There's a brand code within the fare basis (LT for Lite, CH for Choice, FL for Flex)
So for a fare code of 'O', you could get a Fare Basis of OZLTO, OZCHO, or OZFLO. All 'O' but a fare brand code within the fare basis as well.
I wouldn't even call the last 10 km or so a road. Just a set of tracks through the desert.
As for the rest of the journey, it was interesting the smoothest parts were when they decided to go off road onto a track.....
I was there on a group tour in April. Not normally a group tour person, but the Turkmenistan part made the group tour the path of least resistance.
Some of the roads are less than fantastic, some travel takes longer than you'd expect! If you are going from Samarkand to Bukhara try to take the...
Unless there is specific language around the fee being for life, it can change. Often increased fees only apply to 'new' customers, with them being rolled out to 'existing' customers later.