Month: June 2019

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Rail Europe: Hiking and public transport combined

Rail Europe: Hiking and public transport combined

Stepping out, breathing in, setting off: Hiking in Switzerland can be so simple. Thanks to train, bus, boat and mountain railway, the starting point of any given hiking trip is easy to reach – whether in the Grisons National Park or at the Matterhorn glacier paradise. Yes, that’s right. It is wonderfully simple to get to the Swiss mountain summits. Walks, family hiking trails or mountain tours are perfect in combination with public transport. Also, any hike can be paused and sections done by mountain rail-way & co. So, hiking boots on, Swiss Travel Pass packed, and off to the mountains! 

5 hikes combined with public transport:

1. Albula Railway Adventure Trail from Bergün to Preda

Grisons: On the trail of Bernina and Glacier Express (Grisons)

Hiking along the UNESCO World Heritage Site: The railway adventure trail leads along the historic Albula Line of Rhaetian Railway. On roughly seven kilometres, hikers can see this masterpiece of engineering up close. Nu-merous times, the hiking path crosses the railway tracks of the Bernina and Glacier Express trains. That way, the railway craftsmanship can be mar-velled at from different angles. Very impressive. Promise. The starting point in Bergün and the endpoint in Preda are easily reached by train.

2. Along the Swiss border

Spring hike at the High Rhine (Schaffhausen)

From one historic town to the next – in a very relaxed manner along the beautiful Rhine. Stein am Rhein as well as Diessenhofen (starting and end points) are located along the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland and are com-fortably accessible by train, bus and boat. Those who prefer to take it easy after the hike of 12.2 kilometres can always take a boat cruise into the sun-set, enjoying a cool beer and a snack. Maybe straight to Schaffhausen, where Europe’s largest waterfall, the Rhine Fall, is just around the corner.

3. Hiking with a view of France

The terraces of the Lavaux (Lake Geneva Region) 

This hike is perfect for people who appreciate the beautiful and delicious. Visitors enjoy the wonderful view of Lake Geneva and the vineyards of the Lavaux region as well as its wines. Those who have a taste for excellence wine may choose to travel on or return by train, bus or boat after three hours of hiking through the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Starting point for the hike is Lutry, which can be reached by public transport. At the end of the eleven-kilometre hike, at St. Saphorin, a train is waiting to take passengers home.

4. Hike with a view of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau

Grütschalp – Winteregg – Mürren (Bernese Oberland)

This hike takes visitors high up: From the funicular Grütschalp in the Bernese Oberland, a broad gravel road leads upwards to the edge of the forest. Right behind the impressive mountain forest, the captivating pano-ramic view onto Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau unfolds. After barely an hour, hikers reach Winteregg. From there, the trail leads more or less parallel along the railway tracks to Mürren. The 4.4 kilometres of the trail can be tackled in no more than one-and-a-quarter hours. As usual, starting and end points are perfectly connected to the public transport network.

5. Panorama hike with guaranteed Matterhorn view

360° Loop Gornergrat (Zermatt, Valais) 

The 360° loop on the Gornergrat may well be the shortest but also one of the most scenic hiking trails in Switzerland. After a spectacular ride to the Gornergrat, the circular walk starts right behind the “3100 Kulmhotel”. The 15 to 20-minute walk promises pure panoramic delight: the impressive Monte Rosa massif with the Dufourspitze and the Gorner Glacier lie at one’s feet. 29 four-thousand-metre peaks rise towards the sky – among them, of course, the famous Matterhorn.

Source: www.mystsnet.com

United Airlines Makes Connecting the World Easier Than Ever with ConnectionSaver

United Airlines Makes Connecting the World Easier Than Ever with ConnectionSaver

Just in time for the busy summer travel season, United Airlines is introducing ConnectionSaver, a new tool dedicated to improving the experience for customers connecting from one United flight to the next. ConnectionSaver is powered by new technology that automatically identifies departing flights that can be held for connecting customers, while ensuring those who have already boarded the aircraft arrive at their destination on time. ConnectionSaver also sends personalized text messages to every connecting customer (who has opted in to receive notifications) with clear directions to the gate for their connecting flight and information about how long the walk will take.

United's ConnectionSaver technology automatically scans flights for customers who are making tight connections to determine if the connecting flight can be held without inconveniencing other customers. The ConnectionSaver tool takes into account factors such as the time it will take for late connecting customers to travel gate-to-gate as well as the impact the hold may have on other flights and customers.

"Through improved technology and our dedication to running a reliable operation, customers with tight connections are making their flights. With summer travel picking up, as many as 150,000 customers will make connections on United flights every day and our goal is to provide our employees and these customers with the most up-to-date information to make connecting as stress-free as possible," said Toby Enqvist, chief customer officer at United.

United launched its ConnectionSaver tool on all flights at Denver International Airport in February, and then expanded it to Chicago O'Hare International Airport – two of the airline's busiest hubs with thousands of connecting customers every day. During the past four months, more than 14,400 customers, who would have otherwise missed their connections, were able to make their flights thanks to ConnectionSaver. Flights that were held for connecting customers were delayed an average of six minutes. This ConnectionSaver technology will expand to the airline's hubs by this fall and to all other airports that United operates at in the future.

