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Tourists, like almost everything in this world, can be classified. And even break it down by type and subspecies. Then it will become clear that among them there are many people who are terrified of flying. But they love to travel. And such an aerophobic tourist is faced with the question of where, exactly, to go. And on what?

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Tourists, like almost everything in this world, can be classified. And even break it down by type and subspecies. Then it will become clear that among them there are many people who are terrified of flying. But they love to travel. And such an aerophobic tourist is faced with a difficult question - where, exactly, to go. And on what?

Of course, there are options. But we will not talk here about automobile tourism, just as we will not talk about bus tours. And even more so, we will not talk about hiking tourism. We will tell you where you can go abroad by train. And, in fact, you can go to almost any corner of Europe and Asia (Kim Jong Il came to us in his armored train). There would be time.

The first thing that comes to mind is, of course, Crimea. It seems that we are already abroad and there is a sea. But only the lazy don’t know about Crimea. Meanwhile, there are other places.

Bulgaria

How to get there
Two trains depart daily from Sofia - No. 382 at 19.20 and No. 3 at 21.34. Travel time is a little more than two days - about 58 hours.

What to do
Sofia, in itself, is a quite interesting city. There is a lot here that will remind you of the times when Bulgaria was considered the 16th republic of the USSR - both architecture and people. Many people speak Russian, and they treat Russians well.

And then everything depends on your imagination - you can book excursions to ancient Bulgarian monasteries, which for the most part are located in amazingly beautiful places, among mountains and forests, and get where you need to either by car or by bus. You can choose your own ski resort.

Or you can go to the sea. Bulgaria is not Siberia, and it takes less than a day to travel from one end of the country to the other. There are three main resorts on the coast - Albena, Golden Sands and sunny Beach.

Golden Sands is perhaps the most respectable resort. There are the most good five-star hotels there and the most high prices. Albena is a little more democratic, but even there almost all three-star hotels are decent. For those who like to remember the past, there are two-star hotels - they are not much different from typical Soviet boarding houses of the 70s and 80s. But they are also extremely cheap. The beaches there are sandy, the entrance to the sea is convenient, and the sea itself is clean.

By the way, if you go from Sofia to Albena or to Sands, it’s worth spending a day and stopping on the way to ancient capital Bulgaria called Veliko Tarnovo. The city is very beautiful, located in the mountains, and below, visible from almost everywhere, a river flows. Here, by the way, was previously the dacha of Zhivkov, the last Secretary General of Bulgaria. And the party elite, as you know, did not choose bad places for vacation. There are many hotels in Tarnovo, most of them are inexpensive, but very cozy. How inexpensive the restaurants are here - dinner for two with all the delights local cuisine(a separate chapter needs to be written about it) and alcohol will cost about 20 dollars.

And finally, Sunny Beach. It is located closest to Sofia and is today almost the most developing resort in the country. Prices here are the lowest, there are many hotels to choose from for every budget and taste, and the beaches are sandy. For those who like to live outside of hotels, we can recommend going to the nearby ancient city of Nessebar - you can easily rent a house there cheaper than in Crimea, with all the amenities. And the sea there is the same - only on the other side.

In general, Bulgaria is almost an ideal option for an inexpensive holiday without flights.

Germany

How to get there
Two trains depart daily to Cologne - No. 11 at 22-15 and No. 249 at 18.19. Travel time is 37 hours. From there, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, train No. 13 leaves for Berlin at 8.38. Another Berlin train, number 247, leaves the station on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 13.30. Travel time is a little more than a day - about 28 hours.

What to do
In Cologne itself, by and large, there are two attractions. This is the cathedral of the same name, which is located next to the station, and the Cologne Carnival, which takes place here annually in the second half of February. Then a lot of tourists from all over the world come to the city and hotels need to be booked in advance.

But in general, few people go to Cologne. The local train station is a huge connecting terminal, and from here you can travel to any city in Germany, as well as almost any city in Europe. One of the most popular routes is Moscow - Cologne - Paris. Just a few hours after the Moscow train arrives in Cologne (you will have time for both the cathedral and beer), the train departs in the evening for Paris, where you will arrive early in the morning. In other words, Cologne should be considered as a transit route on the way to Europe by train. Well, where you want to go is up to you.

