1. CONFERENCE VENUE:
The 2015 European Conference on Meteorology for Aviation (ECMA-2015) will be held in ARCOTEL WIMBERGER Hotel located on 34-36 Neubaugürtel in Vienna, Austria, from 13 to 14 October 2015.
2. REGISTRATION OF PARTICIPANTS:
A Registry desk will be available in front of the Conference room and will start registration of participants from 8:30am on 13 October 2015. Participants are kindly requested to collect their identification badges at the Registry desk.
3. WORKING LANGUAGE:
The working language of the Conference will be English; however thanks to the support of Roshydromet there will be synchronous interpretation from English into Russian and from Russian into English.
4. ACCOMMODATION/HOTEL INFORMATION:
Pre-bookings have been made for all nominated participants and experts at the ARCOTEL WIMBERGER Hotel. The rate has been set at 104€ per night for standard single room.
For a guaranteed hotel reservation please fill in the attached Hotel Reservation Form and send it back by e-mail or fax, indicated on the top of the Form, as soon as possible but not later than 24 August.
Kindly note that experts and participants will be responsible for settling their own hotel bills with the hotel upon departure. Hotels address and contact details:
ARCOTEL WIMBERGER Hotel 34-36 Neubaugürtel 1070 Vienna, Austria Tel: + 43 1 521 65 0 Fax:+ 43 1 521 65 833 wimberger@arcotelhotels.com www.arcotelhotels.com
5. VISA AND PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS:
All participants who require a valid visa to enter Austria may wish to contact as soon as possible the local organizer, the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics, Mr Gregor Schmalhofer, located on 38, Hohe Warte, in Vienna by e-mail: direction@zamg.ac.at or phone: +43 0(1) 36026 2003. More information concerning visa applications for Austria is available at the following web site: http://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/travel-stay/entry-and-residence-in-austria/entry-and-visa/schengen-visa/.
A visa support letter can be also provided, upon request, by WMO.
6. TRANSPORTATION:
Austria International airport is situated about 19 km SE from Vienna. The city centre can be reached by taxi, bus or train. A taxi station is outside the main arrival terminal.
Airport transfer to city center
The Vienna City Airport Train (CAT) - prices are 11€ one-way or 17€ return - can provide reliable and inexpensive round-trip service and airport transfers to the City Centre. CAT tickets are available at the vending machines prominently displayed at the entrance of the CAT station and in the arrival hall. The tickets can also be purchased online at http://www.cityairporttrain.com/.
Airport Bus Transfer is frequent, about every 30 minutes and not expensive (8€); you pay the driver, with luggage stored beneath passenger area. A porter is there to assist you to store luggage.
Bus service to Wien-Meidling Station, Westbahnhof, Kagran and City Center (Schwedenplatz/Morzinplatz) travel time about 30 minutes.
Reserved taxi transfer is also available - about 36€ - quick door to door service.
There are pros and cons to taking the Schnellbahn 7 (S-Bahn 7) vs. the CAT. The CAT is a non-stop service that takes you to a hub (Landstrasse-Wien Mitte with U-bahn and S-bahn non-stops) in 16 minutes. The S-bahn is a local service that makes several stops before reaching Vienna and takes maybe 10 more minutes to Landstrasse. If you are heading for a place closer to one of those other stops, you might be better off taking the Schnellbahn.
Probably the biggest difference between CAT and S-Bahn is the ticket price. S-Bahn costs 4,40€ which is the double price of a single ride within Vienna because the airport is one zone outside. However, if you are holding or buying an unlimited ride ticket for travelling on public transport inside Vienna, you only need to buy an additional single ticket at 2,20€ for the trip from or to the airport. Just make sure you validate your unlimited ride ticket already at the airport along with the additional ticket.
Unlimited ride tickets are not available at the CAT or S-Bahn vending machines but from the city's transport (located inside the airport) terminal. There is one priced at 38.40€, that contains 8 individual partitions that can be subdivided among a group of several riders e.g. two persons 4 days of travel. There are also unlimited rides ticket 24, 48 and 72 hours. The weekly ticket is valid always from a Monday to the following Sunday. If you're planning to take more than one return-trip per day on public transport or just don't want to bother buying single tickets all the time, the unlimited ride tickets will provide substantial value!
