Travel Briefs

Two websites offer information, discounts and reservations for off-site airport parking at both car parks and hotel lots.

The year 2011 marks, respectively, 750 years and 800 years since the deaths of Shinran and Honen, important founders of two Japanese Buddhist sects. Memorial services will be held in Kyoto, Japan, March through January, with many events from March to late April. Most daily events will not be open to non-Buddhists.

Vacant hotel rooms in Kyoto will be scarce. Try near Osaka (30 minutes from JR Kyoto station) or Otsu (10 minutes). Contact the Japanese National Tourism Organization (in NY at 212/757-5640 or in CA, 213/623-1952, www.japantravelinfo.com).

New, high-speed Allegro trains will begin service between Helsinki, Finland, and St. Petersburg, Russia, on Dec. 12. With a top speed of 140 mph, and combined with faster border procedures, the trains will make the one-way trip in 3½ hours (down from 5½).

A one-way ticket costs €84 (near $114) second class or €134 ($184) first class. Available at travel agencies and train stations in Finland, it cannot be bought online or aboard the train. Visit www.vr.fi/eng.

Starting Jan. 1, 2011, Germany will levy a new Air Passenger Duty (ADP) on flights departing from German airports. Based on the distance to be traveled, the ADP will be €13 (near $17.50) for flights under 2,500 kilometers (about 1,553 miles) and €26 for longer trips.

On Nov. 1, the UK will increase its already high ADP to £12 ($19) for flights under 2,000 miles; £60, 2,000-3,999 miles; £75, 4,000-5,999 miles, and £85, 6,000 miles or more. All of these taxes are double for a passenger flying premium or premium-economy class.

The kingdom of Bhutan, which first welcomed tourists only in the 1970s, announced it will nearly triple the number of visitors allowed into the small country, from 30,000 in 2010 to 100,000 by 2012.

Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience (Co. Clare; phone +353 [0] 65 7086141, fax 7086142, www.cliffsofmoher.ie) revised its entry fees in July, now charging a per-person rate of €6 ($8) adult; €4 senior, student or disabled, with child under 12 free. (It replaces the charge of €8 per car plus €4.95 per adult to the Cliffs Exhibition.)

A ticket allows access to the visitor center, the Cliffs Exhibition and outdoor areas. O’Brien’s Tower (limited capacity) costs extra (€2 adult, €1 child). Tickets online get 10% off.

With reviews of 285 ships, the “Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships - 2011” by Douglas Ward (www.berlitzbooks.com — 688 pp., £16.99 [near $29]) compares lines’ cabin facilities, food and service; reveals common ripoffs (such as hidden gratuities and overpriced bridge tours); offers tips on value; covers specialty cruises, and more.

The iPhone application “Visit-TLV” provides images, descriptions and locations of museums, restaurants, bars, parks and hotels in Tel Aviv, Israel. It is updated weekly re concerts, exhibitions and street fairs and also lists free guided tours and walking routes. For a free download, visit the Apple iTunes store.

In Beijing, China, Wan Feng Xiaochi (Snack Shop) (No. 306 Wan Feng Rd., Fengtai District; phone 6488 6868), is the only place where the cuisine of all 56 of China’s ethnic groups is represented. The three-story, more than 172,000-square-foot food palace seats 2,000, and its stalls have 3,000 selections, including samosas from Xinjiang, Tibetan wine and mutton from Mongolia.

In addition, folk art and jewelry are for sale and craftspeople demo cooking techniques.

Cruise West (Seattle, WA), a USTOA member, ceased operations on Sept. 18, canceling all cruises in 2010 and beyond. Their partner, Canodros (www.canodros.com), which operates the Galapagos Explorer II, is working on alternatives for passengers booked in the Galápagos in 2011.

For passengers booked on Cruise West cruises who have not yet traveled, steps to take are shown at www.cruisewest.com.