Travelling on business

Nowadays businessmen go on business trips by train, by plane, by boat and by car. All means of travel have their advantages and disadvantages. And people choose one according to their plans and destinations. Most businessmen are interested in speed, comfort and safety.

When I go on business I decide what kind of transport to choose and make all travel arrangement. It's rather difficult to get tickets on the day of departure and I book a ticket at least a week in advance. As I prefer travelling by train I get to Moscow railway terminal.

There are crowds of people there: at the timetable, at the inquiry-office, at the booking-office, waiting for trains at the platforms, having a snack at a cafeteria, seeing off their friends and relatives. They are in a hurry not to miss theirs trains.

I get all the necessary information at the inquiry office before buying or booking tickets. Usually I prefer a return ticket (round-trip ticket) to a single one (one-way ticket), a lower berth to an upper one. I like to travel by an express train as it's more comfortable than a passenger train. There's a buffet-car and a carriage hostess brings me tea and bedclothes. The fares are reasonable and the trains are always in time. They leave and arrive without delay.

When I get on the train I go to my compartment. Here I put my luggage on the luggage rack (roof rack) and make myself comfortable. I prefer a corner seat facing the engine in a smoker. My carriage is near the dining-car and I can order lunch when the attendant comes along. I'm very glad to have one or two other passengers in the compartment of my carriage for it's very pleasant to travel in a good company. Sometimes I read a book to while away the time during the journey. I always have a nice trip by train.

Very often I go on business to London by air as it is the fastest way of travelling. I ask my secretary to check flights to London as I want to take the earliest flight I can. She finds out the time of flights to London and reserves me a seat. Usually it's a direct non-stop flight, business class, non-smoking.

The secretary arranges everything for me (makes all necessary reservations for the flight) and I go home to pack a bag. I can't waste my time because passengers must arrive at the airport two hours before departure time on international flights and an hour on domestic flights. There must be enough time for them to complete all necessary airport formalities.

Passengers must check in for flights: register tickets, weigh and register their luggage. If your luggage is overweigh you have to pay extra, if it?s underweight you needn?t pay anything. My secretary arranges for a car to take me to the Airport Terminal and phones me to inform about the latest check-in time. At the check-in desk I put my luggage on the scales and pay an extra charge if it's necessary. Together with other passengers I wait at the department lounge and on hearing the announcement about the flight I collect my hand luggage and go to gate 1. I show my boarding pass to the stewardess and get on the plane.

Planes to London leave and land there without delay and when I get off the plane in London Mr. Smith meets me at Heathrow-Airport.

Date: 2016-06-13; view: 442