OK, so this may be your entire house, but the idea is for you to go through the list and mark off the things you want to travel with.  Then go back and circle the things you need to travel with.  A little planning goes a long way so don’t put it off too long.

Download the Biggest Little Packing List here

Oh boy! This is an amazing product! Everyone here at Way To Go uses this fantastic pouch. It’s not a purse, it’s not a backpack, and it works for men and women alike. Comfortable and unobtrusive, it fits like a dignitary’s sash, and it holds everything you need for work, travel, or around town. You’ll wonder how you managed without one all these years!

To lock your luggage or not to lock it when you check it in at the pier for a cruise has been under discussion for some time now. If you’re flying in to your embarkation port, it is recommended to lock your luggage with a TA approved lock. If you purchase that kind of lock, the airport security employees have a universal key they can use if they need to get inside. If you decide to use this kind of lock, try to find one that uses a combination so you don’t have to carry the key. With all of that said, the question here is whether to lock your luggage at the pier or not: The short answer is no. Some people say if you place a lock on your luggage, a thief will think you’ve packed something valuable. If your luggage uses a zipper, a lock is not a deterrent anyway. The best advice I’ve read is to use plastic zip ties and cut them with nail clippers when they arrive in your stateroom. If you purchase bright colored zip ties it will help you find your luggage. If the security personnel need to open your luggage for some reason, they’ll just clip the zip tie rather than calling you there to unlock your lock. Also, if you notice one of your bright colored zip ties missing, you’ll know the workers have opened it.

This is very important: On the last night of the cruise when you place your luggage outside your door, ALWAYS use a zip tie, not only for the main lock but also for the side pockets. The reason is because while your luggage is outside your door, it’s available to the general public to rifle through it or hide something it it. This rarely happens but it’s best to be safe.

Don’t pack too much – Remember you’re not moving out; it’s just a cruise! If you use large gallon size plastic bags that can be sealed for your shoes as well as everything else, you can better organize your suitcase and prevent damage if a liquid were to get broken. Use good-quality luggage because your suitcase could end up on the bottom of a big stack of heavy luggage.

• It is cheaper to book your ticket at the train station, but that assumes that you speak the language, have the time and can be flexible if the day you want is booked.
• During the height of the tourist travel in July and August, travelers have reported difficulty getting train tickets for intermediate trains.
• If you intend to stop, you cannot take the direct trans-siberian, transmongolian or transmanchurian trains and hop off and on again. You can do this on other Russian trains. Also if you don’t plan to go straight through, but rather plan to stop in one or two places, you don’t need to buy separate tickets for each stop unless you want to be assured of a berth. For example, you could purchase a ticket from Moscow to Ulan-Ude and make stops in several places. But again, there is no guarantee of a berth on the train you want to take later.
• If you decide to get off the train and reuse the ticket to continue your travels, you will need to speak with someone in the station. You need to make arrangements to depart again within 10 days, but note that your continuation will be on a space-available basis. To repeat: you cannot get off and on the through trains to Beijing or Vladivostok.
• You cannot get on the through trains unless you are headed to the final terminus. However, you can buy a ticket Moscow to Ulan-Ude for example and get off in Yekatrinburg, then again in Krasnoyarsk, and Irkutsk. Plus at the same time, you can purchase a through ticket from UU to UB and then get another ticket from UB to Beijing.
• If you depart from Moscow or Vladivostok, you can buy all the tickets there. If you leave from Beijing, in Beijing you can buy a through ticket, but not separate tickets for stop overs. So you can buy the Beijing – Ulan Bator leg and will have to purchase the UB to Moscow section or sections in Mongolia. You can, however, order tickets from a travel agency like RussianRails.Com.

Health and Medical Precautions
If you or someone in your party takes medication, or has special health or medical needs, please review additional information on the Amtrak site about onboard personal food, beverages and medications.

Travel Insurance
Amtrak has partnered with Access America® to offer optional travel insurance to protect your trip investment if you have to unexpectedly cancel or interrupt your trip. A link is provided on the reservations page confirming your Amtrak reservation.

