Jochen Szech, Managing Director of GO East-Reisen (Go East-Travel) ...

Can I still apply despite the deadline 15 March 2014?

At the moment (16 March 2014), the application process is closed and the registered participants are being appointed to their wagons; the conductor and conductresses are selecting their passengers.

If there are any vacant places on the train left after this, we will open the second phase of application and announce it on www.scoutingtrain.org and in our newsletter.

I’m registered! What happens next?

After a successful registration, you will receive an e-mail from the Executive Board and hopefully soon enough a confirmation from your wagon.

Apart from this, each participant will have to pay a registration fee (please see the FAQ "Which costs do the registration fee and participant’s contribution cover?" for more information).

As an official passenger/participant you will be involved in planning of actions, meetings and work topics of your wagon. Both further information on the journey and terms and conditions will be provided by us (Executive Board) and given to your conductors. They will pass it to the passengers. Our homepage will be also constantly kept up-to-date and provide you with information on recent development.

Will the project take place despite the worrying political situation around the Crimea that makes us fear a conflict between Russia and other countries or even a new Cold War?

Yes, we are firmly convinced that our project needs to take place now. We believe that to cancel this project now would mean to abandon our scouting ideals.

We don’t want this to happen and can’t let it happen – as long as we see a real chance to keep our contacts and stay in control of financial risks emerging for us facilitators and passengers.

We keep observing recent political development in a responsible way and recommend everyone to gain relevant information at the internet.

Is it safe to travel to Russia and Lake Baikal (via Poland and Belarus)?

At the moment, we would describe the situation in the countries on our way as safe enough. It goes without saying that we keep observing what is going on.

ScoutingTrain is a project that is eligible for the category ’youth meeting’ in the Agreement between the governments of Germany and Russia about the cooperation in the area of youth policy. The European Union, German Ministry of Family Affairs, Elderly Citizens, Family and Young People and public-private Foundation have supported parts of this project for German-Russian Youth Exchange. We keep in touch with public authorities and case officers of these. At the moment, there is no reason to assume there is any danger for our passengers. You can access relevant information on different websites.

Is it likely that ScoutingTrain might be seen as a political statement in favour of one of the parties involved into the Crimean conflict (e.g. Russia)? Would a boycott be more appropriate?

ScoutingTrain is a project made by youngsters and young grown - ups for their peers and will take place within a legal framework set by the youth associations of both countries.

Its main aim is to contribute to more understanding and friendship and to give young people a chance to connect the cultures of East and West. Especially in the political situation we are facing now we want to support youth associations and foster international understanding – the more we stay in dialogue the more peace we can achieve!

Is it a realistic prospect to raise the missing funds (EUR 150 000 / EUR 400 000)?

Of course it is!

To achieve this, however, we need everyone’s support. The funding history of ScoutingTrain began with EUR 1.500 from Scouting Foundation, and the funds that could be raised from different sources so far are in the area of hundreds of thousands. Numerous meetings could be arranged with this money.

StartNext

The StartNext campaign provides an opportunity to tell other people about this project and convince them of it. We explicitly want to encourage you to do so by the fact that each small donation really makes the difference and brings us yet another bit closer to Lake Baikal.

You shouldn’t feel disheartened by the amount of money we want to raise!

Share your excitement about this project with other people and ask them for support. Each donation helps us to move the train a bit further. It is important, however, to raise the funds in March and April because we need to complete the booking process by the end of May.

Which costs do the registration fee and participant’s contribution cover?

Your registration as a passenger of one of the wagons requires from you to pay the registration fee (EUR 150) and sign the terms and conditions.

The registration fee can’t be claimed back. It covers the project-related costs BdP had to pay so far as well as your option to take part in a preparatory meeting of your wagon (it is organised by each wagon).

Participant’s contribution (EUR 500 incl. registration fee) is to be paid as soon as the journey has been confirmed by BdP (approx. May 2014). After a certain deadline we will inform you about (estimated deadline is 31 May 2014) this money can’t be claimed back because the booking has been completed. BdP will check if there will be a possibility to reclaim at least a part of this sum.

Participant’s contribution covers only the following costs:

Preparation and facilitation of the project, public relations etc.;
Stay in Moscow incl. city game / treasure hunt (organised by volunteers). Dates: Arrival from 1 August to 5 August 2014 (departure of ScoutingTrain);
Mutual train journey from Moscow to Lake Baikal (no compartments!); 5 – 13 August 2014;
Opportunity to take part in the international wagon meeting before the journey (covered by the registration fee), incl. travel expenses, board and lodging, program)
Participation in a camp in Irkutsk (near Lake Baikal, 13-16 August 2014, incl. tents and food);
Medical insurance for the whole period.

Participant’s contribution of EUR 500 does NOT cover the following costs:

individual or group travel to Moscow in the period 1 – 4 August 2014;
individual or group travel back or further to Russia in the period 16 – 18 August 2014.

BdP will help all participants to provide contact to other travel agencies in order to find the least expensive travel options to Moscow (e.g. train journey for EUR 150; offer from 16 March 2013) or flights back from Irkutsk to Europe (e.g. EUR 550; offer from 16 March 2013). Alternatively, affordable travel options like bus or cheap airlines can be used.

ScoutingTrain Grant Stock

Our Goal is to bring all travellers and conductors – irrespective of their social background - to Lake Baikal - so we decided to install a fond with money from donors from which we give grants from 100 to 750 EUR to those who need financial support.

For further information download the paper below!

Who will take care of participants’ visas for Russian Federation?

Most passengers of ScoutingTrain will need a visa (citizen of Russia, Belorussia, Azerbaidzhan, Ukraine and some other countries are exempt of this rule).

We will support our participants in this procedure, however we need your cooperation. You will need to submit a signed application and your passport with the expiration date after 31 March 2015 (6 months after the end of your journey).

Can I support the project as conductor?

Generally speaking, our team is complete. However, as a matter of exception, the Executive Board can take on new conductors.

Why didn’t you inform us on the amount of our contribution earlier?

ScoutingTrain is an absolutely innovative project. As opposed to such events as jamborees and camps, there have been no journeys to Lake Baikal of this scale yet. The Executive Board had an aim to make this journey affordable for as many interested people as possible. This is why we tried to reduce your individual contribution by raising funds on the one hand and relying on the activity of our conductors and conductresses on the other.

Now, we were able to nail down the price, which has led to the restricted availability of vacant places in the project. As soon as we are able to finance more places, we will inform you.

My registration is confirmed. Does any insurance coverage apply for the length of the project?

Yes. Every participant will be covered by travel medical insurance. It will cover you for the duration of all preparatory meetings (e.g. wagon meetings, academies) and the period of the journey itself.

I am a conductor and took part in at least one Academy. Will the third Academy take place at some point?

According to our plans, it should take place on 30 April – 4 May 2014. All conductors will receive an invitation.

How else can I support the ScoutingTrain?

There are numerous options of support, even if you can’t join us on the journey. Do you have any contacts to celebrities, politicians, or people in charge of the financial sector who can support our project? Then take care of them and please contact our Board of Directors.

But first and foremost, you can support our startnext campaign – both financially and in terms of publicity. Tell the others about this project and tell them that you support it.

I can’t join you on the journey. Can I still take part in the project?

There will be a special call for applications for Moscow city game in April. You can take part in the city game only. Your conductors and conductresses can also decide to invite you to one of their meetings even if you can’t join them on the journey.

Jochen Szech, Managing Director of GO East-Reisen (Go East-Travel) ...

... is supporting ScoutingTrain 2014 with Euro 500