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Arrange a hotel pick-up before you arrive in Dubai. You'll be met off the plane and sped through passport control, beating the long queues.
The queues at immigration can be huge at peak times. Pre-book the Marhaba service. They will meet you from the jetway, drive you through the crowds and escort you through dedicated lines at immigration. They will then find your baggage whilst you browse the inbound Duty Free. I've saved at least an hour, the best value $21 in the Emirate!
While the airport’s accessibility is stellar, its usability is anything but. It has 168 gates, a sprawling mass of barely intelligible corridors, abysmal shopping, hugely long security queues and – worst of all – almost inevitable delays. My advice? Make absolutely sure you buy a fully flexible, premium class ticket – this will enable you to use the security fast track, the premium lounges and, even better, change your flight at short notice. Or avoid O’Hare altogether. If you’re flying within the US, try to fly into Midway or Rockford – they’re much smaller and significantly less hasslesome.
There are plenty of taxis outside the airports and, for those who were brought up watching 'To The Manor Born', you can book a limo to whisk you to your 5-star hotel suite in comfort (as in most US cities, Carey are the best provider). But public transport is probably your best ticket. Chicago is in fact, very unusually for the US, thoroughly served by public networks of buses and trains. The El Al, a rather spiffing elevated train, is the quickest and cheapest mode of transportation between O’Hare, Midway and The Loop.
BMI fly direct to Chicago from Manchester. Don't forget regional airports when flying abroad - when you take into account heavier congestion around the London airports, it may prove to be quicker to fly from the regions.
It is quicker and cheaper to prebook a town car or limo to get from the airport to downtown. Some taxi drivers charge up to $80 while a town car costs only $55.
Nightstar limos is a good one. www.nightstarlimo.com
I strongly recommend a little extra time when planning your transport time in the summer months. Most Swedes take all 5-6 weeks of vacation in one stint in July or August so buses and train schedules are greatly adjusted for what staff there are.
www.sl.se for the schedule and www.xpats.nu for other advice from the discussion forums frequented by English-speaking locals.
It's a bus pass valid for 10 rides on the city buses and costs 6.20€ (June 2008). Worthwhile if you are there for more than a couple of days, as individual trips cost 93 centimos. Each (person's) journey is validated on a machine upon boarding and you are permitted to share it with your friends/families.
Not so easy! At newsagents that display the sign "hay bonobus aqui". And definitely at the café in the Terminal Bus Comes near Plaza de España.
To get from Dublin airport to the city centre most people buy a ticket for the Airlink bus which costs €6 one way or €10 return for adults.
A good tip is to buy a Family ticket which costs €10. This is available from the counter just inside the door of the airport. This ticket gives two adults and up to four kids unlimited travel on all Dublin bus services for 24 hours.
This can be used on the Airlink - I always use it when my partner and I go to Dublin and then use it to go around Dublin.
I owe my insights into even the least visited tourist attractions in and around Aleppo to the very friendly and competent Mahmoud Lababidi (which is why I know and love Aleppo more than Damascus). He is a qualified tourist guide and working as an English teacher at a local high school. He can also assist with the hire of a car and driver for day trips.
Mr Lababidi can be contacted by mobile phone no: 00963 (Syria) - 955276368 or email: mahmoud73@swissmail.net
Take the ferry from Cais do Sodre for the ten-minute crossing to Cacilhas (€1.25), avoid the street traders at the exit and turn sharp right to walk along the quay. There are wonderful old industrial buildings and eventually, the maritime museum and an elevador or a steep series of steps up to the small town of Almada and the Cristo Rei statue, from where there is a great view back across the Tejo as far as Sintra.
This can be confusing but the best value is a Viva Viagem card and the easiest place to buy one is from the ticket machines at any metro station. It's €4 for a one-day pass (valid 24 hours from time of purchase) and that covers metro, trams, buses and funiculars. When you want to renew it will cost €3.50 a day. You can also use it for ferries as all the ticket barriers are electronic.
If you arrive at the airport a ticket on the airport shuttle bus costs a flat fare of €3 and is valid for a day's travel on public transport. The Viva Viagem card is not accepted on the airport bus though.
As the shuttle is fairly infrequent and can get very crowded (though fun for the running commentary) if you haven't much luggage I would seriously consider, especially for your return trip, catching an ordinary bus to just outside the airport (check the route map) or take the metro to Olivais on the red route and it's a pleasant 20 minute walk to the terminal.
In fact I would also recommend taking a metro to a random station, getting out and exploring. The metro stations are invariably clean, modern, efficient and uniquely decorated with tiles and murals.
Any metro station is easiest.
Site lists up-to-the-minute arrivals and departures information for all major UK airports.
Handy to find out if a flight is delayed and how long for!
They offer brand new cars on very low prices, their service is unique and they can deliver everywhere on the island.
Nidas 1 str, Heraklion
www.rental-center-crete.com
0030 2810 240120
This is a great site for off-the-beaten-track individual travel in China. The best parts are the routes and hidden gems. The section on Tibet gives some great tips. Especially about the train from Lhasa to Beijing.
A taxi to/from Marseille Provence airport would set you back approx €50. However buses run to/from the central station (Gare Saint Charles) every 20 minutes or so and will cost €8.50 per person each way. Journey time is about 25 minutes.
Bus stop at airport clearly signposted and is located between terminal 1 & MP2 (terminal 2 which Ryanair and Easyjet use)
Gorgeous old town, pedestrian friendly and good to explore. Quality shops, markets and restaurants/cafes; good beer and delicious ice creams.
Efficient buses and trains follow the coast to Split and Dubrovnik, while ferries are fun. Airport easily reached.
A highly recommended holiday destination with good sunshine, crystal clear seas, friendly and hospitable people and nearly everyone speaks English.
If you plan on spending a few days visiting most of the attractions around the city, the pass is definitely worth buying.
With free entry to 30 places and airport transfer included, it saves a packet.
Buy from www.edinburgh.org/pass/
He was friendly, trustworthy, reliable and full of local knowledge - it made my trip a once in a lifetime!
This has to be the best and cheapest way to travel around Japan, providing you go everywhere. It has to be purchased outside of Japan and then the invoice is exchanged for a pass at one of the stations (maybe the airport I can't quite remember). You cannot buy it within Japan as it is only for tourists.
The pass works on all national and local trains using the JR lines.
Don't forget to flash the pass as you walk pass the station guards.
I recommend you download the timetables too.
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