"ConnectionSaver only works if it allows us to care for as many customers as possible – without inconveniencing others – and that's exactly what this technology has shown it can do. We're determined to capitalize on as many opportunities as possible to better serve and care for our customers and that's part of what sets United apart from our competitors," said Enqvist.

The ConnectionSaver program also includes text notifications personalized for customers making connections through the airline's hub airports, that will help them navigate and travel efficiently to the gate for their next flight. Once customers land at their connecting airport, they will receive a text message that tells them the gate where they are arriving, the gate where they will depart and the expected travel time between the two gates. The texts will also include a link with step-by-step directions to the next gate and a map of nearby amenities.

Earlier this year United added more detailed and helpful connection information to its reimagined mobile app. Customers using the latest version of the app will be prompted with information about their arrival and departing gates and a map of the airport once they land.

Every customer. Every flight. Every day.

In 2019, United is focusing more than ever on its commitment to its customers, looking at every aspect of its business to ensure that the carrier keeps customers' best interests at the heart of its service. In addition to today's announcement, United recently announced that luxury skincare line Sunday Riley will make products exclusively for United customers to experience in amenity kits, released a re-imagined version of the most downloaded app in the airline industry and made DIRECTV free for every passenger on 211 aircraft, offering more than 100 channels on seat back monitors on more than 30,000 seats.

Source: www.united.com

First Steel Cut for Seabourn’s New Ultra-Luxury Purpose-Built Expedition Ship, Seabourn Venture

First Steel Cut for Seabourn’s New Ultra-Luxury Purpose-Built Expedition Ship, Seabourn Venture

Seabourn, the world’s finest ultra-luxury cruise line, is celebrating an important milestone in the construction of its new expedition ship, Seabourn Venture, with the commemorative cutting of the first steel. Seabourn President Richard Meadows and T. Mariotti Managing Director Marco Ghiglione presided over the ceremony in San Giorgo di Nogare, Italy.

“It’s an exciting time at Seabourn, and the cutting of the first steel means we are officially underway in making our first expedition ship come together,” said Richard Meadows, president of Seabourn. “We’re looking forward to watching raw steel transformed into a beautiful vessel. With Adam Tihany’s extraordinary design vision and Mariotti’s excellent and meticulous craftsmanship, Seabourn Venture will undoubtedly be a groundbreaking ship in ultra-luxury expedition travel.”

Seabourn Venture is scheduled to launch in June 2021, with a second yet-to-be-named sister ship slated to launch in May 2022. The ships are being designed from conception for expedition travel blended with ultra-luxury and personalized service by leading travel experts and seasoned professionals with great depth of experience in expedition, hospitality, and luxury cruising.

“The steel cutting ceremony marks an important milestone in the process of shipbuilding, one that ship builder and cruise companies hardly forget”, said Marco Ghiglione, T. Mariotti Managing Director. “We are very excited about this new endeavor that will result in Seabourn’s very first expedition ship. This project marks another milestone in our longstanding relationship with Seabourn, a partnership that has always been linked to crucial developments in the cruise line’s strategy. As we take a further step in our collaboration with Seabourn, we are proud to offer our experience and expertise to service, once again, an important project that will constitute the new frontier of ultra-luxury cruising”.

Both ships will be designed and built for diverse environments to PC6 Polar Class standards and will include an array of modern hardware and technology that will extend the ships global deployment and capabilities. They will be a brand new innovative design, created specifically for the ultra-luxury expedition traveler, and will include many features that have made Seabourn ships so successful. A new and exciting offering will be two custom-built submarines carried onboard, providing an unforgettable view of the world beneath the ocean’s surface. Seabourn Venture will carry 24 zodiacs onboard, giving her the flexibility to take all guests on a Zodiac tour at once, should conditions present a small window of opportunity. Each ship will feature 132 luxurious oceanfront veranda suites, providing the best in accommodation no matter where the ships travel.

For this latest project with Seabourn, renowned hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany will develop the design vision for public areas and all categories of luxurious guest suites, as well as a bespoke furniture collection. Renderings of a selection of these spaces can be found in the link here.

Both expedition vessels will feature an onboard crew that will include outstanding and well-traveled expedition teams comprised of highly regarded wilderness experts, scientists, historians and naturalists. During each sailing, team members regularly interact with guests, providing keen insight to deliver a rich holistic travel experience. These fascinating, accomplished experts are also part of the Seabourn Conversations program, providing in-depth insights into the history, ecology and culture of the places they visit. Their valuable insights are offered both in formal presentations on a variety of topics and in more casual conversations over meals, on deck during scenic cruising or at leisure.

More details and full-color renderings of the ship and its interior spaces will be released in the months ahead.

Seabourn continues to represent the pinnacle of ultra-luxury travel with intimate ships offering key elements that set the line apart: spacious, thoughtfully appointed suites, many with verandas and all 100% ocean front; superb dining in a choice of venues; complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available on board at all times; award-winning service and a relaxed, sociable atmosphere that makes guests feel right at home on board. The ships travel the globe to many of the world’s most desirable destinations, including marquee cities, more than 170 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and lesser-known ports and hideaways.

Source: www.seabourn.com