Of course, there are also trains from Berlin to Europe. But it’s stupid to go there in transit (especially since it’s more convenient to get to Paris through Cologne). You need to go there just to see the city. Moreover, Berlin is now called almost the most fashionable and modern city in Europe. Architecture of new styles and trends, many progressive clubs, etc. In short, this is a metropolis for a new generation. Or, as they write in fashion magazines, this is the mainstream of the youth movement. But it’s clear that other generations have something to do here too. Especially if you remember our history. By the way, here is almost the best zoo in all of Europe.

Finland

How to get there
Every day two trains depart from Helsinki - No. 31 at 17.42 and No. 32 at 22.50. Travel time is just under 14 hours.

What to do
The city itself is small but nice. As someone said about Finland, everything there is as it should be in our country, but it’s unlikely to be. Helsinki in particular and Finland in general should be treated with this thought. There are no special attractions here, but it’s nice to just wander around, go to a restaurant and taste old Russian cuisine. But once you get to Helsinki, you can, for example, take a ferry and go to Stockholm. As a matter of fact, there are many places you can go on cruise ships or ferry ships from Helsinki. But it is advisable to plan all this in Moscow.

Also in Moscow you can pre-order a small house on the lakes. Such pleasure costs from $500 for a house for 4 people for a week. And then you find yourself in a pristine forest, with lots of mushrooms and berries (in summer, of course), surrounded by a network of lakes with crystal clear water and lots of fish. Plus, the house package usually includes a sauna and powerboat. The only problem is that apart from berries, mushrooms and fish - that is, pasture food - food is not provided in such houses. And you need to take everything with you. For example, in a rented car.

Croatia

How to get there
Train No. 15 departs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 20.30. Another train No. 205 leaves for Zagreb at 7.10 on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Travel time is two days.

What to do
Zagreb itself is often called little Vienna for its resemblance to the capital of Austria. And that's true. It's worth spending at least a day there to see all the sights. Well, then - just a few hours away are all famous resorts Croatia, and here the only question is the choice - where to go. By the way, you can relax for a week in Croatia, then go to Montenegro for the second week, fortunately it is nearby and fortunately there are also trains from Belgrade to Moscow.

Montenegro

How to get there
From to Belgrade two trains depart daily - No. 15 at 20.30 and No. 344 at 8.20. Travel time is two days.

What to do
If our tourists have already actively explored Croatia for a long time, then Montenegro is still an unknown place for them. But in vain - because this, without any exaggeration, is one of best places in general in the world. The water here is the cleanest in the Mediterranean - it is so clear that the bottom can be seen even at a depth of 50 meters. There are magnificent beaches and mountains here, the second largest canyon in the world on the Tara River, which is a national park, is located here, there is the beautiful Skadar Lake, surrounded by ancient monasteries. In short, there is everything you need for relaxation. And, most importantly, it is still relatively cheap here.

Austria

How to get there
From to Vienna train No. 202 departs daily at 21.40. And on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays there is another train No. 21 - departure at 23.40. Travel time is a little over 30 hours.

What to do
You can write a separate book about Vienna, and more than one. One has only to say, no matter how banal it may sound, that this is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe. With a lot of attractions, a lot of cultural events, and simply this is the city that you need to see at least once in your life if you want to feel involved in world history and culture. Well, after that you can go to ski resorts- there are more of them there than in Moscow casinos.

Slovakia

How to get there
Two trains leave for Bratislava every day - No. 21 at 23.40 and No. 705 at 19.50. Travel time is 33 hours.

What to do
Bratislava is a small city, but very picturesque, spread out on both sides of the Danube. In general, you should go to Slovakia either to ski resorts - here, if there are good slopes, it is more or less cheap, or you should go for treatment - almost all Slovak resorts are one way or another oriented towards medicine. But the country itself is beautiful - most of is located in a mountainous area and the views are breathtaking. And since the tourism industry began to actively develop here several years ago, there have been no problems with service.

Hungary

How to get there
Two trains depart daily for Budapest - No. 15 at 20.30 and No. 16 at 18.25. Travel time is just under 40 hours.

