Travel Tips

Why is there a СТОП (STOP) sign along with priority signs on traffic lights in Russia?

Why is there a СТОП (STOP) sign along with priority signs on traffic lights in Russia?

10/19/2015 8:58:36 AM Just one more thing not covered in other answers. There are two different STOP signs in Russia. Black Cyrillic words СТОП on white rectangle (as shown in the question) just mean the imaginary line where a car should stop during a red traffic light. Also, if this sign is in the middle […]

Risk of not turning Airplane Mode on, on a mobile device while in the air?

3/4/2020 5:49:48 PM There are two significant areas – not what you think. Interference with cell-phone towers Cell phone technology puts a staggering number of radio transceivers sharing surprisingly little bandwidth. How does this work? By reducing transmit power, and having more and smaller cell towers. That’s a big part of 3G/4G/5G. In the old […]

What do the dashes close to each other near French freeway exits mean?

5/17/2018 8:25:59 AM This is actually a way to tell that, if not driving on the rightmost lane already, it is too late to merge right to reach the exit ramp in safe conditions. Drivers should prepare soon enough to get in correct position to exit before it is reached as there are signs soon […]

Which part of a self-propelled passenger train (DMU) is safest in an accident?

11/6/2018 6:35:07 PM My first instinct was to go with “sit in the back” as the two (current) answers advise. However, since they’re already here, I’ll add a counter point that sometimes there is a collision between two trains that are on the same block of track when they shouldn’t be. Being in the back […]

Can I check-in and clear security at the international terminal in Atlanta for a domestic flight?

Can I check-in and clear security at the international terminal in Atlanta for a domestic flight?

10/14/2019 1:59:29 AM Yes. The TSA does not care what terminal you use, and the documentation requirements do not change in any way. You are entering the same sterile area no matter which checkpoint you go through. The international terminal is the site of a pilot program using CT scanners instead of traditional X-ray machines, […]

Identification card for foreigners in trains in Germany

6/18/2015 10:21:59 PM I thought it was quite clear in their terms and conditions. One form of ID, and the easiest for anyone who isn’t German or living in Germany, is the debit or credit card that you used for paying the tickets. (They don’t actually want to know who you are, they want to […]

Is tipping considered rude in Japan

2/4/2020 10:21:52 PM The reason why it can be rude is because you give something that they didn’t ask for. It’s like you give nice jeans to someone who is walking in pyjama by saying I feel sorry for you, here is new jeans. Tipping at a restaurant, kinda same concept, it’s not about appreciating […]

Understanding the Washington DC Metro Ticket Machines

4/28/2015 4:56:35 PM Buy a SmartTrip card. When you arrive at the kiosk, wave your SmartTrip card across the white circular reader on the kiosk. The kiosk will show you your balance. Add additional funds. (You can check your station destination to get an exact amount.) The kiosk will remind you wave your card across […]

Why do Ryanair allow me to book connecting itineraries through a third party, but not through their own website?

5/23/2019 9:16:57 AM Ryanair is working almost strictly point-to-point. With a very few exceptions, they simply don’t do connecting tickets, which saves them all the hassle and costs with accomodating people who missed their connection and so on. I can’t comment on the profitability of this approach, but the fact that most low-cost carriers work […]

How can I find out what type of train is used for a Shinkansen service?

How can I find out what type of train is used for a Shinkansen service?

6/10/2015 10:16:48 PM TL;DR There’s no easy way to find out this information for JR East shinkansen lines. Information for the Kyushu/Sanyo/Tokaido shinkansen lines is easier to find though. I remember seeing trainset types listed in printed timetables for sale in bookstores (and sometimes in the station) in Japan. Here’s an example schedule, JTB時刻表, on […]

Canadian friend wants to come to USA but he's afraid he won't be admitted because he was arrested but later acquitted. Would this be a problem?

10/11/2018 1:56:09 AM An arrest, without actually being charged, does not make a person inadmissible to the US. From Canadians Requiring Visas: Furthermore, Canadians who have been deported or removed from the United States, or Canadians with a criminal record, including for driving under the influence, must satisfy other requirements to gain entry to the […]

Is not checking in any baggage suspicious?

Is not checking in any baggage suspicious?

11/3/2015 3:38:59 PM I just returned from a 12 day trip to Europe, flying in from Amsterdam to Detroit. I am a single male, 46 years old, U.S. citizen, and I only traveled with a 32.5L backpack as a carry on, and also carrying a small bag. Before I left customs in Detroit I was […]

Taking a train at Copenhagen airport

10/2/2018 11:49:59 AM The train station at Copenhagen airport is about 75 meters straight ahead after you come out through customs. See pictures in the answer here. Access to the platform is via lifts or a set of inclined moving walkways. Trains towards Sweden depart from track 1, which is the closest to the direction […]

For US airports, is there really a difference between printable boarding passes and mobile boarding passes?

For US airports, is there really a difference between printable boarding passes and mobile boarding passes?

8/15/2018 2:24:42 PM It doesn’t answer the broader question, but at least in this instance Air Canada agrees that there isn’t a difference: Transcript of screenshot Q: Is it necessary to print the boarding pass when departing Las Vegas airport to Vancouver? Or can I just show it on my phone screen? A: Hello you […]

Is there an IATA airport code for the Bay Area?

1/19/2015 10:45:41 AM Yes, there is a code for the Bay Area: QSF, which covers SFO, OAK and SJC. These are called “Metropolitan area airport codes”, and Wikivoyage has the full list. However, there’s an important caveat: unlike “NYC”, this particular code is not actually an IATA code, it’s just convenient shorthand for some airline […]

Is a evening – night trip for star gazing around Osaka, Kyoto or Tokyo possible while using their metro?

Is a evening – night trip for star gazing around Osaka, Kyoto or Tokyo possible while using their metro?

11/21/2018 12:25:14 AM I haven’t lived in Osaka or Kyoto, but in Tokyo you could try Okutama Lake (a dam lake) in Okutama Town, which is in the most western part of Tokyo and away from the Metropolis. According to this site (2016) it’s one of the best places for stargazing in Tokyo. Note that […]

How much money do you need to have on hand when entering USA?

3/18/2015 10:54:28 PM Interesting. I am from Europe and every time I enter the US on ESTA the immigration officers ask me how much money I have with me. First, I made a mistake and told them the truth that I have $200 and they didn’t like it. They asked me after that again, so […]

Are candles a welcome gift in China?

Are candles a welcome gift in China?

12/30/2014 11:06:03 AM Being Chinese, I thought this was a rather interesting question. I personally have not heard of such a taboo, but since there are regional variants on bad Chinese gifts, this might vary with area, and is certainly not authoritative. Due to this, unless some academic publishes a research paper on the topic […]

Is 4:30 enough time to transfer from Orly to CDG?

9/23/2018 11:23:46 AM If both flights are on the same ticket and Air France are willing to sell that connection, that means they think you can do it. If you are arriving directly from Bucharest (or another non-Schengen airport) you would have to go through passport control first. Then, in all cases, you would have […]

Why do travel advisories vary so much between countries?

11/16/2017 9:53:27 AM Why do travel advisories vary so much between countries? Because the advisories are snapshots from when they were created, which isn’t always as recently as you might hope. If you look at the “last updated” stamps on those websites, you will get a very nice picture of the danger going down in […]

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