Baggage
Carry-on baggage is limited to two pieces per passenger (with few exceptions). Checked baggage service is available on certain services. Be sure you understand Amtrak’s baggage guidelines before leaving for the station because some baggage cannot be accepted onboard.

Seating
On most Amtrak trains, seating is on a first-come, first served basis. Once onboard, the conductor may assign seats. Learn more about our onboard seating and sleeping options on the Amtrak site.

Special Meals
Some of Amtrak’s trains can accommodate certain dietary needs, including kosher and vegetarian meals, as well as reduced-sodium or reduced-cholesterol selections.

Make Your Trip More Enjoyable
Don’t forget to bring along those personal items that will help you get the most out of your trip. Seasoned riders recommend the following:

• Deck of cards
• Travel games, board games
• Personal CD or DVD player (with headphones)
• Cell phone
• Camera, video camera
• Snacks, beverages
• Binoculars
• A pillow and blanket
• Comfortable footwear
• Crayons and coloring books
• Crossword puzzles
• A good book or magazine
• A travel journal or notebook
• Maps (to follow along during your journey)
• Sunglasses
• Hand towelettes

(From the TSA website:)

At security checkpoints:

You may bring musical instruments as carry-on or as checked baggage.  To help passengers who are traveling with instruments, the TSA has partnered with musical organizations around the country to understand the challenges of transporting musical instruments, and they recommend the following.

• Check with your airline prior to your flight to ensure your instrument meets the size requirements for their aircraft.
• Pack brass instruments in your checked baggage.
• Bring your stringed instruments, within carrier size limitations, as carry-on items.

If you carry on your instrument:

• You may carry one (1) musical instrument in addition to 1 carry-on and 1 personal item through the screening checkpoint.  This is a TSA Screening Policy.  Airlines may or may not allow the additional carry-on item on their aircraft. Please check with your airline before you arrive at the airport.
• Security officers must x-ray or physically screen your instrument before it can be transported on an aircraft.
• Security officers will handle musical instruments very carefully and will allow you to be as involved as possible in any physical screening.
• If security officers cannot clear the instrument through the security checkpoint as a carry-on item, you should transport the instrument and checked baggage instead.

If you transport your instrument as checked baggage:

• You may bring musical instruments as checked baggage as long as they fit within the size and weight limitations of the airline you are taking.
• We encourage you to stay with your instrument while security officers screen it to make sure it is repacked properly.
• Owners should be present when an instrument is removed from its case for screening. For this reason, musicians are advised to add at least 30 minutes to the airline’s recommended arrival window when checking their instrument.
• Include short written instructions, where a security officer will notice them, for handling and repacking your instrument. Make sure these instructions are very clear and understandable to someone with no musical background.

In general, the carry-on bag should not exceed 45 linear inches. To figure the linear inches, add up the length, width and height of your bag. The weight limit can vary by the type of aircraft and the airline, but in general, the weight limit is 40 pounds. A good guideline is that the bag should be light enough for you to lift into the overhead compartment without struggling or risking injury to other passengers. Use the drop-in size box at the gate to determine if your bags exceed the maximum size limit. The flight crew may request that you check odd shaped bags as baggage if they might be difficult to place in the overhead compartment.

These guidelines vary by airline, by the capacity of the particular aircraft, the number of passengers, and even the mood of the flight crew. Be prepared to check any bags that the crew deem inappropriate for carry-on.

• Arrive on time. Arrival time recommendations vary by airline and day of travel, so check with your carrier. Remember to give yourself adequate time to check your baggage and move through security.
• Wear slip-on shoes. This will allow you to take them off and put them back on quickly, without having to sit down.
• Pets. Please remove all animals from their carrying cases and send the case through the X-ray machine. Hold your pet in your arms and proceed through the metal detector.
• Children. Please take your infants and children out of baby carriers and strollers and take them through the metal detector with you. Strollers and baby carriers go through the X-ray machine with your bags. If possible, collapse your stroller before you get to the metal detector. For more information traveling with children, click here.
• Think before you speak. Belligerent behavior, inappropriate jokes and threats will not be tolerated. They will result in delays and possibly missing your flight. Local law enforcement may be called as necessary.