More info on tickets and their prices can be found on the website of WIENER LINIEN, the public transportation body of Vienna: www.wienerlinien.at
How to reach the hotel from the airport, the main train station, the highway and the city centre:
From the Airport:
The easiest way is to take the Bus 1187 to Westbahnhof which is leaving directly in front of the arrival zone. (http://www.flughafenbus.wien/en). Take the tramway lines 18 or 6 and get off at the next stop “Burggasse-Stadthalle” or walk north towards “Urban-Loritz-Platz”.
From Landstraße:
Take the U4 in direction Hütteldorf and leave at station “Margaretengürtel”. After walking south about 100 meters, you arrive at the hotel.
From the Western Railway Station or the Southern Railway Station:
Take the tramway 18 in direction Wien Burggasse-Stadthalle and leave there. After walking south about 100 meters, you arrive at the hotel.
By car:
From the west:
Leave the A1 at the exit “Wien-Auhof” and continue straight ahead to “Margaretengürtel” where you turn left following the sign to Prague (Prag). Continue on this street to Western Railway Station “Westbahnhof/Stadthalle” until you see the hotel on the right hand side.
From the south:
Leave the A2 at the exit “Zentrum-Gürtel” and continue straight ahead to “Margaretengürtel” where you turn left following the sign to Prague (Prag). Continue on this street to the Western Railway Station “Westbahnhof/Stadthalle” until you see the hotel on the right hand side.
A parking lot at the hotel costs 19€ per day.
7. CURRENCY EXCHANGE, CREDIT CARDS AND RATE INFORMATION
Austria is a member of the Economic and Currency Union and the common currency is the Euro.
Foreign Currencies:
The respective exchange rate (purchase or sales rate) is valid for all other foreign currencies. National and foreign currencies can be imported and exported in unlimited amounts. *Important Note*
Travellers entering or leaving any EU member state carrying any sum equal to or exceeding €10,000 (or its equivalent in other currencies or easily convertible assets such as cheques drawn on a third party) must make a declaration to the customs authorities. Customs authorities are empowered under this regulation (signed by the European Parliament and Council on 26th October 2005 and entered into force on 15th December 2005) to undertake controls on natural persons, their baggage, and their means of transport, and detain cash that has not been declared.
Banking Hours (general):
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 8am to 12:30pm & 1:30pm to 3pm Thursday:
Automated Teller Machines (cash dispensers):
Outside of banks, cash can be withdrawn around the clock at some 3,000 cash dispensers throughout Austria. National and foreign Maestro cards (cash cards) are accepted. Other automated teller cards are national and foreign Master Cards, American Express cards, Visa credit cards and Diners cards, as well as the Cirrus and Visa-Plus cash cards that belong to this payment system. International ATM machines may charge a fee when you use your debit card, and the amount varies from bank to bank.
Credit Cards:
Credit cards are accepted in cities and tourist centers by numerous hotels, restaurants, shops and gas stations. If and which credit cards are accepted is indicated by the logos displayed on the exterior facade of the respective business (usually on the entrance door).
8. CLIMATE INFORMATION:
For October, the typical high temperature is 14.6°C and the minimum temperature is 7,3°C, with an average monthly rainfall of 38 mm. The average sunshine duration is 133 hours.
9. ELECTRICITY:
All hotel facilities are over this type of plug supplied with AC electric power voltage 220-240v. However, an adaptor may also be necessary.
10. TIME:
Austria is in the Central European Time Zone. Central European Standard Time (CET) is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).
Like most states in Europe, Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in Austria, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2).
After the summer months (on 25 October 2015) the time in Austria is shifted back by 1 hour to Central European Time (CET) or (GMT+1).
11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
ZAMG will assist with any special requirements related to your attendance at the Conference. Should you require further information regarding the event, please contact:
The Local contact person: With a copy to the WMO Regional Office for Europe:
Mr Gregor Schmalhofer, Mr Milan Dacic
ZAMG WMO Representative for Europe
38, Hohe Warte, Vienna Chief, Regional Office for Europe
Austria Development and Regional Activities Department World Meteorological Organization
Tel: +43 (0)1 36026 2003 Tel: +41 22 7308135 E-mail: direktion@zamg.ac.at Fax: +41 22 7308047