What to do
Budapest is one of those few cities in the world that you immediately fall in love with. And forever, you just have to be there. Moreover, there are views here for every taste - on the right bank of the Danube, the city soars up, drowning in forests, and the left part of the city, flat, lies in front of you in full view. The Danube with its openwork bridges lies in full view. In a word, Budapest is such a self-sufficient city that there is no need to go anywhere else besides it. You can easily spend a week there and not get bored. But even for this case there are places in Hungary. Like, for example, the largest lake in central Europe, the name of which almost everyone has heard. Balaton is his name. And it completely replaces a vacation by the sea. In addition, Hungary ranks one of the first places in the world in terms of the number of explored and used thermal springs. medicinal waters- There are more than a hundred balneological resorts here. In short, there are a lot of options for relaxation here.

Romania

How to get there
Every day two trains leave for Bucharest - No. 3 at 23.34 and No. 382 at 7.39. It's almost two days to travel.

What to do
In fact, it is difficult to ask such a question in Romania. If only because there is also Mountain peaks Carpathians, and the majestic Danube with its untouched nature, and Black Sea beaches. Here you can ride alpine skiing and lie on the beaches, here you can wander around Bucharest for days with its unique Franco-Romanian style of architecture, or you can travel through the ancient Transylvanian cities. Where you will certainly be reminded of Dracula. Instead of blood, it is better to drink very good local wine. Here in Romania, the Byzantine style and the Orthodox monasteries of northern Moldavia and Bukovina are mixed. Western Romania looks like a surviving fragment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and, for example, in Constanta you can see the hand of both the Romans and Ottoman Empire. In short, Romania is like a kaleidoscope.

Czech

How to get there
Two trains depart daily to Prague - No. 21 at 23.40 and No. 209 at 22.18. Travel time is a little over 30 hours.

What to do
Thousands of guidebooks have been written about Prague, and they all have one thing in common - you should visit it at least once in your life. Nowhere else in the world can you sit in a beer hall located in a 13th century building, nowhere else can you find such a combination of undestroyed antiquity and rhythm modern city. But besides Prague in the Czech Republic there are also ancient castles, and health resorts(Karlovy Vary became a Russian health resort a long time ago), and the unique cuisine and... In a word, read Hasek again - it says everything about the Czechs.

China

How to get there
There are four trains to Beijing from. On Tuesdays No. 4 leaves at 21.57, on Wednesdays No. 3 leaves at 7.40, on Fridays No. 20 at 23.53 and on Saturdays No. 19 leaves at 22.50. Travel time is from 131 to 144 hours.

What to do
At first, you will be looking out the window for almost a week - China, as you know, is not close to us. And after such a journey you will rest for several more days. But further - if you have endured such a journey, then you can take another train and head, for example, to the coast - this will be your only opportunity to see sea ​​world South-East Asia without using an airplane. Believe me, there is a lot to see there - the beaches of China are not much different from Thailand or Bali. And the rest is China, a country with such an ancient and powerful culture that even a few years are not enough for a complete inspection. Although a trip to China by train in itself is already exotic.

Russian aircraft have been banned from flying to Egypt for two years now. Russians feel deprived and are trying to find alternative paths to resorts on the beloved Red Sea. These attempts are not unsuccessful, there are several options for how independent rest in Egypt, and on the usual package tours.

Is it possible to buy a trip to Egypt?

Flight ban Egypt continues to operate and is not going to be canceled in the near future. The most optimistic forecasts indicate the resumption of flights by mid 2019 and even then not in resort area, and in Cairo. We are not talking about tourist charters at all yet.

Immediately after the ban on the sale of tours in Russia, the most devoted fans of Egyptian beach holidays took a thorough break from the Internet and quickly found several options. This is the purchase of tours through tour operators of neighboring countries- Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia and Kazakhstan. For their part, enterprising travel agencies of the former fraternal republics very quickly turned to Russian tourist and organized a convenient online sale of trips to Egypt.

Where and how to book a tour

Of course, not everyone works with Russians. According to reviews, they offer the most convenient interaction algorithm Belarusian operators "Travelhouse", "Malibu Travel", Belarusian branch of "TEZ-Tour". Charter flights are possible not only from Minsk, but also from Mogilev, Vitebsk or Gomel, which is a little cheaper.

