CHINA-US TRAIN
C HINA is considering plans to build a high-speed railway line to the US. The route would run from northeast China through Siberia, pass through a tunnel underneath the Pacific Ocean, then through Alaska and Canada to reach the US, according to the state-run Beijing Times.
Crossing the Bering Strait between Russia and Alaska would require about 200km of undersea tunnel, the paper said.
The project would run for 13 000km and the entire trip would take two days, with the train travelling at an average of 350km/h.
BRAZIL HOTELS BEEF UP SECURITY
HOTELS preparing to host World Cup fans in Rio de Janeiro are reinforcing their security arrangements after an outbreak of violence in the tourist hotspot of Copacabana, the Telegraph reports.
Safety has become a concern after clashes between police and members of a
favela community near Copacabana. Some hotels closed their doors and advised guests to stay inside. Others say they are preparing to hand guests security guides prepared by the government, with advice and emergency phone numbers.
The Brazilian Association of the Hotel Industry says many of its members have worked with police in World Cup host cities to create special tourist police units.
NEW QUEEN FOR CRUISING
UNIWORLD Boutique River Cruises are to launch a new super ship, SS Maria Theresa, in 2015. It is named after the Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, who reigned from 1740 to 1780. The SS Maria Theresa will sail from Budapest to Amsterdam and also offer Danube Holiday Markets and Christmas cruises.
VISAS GET EASIER
SA- passport holders applying for a French visa, who have obtained a Schengen visa previously and submitted biometric data (ie digital photograph and fingerprints), are now exempt from giving biometric data again on condition that they have a copy of their previous Schengen visa, on which the remark “VIS” appears; and their biometric data was collected within the past five years.
Such travellers do not need to appear in person to submit their visa application.
JOBURG TO BAMAKO
SAA has applied to fly a new route to Bamako in Mali, with three flights per week.
It has also applied for two return flights a week to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. It already flies daily to Addis Ababa from Joburg.
GET TO TAKE OFF SOONER
RESEARCHERS at Clarkson University in New York say getting passengers with more carry-on bags to board first could cut boarding times and save airlines up to $10million a year in costs from delayed flights.
The new boarding procedure would be 25% faster than the present method of having passengers board at random.
Those first to board would be given window seats so they do not have to stand for those boarding after. Passengers with fewer bags would be boarded second into the middle seats, and those with no bags last and seated on the aisle.