Workshop2010:logistics

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Logistics

Accommodation

The organizers have booked number of rooms in the nearby Churchill College.

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Description of the rooms from the College's website:

The light, generously proportioned rooms combine the functional needs of a business traveller, including a spacious desk and free broadband internet access, with home comforts such as a hospitality tray and toiletries.

Additional facilities for residents include an on-site laundry, a TV room, an all day bar and cafe (subject to opening hours) and sports facilities including squash and tennis courts and a multi-gym. Sports equipment, irons and hair dryers can all be borrowed from the Porters' Lodge.

Many of the rooms offer views over the inner courtyards or surrounding grounds and gardens.

The rooms we are offering have en-suite toilet and shower and continental breakfast is included in the price. Single room is 60 GBP per night, double is 75 GBP per night.

If you are interested in taking this accommodation please state it on your registration form. Number of rooms is limited. You will be asked to pay for your accommodation in advance before 20th of May 2010.

Alternatively, check out one of the following websites, which provide an extensive list of hotels and B&B in the Cambridge area:

The workshop is taking place at the Institute of Astronomy on Madingley Road, so the closest options are Canterbury House (B&B), Benson House (Guest House), the Premier Inn (Hotel) or the Arundel House Hotel.

Travel

By Air

The closest and more convenient airport to get to Cambridge is London-Stansted (about 45m by bus, 30m by train, 1h by bus). Also not too far (approximately 1h 30m by bus, 1h by car) is London-Luton airport. Several low-cost air companies fly to London-Stansted or London-Luton airports. Among others check RyanAir, EasyJet and GermanWings.

From both airports NationalExpress provides a reasonably good bus service (buses every 45m - 1h from Stansted and every 2h from Luton, depending on the time of the day). Time schedule and prices are available on-line. It may be better to buy your bus ticket as soon as you know your flight details, but there is also a possibility for buying your ticket at the counter at the airport.

A train service is also provided from Stansted Airport to Cambridge. Schedules and prices can be found at http://www.thetrainline.com.

Taxi from/to Stansted Airport costs about 50 GBP and it takes about 30mins.

By Train

Eurostar offers quite good fares when buying tickets in advance. So if you are coming from Paris or Bruxells (for more destinations please check the website) consider this option as well. Eurostar trains arrive at St. Pancras International, you will need to get to Kings Cross Station (the two stations are within a few hundred meters) to get the train to Cambridge. For time schedules and prices check this website http://www.thetrainline.com.

Local transportation

Both the Cambridge train and bus stations are quite close to the centre of the city. Local busses schedules can be seen on-line at this website http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/transport/bus_timetables.

Getting to the Institute of Astronomy

The following link takes you to the official map prepared by the University of Cambridge (the map is currently set to show in the centre the location of the Institute of Astronomy but scrolling and zooming are both possible) : link to the map.

There is not direct bus running from the train station to the IoA, therefore we recommend taking a taxi. From the Park Side bus station, or just City Centre, you can take bus no City4. Buy the ticket from the driver to Thompson Avenue. Walk from the City Centre to the IoA takes about 30 minutes.

The University of Cambridge also has a webpage providing some local information for visitors. This can be found at this link.