Travelhouse even offers a free transfer from the train station to the airport in Minsk for families or organized groups of 4 people or more. All operators work approximately the same:

• the first step is selecting a tour;
• the second is the execution of the contract, which is also done via the Internet;
• next - payment;
• and the last thing is receiving documents.

At the same time, a manager works with you who takes into account your wishes for the hotel, level of relaxation and price.

To purchase a ticket from Belarusian tour operators just make an online application and pay for the tour in Russian rubles directly on the website of the selected company.

You can also transfer money through a bank using an invoice. After receiving the required amount in a couple of days, the tour operator sends you everything Required documents. As for the cost of such a tour, today you can buy it for 500-600 dollars.

They work in a similar way. Ukrainian tour operators, also happy to serve Russians. Departure from Kyiv, Odessa or Kharkov is possible.

To the cost of the trip, add the road to Minsk (Kyiv, Odessa, Mogilev, etc.) and back and you will get the amount that a trip to Egypt will cost you (with the exception of money for personal spending on vacation). Of course, this option of getting to Egypt is more suitable for residents of the European part of Russia. For those who live beyond the Urals, this will result in a lot of money.

And this is where it comes to the rescue Kazakhstan with departure from Almaty or Astana. Tours are offered not only by local tour operators. The tour can be purchased, for example, through the Kazakhstan branch of Biblio-Globus.

When purchasing tours in neighboring countries, think about health insurance. It is not very convenient to receive reimbursement of expenses in a foreign country (Belarus or Ukraine). It is better to apply for it at home, without being too lazy to look at the nearest insurance company.

Independent holiday in Egypt

Planning independent travel to the Red Sea, keep in mind that you won’t be able to relax there cheaply. Regular flights are more expensive, and in some cases you will also have to travel by land.

There is an option to fly to Egypt from Moscow. The flight ban affected only Russian airliners. Egyptian Airlines (Egypt Air) both flew from Cairo to Moscow and back, and still does. And now they are even thinking about changing the flight schedule to increase the number of flights. From Cairo you can reach any resort by domestic flight.

For example, a flight to Sharm el-Sheikh will cost $35; it is better to buy tickets on the website egyptair.com, here they are the cheapest.

It is possible to choose:

• in Georgia (Tbilisi);
• Turkey (Istanbul);
• Israel (Tel Aviv - Eilat).

Numerous online services for searching air tickets will help you not only choose the most convenient route, but also show you the most convenient ones using the discount calendar. cheap options.

Road through Turkey

Planes fly from Russia to Istanbul:

• Pegasus- from Samara, Omsk, Krasnodar, Mineralnye Vody, Volgograd;
• Turkish Airlines - from Moscow, Voronezh, Yekaterinburg, Kazan and other large cities.

There is a transfer in Istanbul (without baggage claim). Now this is the most cheap way get to Hurghada through another country. A flight on the same route to Sharm el-Sheikh will cost more. Tickets can be searched on the carriers' websites. If the flight is planned not from Moscow, then routes to Istanbul and further to the desired resort It's better to watch separately.

Turkish Airlines offers flights Moscow-Istanbul-Sharm el-Sheikh for about $320 round trip. From other cities - the price is about 400 dollars.

To Egypt - via Israel

This is another (not the easiest) option to fly to the resorts of Egypt on your own. And the goal may not necessarily be the notorious Sharm el-Sheikh, but, for example, lively and democratic Dahab, filled with companies of surfers and freedivers.

Considering Israel as a transit point, you need to take into account that such a route to Egypt will be much more expensive than other options.

Regular flights from Moscow fly to Tel Aviv. Next you need to take a bus, which takes 6 hours to travel through the desert to Eilat. The second option is to change at the airport to domestic flight to Eilat. This is a city bordering Egypt. Having crossed the border by land, you find yourself in Taba. Here, too, there is a sea and hotels from where you can order a transfer to the resort where you plan to vacation.

At the land border with Israel, Egypt does not issue full-fledged visas, but only puts a Sinai stamp, allowing you to stay in the country for 15 days.

