China and Japans Rail Odyssey

Please note whilst travelling through Japan, including between hotels and trains, there is no porterage included within your tour. This does not include any overnight trains that require an overnight bag.

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. Some road construction &/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of €324.50pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

Japan visa requirements

UK passport holders don't currently need to obtain a visa prior to departure. A tourist visa will be issued on arrival for a duration of 90 days when you show your passport (must be valid for at least six months from the date you are due to leave Japan). Visa, arrival and departure requirements are subject to change and obtaining a visa is the responsibility of the traveller and not Mercury Holidays. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding visas and passport validity.

China visa requirements

You will require a visa to visit mainland China. If you’re 14 to 70 years old, you must apply for a visa in person at a visa application centre. If you’re aged 13 and under or aged 71 and over, you can only apply online. You must provide biometric data (scanned fingerprints) as part of your application. There are visa application centres in London, Manchester, Belfast and Edinburgh. The details of their opening hours are on their websites. The Chinese Embassy has further information on visa categories and how to apply. The application process takes approximately 4 – 10 working days and the cost is dependent on the visa and class you choose. You will require extra documentation for your application that you can request from us from 2 months prior to departure. We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When calling the Travel Visa Company they will advise you of any changes to the fees or the procedure, they will also advise you of all information they will require in order to apply for the visa. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding these.

Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your e-ticket and final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Weight restrictions will be finalized on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0871 360 2000, quoting HX313.

IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org.uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. The tour pace of China and Japan by Rail is rated as Challenging. This is largely due to the amount of travelling on this tour. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, getting on and off coaches, boats and climbing steps which may be irregular. You will stay in variety of hotels throughout the tour. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary.

Japan: The currency in Japan is the Japanese Yen (JPY). You can purchase the currency before you travel but you will probably get a better exchange rate if money is exchanged when in Japan. You can buy Yen at foreign exchange banks and at the airport. Credit, debit and prepaid cards from international brands are accepted at a wide variety of places in the major cities within Japan. Outside of these, cards may not be widely accepted, although you will be able to withdraw cash in the local currency across the country at ATMs.

China: The currency in China is the Renminbi, known as RMB or CNY. It is often referred to as the Yuan. We recommend that you exchange your currency before you depart. US Dollars are widely accepted in China should you wish to keep an alternative currency on you. Most major credit cards are accepted in hotels and shopping malls in China. Small shops and restaurants may not accept credit cards as well as street vendors, so it's strongly advised to have sufficient Chinese currency with you. ATM’s are readily available in big cities and most small towns.

It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in local currency.

As normal practice you will be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels.

You need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. We recommend you bring along a minimum of GBP £600 per person to change to local currency. It's a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.

Tipping

In Japan, tipping is not compulsory and is at your discretion. However, should you wish to tip in Japan . We would recommend to tipping your guide and driver approximately £2 per person per day

In China, it is customary to tip your national guide and driver approximately £5 per person per day. Tips are collected in Chinese Yuan.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10 and the maximum will be 35. In the unlikely event there are fewer than 10 passengers booked on your tour date, you may be asked to change to a different date. A full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your national guide who will remain with you for the duration of your trip. You will also be joined by a local guide in each of the cities which you visit, ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times. For groups of less than 10, you will have a driver and be joined by a local guide at each location.

Whilst in Japan you will be met by a local guide in each of the cities that you visit, ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times. During your transfers, an English-speaking Assistant will be provided. During train journeys, a guide/ assistant will not be available.

Trains

During this tour you will be on various trains ranging from Local trains to Bullet trains. There are some luggage restrictions on Japanese and Chinese trains. In Japan your main luggage may need to be transported overnight. It is advisable to take a smaller overnight bag with you for these days. Your guide will assist you in advance with this matter. All train carriages are booked with comfortable seats and air conditioning.

Spray cans of any form and lighters are not allowed on trains or planes.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Japan/China. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs. Please be aware that in Japan, rooms are considerably smaller than what you may be used to.

Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours. Unlike the western world, Chinese people do not normally pre-heat their plates and food can be presented at a variety of temperatures, which is a typical Chinese way of doing things.

Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information. Vegan, vegetarian options are available, all meal requests need to be sent over to our suppliers before travel. Please note Gluten free food is very limited in Japan and while every effort is made to assist you this requirement cannot be 100% guaranteed.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. Bottled water will be available at shops and hotels.

If you are travelling within the below Chinese Public Holidays, please note that celebrations last for several days and during these times some businesses will be closed and coach, air and train travel may be affected. Tourist attractions will be open but may be crowded. Chinese New Year usually falls sometime between January 21 and February 20. Golden Week public holidays fall annually between 1st – 3rd of May and 1st – 7th of October.

If you are travelling within the below Japanese Public Holidays, please note that celebrations last for several days and during these times some businesses will be closed and coach, air and train travel may be affected. Golden Week public holidays typical fall around the last few days of April and the first week of May.

Japan: On your arrival in Kansai International Airport (Osaka) you will be met by a representative from our local agent in Japan, JTB, holding a sign displaying ‘Mercury Holidays’. The Mercury Holidays/JTB representative will transfer you to your hotel on arrival where you will spend your first night.

China: On your arrival in China you will be met by a representative from our local agent will be in the terminal, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays representative will show you to your transfer vehicle.

Japan: If you need to contact JTB during your stay the details are:

JTB Global Marketing and Travel Address: Tokyo Front Terrace 6F, Hisgashi Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-8604

Contact number: +81 (0) 3-5796-5431 (office day on Mon-Fri 09:30-18:00 apart from Sat&Sun and public holidays)

Emergency contact number: +81 (0) 70-2264-2119

Email address: kg01@gmt.jtb.jp

China: China Travel Service Head office address: Room 919, 1 Dongdan North Ave, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China Telephone: 0086-10-85228725

Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for China Travel Service:

During Office Hours: 00861085228340

After Office Hours: 00861085228725 or 00861085908341

Linda Liu: 008613911043036/ 00861085228712

Judith Zhu: 008618611991963/ 00861085228340

Carmen Chen: 008613120095762