needs to be large enough to accommodate a whole group, and it needs to have the appropriate licenses for receiving foreign travellers. Vodkatrain accommodates groups in hotels/hostels where registration is cheap and legal (approx. US$2-8) - avoiding the high registration costs of on-line visa companies (US$30-50).

Accommodation options are particularly limited in European Russia where the focus is squarely on business travellers and 4-5 star tourism. Backpackers and those wanting a budget room are left out in the cold. Why don't we use the hostels in Moscow? Well, if you can find one, they are usually not licensed, cannot register visas (they usually offer a service of registration costing up to US$30 each time you are registered) and are restricted to a few beds! There must be a budget hotel in the centre of town right? Thanks to everyone's favourite Mayor, No! Moscow is now divided into hotel zones - with the centre being restricted to 5 star hotels, with a second ring of 4 star hotels working out to budget accommodation (2 ) 20 mins by metro to the centre. But take heart - Vodkatrain uses accommodation that is a short walk to the beautiful and efficient Moscow Metro, where you can cross the mega city in 20 mins for US$0.30-0.50 a ride!

We met this really funny dude, but he wasn't allowed to tag along - why?

This is a hard one! As a Vodkatrain client, you have paid for the time and attention of your Honchos, as well as for the transfers when you are jumping on and off the trains. Although it seems mean to refuse a lift to the nice back-packers you met on the train, it can result in everyone getting squashed up on the bus, the Honcho spending ages helping them check into their (unrelated) accommodation, or any other number of things. It's great for the backpacker and their buddy, but for everyone else it just eats into your time with the Honcho and the value of your trip. We certainly don't want to stop people making friends and having fun, but when it comes to transfers, accommodation and who gets Honcho time/resources - it's just not fair to the group to have free-loaders!

You don't pay the Honchos enough.

Most Honchos are students or have other jobs, so work for Vodkatrain part time. Their wages are set by our local partners in line with the local economy and relative to their experience. All their expenses are paid in full, so they don't need to seek commissions from you or pay for any of the activities they do with you. We think that's pretty fair.

There was no hot water at the hotel when we arrived.

One of the legacies of the Soviet era is centralized hot water. In Mongolia and Russia the authorities provide hot water from a central heating station. During the summer they do maintenance, and each suburb in turn will have hot water cut off for a few weeks while they work on the system. Sometimes there just isn't enough hot water for other reasons - dodgy 70s plumbing or because the moon is in the wrong phase. Who knows. Yes it sucks, no, there's not much anyone can do about it!

The train journey is too long.

Do we really have to dignify that with an answer? People, if you don't think you'll enjoy a long train journey (up to 4 days with no significant stops), then either pick an itinerary with more breaks in the journey, or may we suggest that 'The World's Greatest Rail Journey' isn't for you? And no, we can't make the border crossing shorter or more interesting either.