It is better to come to Eilat during the day; taxi prices at this time are a third lower than in the evening or at night. You can guess and get on the bus, which goes from the border to Sharm el-Sheikh every day at 15.00 and costs several times less.

How to get to Egypt through Georgia

Options to get to Egypt through Georgia two - buy from Georgian tour operators ready-made tour or fly connecting flights via Tbilisi. The interaction when purchasing a tour is similar to what happens with Belarusians or Ukrainians. You can simply buy a ticket to Tbilisi and from there take Turkish or Egyptian Airlines to any resort in Egypt.

If there Schengen visa, you can fly through Europe. This is done relatively inexpensively through Germany or Italy. The Greek airline Aegean airlines is also significantly reducing prices.

IN Soviet time good workers received vouchers to sanatoriums from trade unions. And when a hard worker for some reason refused a ticket, and even at the last moment, they said that it was “on fire.” The expression “last minute trip” has taken hold and migrated to the modern tourism industry.

Nowadays last-minute tickets are those that are sold a few days before departure and at very low prices. There are especially many such offers during the low season. For beach tours- this is early spring and late autumn, and for skiers - summer.

Due to the reduction in charter traffic, there are not many last-minute tours now. Tour operators try to make commitments in accordance with forecast demand. The hottest offers are at the beginning of the season, when demand is lower and charter flights have already begun.

Veniamin Bondarev

Where do last minute deals come from?

Before the start of the tourist season, tour operators buy or book air tickets and hotel rooms in advance. The formed tours are sold by travel agencies. But it is impossible to predict exactly how many tickets will be sold.

When they talk about a last minute trip, they usually mean a trip that has a very close departure date. In this regard, it needs to be sold urgently. The price goes down because you need to fill the remaining space on the plane and hotel and earn at least something.

In order not to lose the money spent on bookings, tour operators and travel agencies have to sell tours almost at cost. Yes, they will not receive the planned dividends, but they will not remain in the red.

For a tourist, this option is beneficial if he is willing to take risks and wait until the last minute for the sake of a low price or, for example, if free time for the trip appeared suddenly.

Ilya Otkalo

According to Ilya Otkalo, the law does not have the concept of a “last minute tour,” so by and large, a “last minute tour” is just a marketing ploy so that a tourist can highlight offers whose price is lower than the market price. At the same time, by selling cheap tours, travel agencies receive grateful, loyal customers.

Another reason why a trip becomes last minute is the cancellation of already purchased tours. For example, a person was planning a vacation, booked a trip in advance, but literally a week before departure he got sick and canceled the trip. To prevent seats on the plane and hotel rooms from becoming empty, travel agencies reduce the cost of travel packages and try to resell them quickly.

Finally, sometimes last-minute tours appear on the market due to force majeure events in the host country. If the political situation in a country has worsened or a natural disaster has occurred, the demand for tours to this country drops sharply. Tourists can only be lured by a significant reduction in prices so that the desire to save money prevails over safety considerations.

Features of last minute travel packages

• Trip to visa-free countries It usually becomes hot 2–5 days before departure, and for countries where a visa is required to travel - 7–10 days. This means that time is running out for everything. In just a couple of days you need to pay for the tour, complete all the necessary documents and pack your things.
• You need to be prepared for “low-season” service. On the one hand, there will be few tourists around, which is a plus for many. But on the other hand, there is also less entertainment and attention from the staff. Don't be surprised if many shops and restaurants are closed and hotel guide will offer only a couple of excursions.
• Travel agencies do not book last-minute travel packages without full payment from the client. If, when purchasing a regular tour, you first pay part of the amount, and give the remaining money later, receiving tickets and a voucher, then in the case of a last-minute tour, you will have to pay it immediately and in full. This money is not refundable.

Thus, a last-minute ticket is an excellent solution for a person who is easy-going but has limited funds. This kind of tour is suitable for you if you don’t care (as long as there is sea, mountains...), and you can adjust your vacation to the trip (and not vice versa).

But you shouldn’t agree to the first “hot” offer you come across. Not every trip that is called last minute is such.

