Each city has something unique to offer the world of technology. Whether it’s a vital tool or just a simple gadget, we’re impressed and have listed them below. So without further ado, here are the top five destinations for the tech tourist.

Beijing

We had to put Beijing at the top of this list for their approach to traffic jams. They’re currently experimenting with what they call the 3D Express Coach, also known as the ‘straddling bus’. It is effectively a bus on legs, whose body spans two lanes of a road but which lets cars travel beneath it. Supplementary power will come from solar panels on the roof, and it’ll be 90% cheaper to build than a comparable length of subway. Trials have yet to start, but they’re supposed to begin towards the end of 2011.

Tokyo

The government of Tokyo is extremely keen on near-field communications technology – the kind of gadgets that let you and your smartphone ‘check in’ when you arrive somewhere significant. They’ve taken it further in Tokyo though. The aim is to create a Minority Report style city where everything is referenced using NFC, accessible to locals and allowing tourists to ‘see the sites’.

Technology has already played a part in overcoming Tokyo’s navigation problems. The city has many unnamed streets, so in the eighties maps were sent by fax to prospective visitors. Tokyo was responsible (in part) for the proliferation of fax machines, and then later GPS for the same reason.

Dubai

While Dubai appears to be the epitome of sleek modernity, there have been some stumbling blocks. The internet is highly regulated and very expensive, with the average broadband package costing around $40 a month. What’s more, the government is anxious not to let companies use VPN connections to bypass their own cumbersome internet structure.

On the other hand, Dubai has built some incredible things. The Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building at 828 metres, built using the world’s tallest ever concrete pumping and serviced by the world’s fastest elevators (40mph).

Vienna

Vienna University is at the forefront of 3d printing technology. While the technology isn’t new, Vienna University has produced a small, cheap one – their version weighs about 1.5kg and will probably cost around €1200 ($1,700), making it a viable addition to the manufacturing and healthcare industries.

 

London

 

A simple app called Tube Status is a must if you’re going to be in London for any length of time. The ancient and idiosyncratic London Underground (aka the Tube) is prone to failure – this app will warn you before you descend the escalators.

Claire Tucker writes on behalf of Tripbase. When she isn’t travelling, she’s usually planning her next trip.

Images: Erman Akdogan, chusico

One of the world’s greatest rail journeys, the Trans-Siberian run in both directions, journeying to or from Moscow and ending in either Mongolia or Beijing, China. You can stay on the train the whole way, or stop at towns along the route. A nonstop journey takes less than a week, but most people opt for two weeks for more flexibility when it comes to stop-offs. For many, the journey is a once in a lifetime opportunity, the completion of one of the most iconic trips in the world, and one that shouldn’t be rushed.

But this bucket list experience doesn’t come cheap. Round-trip tickets can cost around 350-500 Euros and if you buy them piecemeal (so you can make decisions on stop-offs as you go) the price can go up to 400 euros each way, plus a reservation supplement of 30-60 Euros for 4-berth sleepers, which are the cheapest option. And don’t forget that your journey will take you between two of the most expensive cities; Hotels in Moscow and Beijing aren’t exactly cheap and you’ll probably want to spend a few days at either end, adding to your expenses.

Still, if a ride on the Trans-Siberian is one of your dream trips, it’s worth the cost. Days on the train might not be the most exciting – the landscape will change ever-so-slowly as the languages spoken on the train switch from mostly Russian to Chinese, but after a few days you’ll fall into a comfortable routine unless you get off the train for a day or two in day at Irkutsk, Ekaterinburg or Novosibirsk, where you can experience rural Russia and get a deeper glimpse into the history and culture of this fascinating country.

If you’re making the journey to Moscow and the Trans-Siberian is on your travel dream list, consider taking the long way home for an experience you won’t soon forget.

To assist you along the journey, download a Moscow Travel Guide or a Beijing Travel Guide

by Katie Hammel of BootsnAll

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