How to find out a real last minute ticket

When the soul and heart require rest, it is difficult to remain calm when faced with sentences that begin with the words “Super promotion!” or “The most low prices season."

But a tempting price tag does not guarantee that this is a really last-minute ticket. Perhaps the price did not fall, but simply became normal. Travel agencies sometimes deliberately inflate the cost of tours in order to later attract customers with discounts. In order not to become a victim of the “attraction of unprecedented generosity,” study the prices on the market and find out how much the package of services offered to you costs in other companies without any discounts.

Many travel agencies, in order to stimulate sales, can pass off regular tours as last-minute tours. They simply take tours with the lowest price and present them as last minute.

Ilya Otkalo

Also, the most ordinary tours with very, very cheap hotels. For example, it could be a hotel that has just opened and has not yet earned a reputation, or a hotel located far from the sea.

Be sure to look at TopHotels.ru or TripAdvisor.ru and find out what kind of hotel they offer you.

You may not be satisfied with the level of comfort, even if the tour is completely free.

You can recognize pseudo-hot tours by other indirect signs.

• Accommodation prices in expensive hotels, belonging to some large network, are usually stable and do not decrease depending on the tourist season. If you are offered an inexpensive trip with accommodation in such a hotel, there is a high probability that the travel agency has cut down on the package of services somewhere and is disguising the tour as a last minute one.
• During national holidays, during the holidays and vacations there are very few last-minute offers. If you manage to snag a ticket that was turned down, you're in luck. If a travel agency offers a large assortment of last-minute tours during peak season, be careful.
• Visit some large-scale foreign event, for example cool music Festival or a sports tournament, it’s almost impossible on a last-minute ticket. Flights and hotels for these dates are booked many months in advance. And you should be very careful if a travel agency suddenly makes a “tasty” offer.

You are really offered a last minute tour if:
- less than two weeks left before departure (the closer the departure, the lower the price);
- This is a charter flight;
- accommodation is offered not in a city hotel, but in a popular beach hotel, where tour operators book blocks of places.

Veniamin Bondarev

What you need to pay attention to when buying a last minute ticket

Package of services

In this regard, a last-minute ticket should be no different from one booked in advance. Flight, transfer, meals, accommodation, insurance, excursions - everything is the same as on a regular tour in this country V given time. If you are offered a reduced package of services, then, most likely, they are trying to disguise the trip as a last-minute one.

You need to understand that a last-minute offer may be last-minute because no one simply bought it in advance. The hotel may be lousy, the flight may be inconvenient, the food may be unsatisfactory. Therefore, carefully study the contract and the composition of the offer and, of course, look at the reviews about the proposed hotel.

Ilya Otkalo

Be sure to ask about the reason for reducing the cost of the tour. And in general, do not hesitate to ask the travel agent questions - time is short, and it is better to immediately clarify all unclear points.

Advice: read the contract carefully. Pay attention to the legal details of the tour operator and travel agency, information about the license to carry out tourism activities, dates of flights, check-in and check-out. Study the conditions for changing and terminating the agreement, as well as the procedure for filing claims.

Travel agency reputation

Almost all travel companies offer last minute deals. After all, they all enter into contracts with large tour operators and use their databases. But not all travel agencies fulfill their duties conscientiously, and some sometimes openly cheat.

In order to find out whether the price is really reduced, you can compare tours for upcoming dates using online tour search engines.

Veniamin Bondarev

To buy a cheap last minute tour, and not just cheap tour with disgusting conditions, contact trusted companies that have been working on the market for a long time. It is best to choose an agency whose services you or your friends have already used. It is also worth looking for reviews on travel forums.

Advice: if you have any doubts, check the tour operator according to the Unified Federal Register of Tour Operators, and the travel agency according to the register of travel agencies.

Visa

Last minute tours are usually tours in popular tourist destinations. This is because a ticket receives last minute status 7–10 days before departure. It is difficult to obtain a visa during this time.

Yes, travel agencies usually have already established work with consulates. But difficulties with documents can always arise: the wrong certificate, the application form filled out incorrectly, and so on. And then the client will be denied a visa, he will not fly anywhere and his money will simply be burned.

Advice: To fly to Europe on a last-minute trip, apply for a Schengen visa in advance yourself.