Social Protection Systems Tying the Knots

Transcription

1 Logistical Information for the International Symposium Social Protection Systems Tying the Knots September 5-6, 2016 University Club, Bonn Venue of the International Symposium The International Symposium will take place in the beautiful Universitätsclub Bonn / University Club Bonn, located close to the city centre and offering a fantastic view on the River Rhine. Universitätsclub Bonn e.v. Konviktstr Bonn Telephone: 0228 /

2 Here is how to get to the venue from Bonn Central Station (Bonn Hauptbahnhof): If you wish to take the public transport instead, take the U-Bahn (subway) 63 or 16 to station Universität Markt. Getting to Bonn city center from the main airports There is no transport provided from/to the airport or main station by the organisers. The following means of transport can be used. Cologne/Bonn Airport The Cologne/Bonn airport is the airport closest to Bonn, about 35 km away. It is possible to take a taxi. However, there is an airport shuttle bus SB60 driving directly to Bonn. The ride takes 25 minutes and costs about 7 EUR, which you can pay in cash to the bus driver. You can get off at Bonn Hauptbahnhof (Bonn Central Station) to reach the city centre. Note that your ticket will still be valid on all buses and trams in Bonn if you need to continue your trip immediately to reach your final destination. You can find more information here: Düsseldorf Airport Düsseldorf Airport is about 80km away from Bonn central station. From Düsseldorf Airport we suggest to travel to Bonn by train, operated by Deutsche Bahn (DB). The ticket costs are around 25 EUR, and the journey will take about an hour. Remember to buy the ticket before boarding the train. You can find more information here: Frankfurt Airport Frankfurt Airport is about 160km away from Bonn. There are many trains from directly Frankfurt Airport Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbahnhof to Bonn and to Siegburg/Bonn. However, they differ in duration and price.

3 The train from Frankfurt Airport to Bonn central station takes about 2 hours and costs about EUR. You can buy a ticket at a vending machine or at the counter in the DB-Reisezentrum (DB travel center) at the station at the airport. Some trains go to Bonn central station directly, whereas others only take you to Siegburg/Bonn. Arriving in Siegburg, you can either take the taxi to Bonn or the tram U66 in the direction of Bonn. The tram takes about 30 minutes to Bonn Central Station, which is located in the city center. You can find more information here: Taxi You can reach a taxi service under one of the following telephone number listed below or choose one at the taxi ranks at all railway stations and airports. Please note that paying by credit or EC card is unfortunately not possible in all taxis. Taxi Bonn e.g.: VV-Taxi: Accommodation Derag Hotel Kanzler This hotel is located in the South of Bonn, 1.5 km from the University Club. It is an apartment hotel, situated a few meters from tram station Museum König. From there, you can take subway lines 16, 18, 63 and 66 to Universität Markt, which is very close to the venue. Guennewig Hotel Residence The hotel is located in Bonn city center, a few meters away from Bonn Central station and 850 meters from the venue. From there, you can walk or take subway lines 16, 18, 63 and 66 to Universität Markt. Hotel Collegium Leonium The hotel is located just few meters away from tram station Stadthaus and 1.3 km from the venue. From there you can walk or take subway line 66 to Universität Markt. Hilton Hotel This hotel is situated a 600m walk away from the University Club and close to the city centre, overlooking the River Rhine. Best Western The Best Western is located west of the city centre, a 1 km walk from the conference venue. Alternatively, you can walk to Friedensplatz, from where buses can take you to Brüdergasse/Bertha-von-Suttner-Platz, which is close to the conference venue. Intercity Hotel The hotel is located right at Bonn Hauptbahnhof; 1.1 km from the venue. You can walk or take subway lines 16, 18, 63 and 66 to Universität Markt.

4 Hotel Mozart The hotel is located in Bonn Poppelsdorf, a few minutes walk from Bonn Hauptbahnof (Central station) and 1.5 km from the venue. To get there, you can take subway lines 16, 18, 63 and 66 to Universität Markt. Hotel Europa The hotel is located close to tram station Stadthaus and 1km from the venue. To get there you can walk or take the subway line 66 to Universität Markt. Side Event: Boat Tour on the Rhine with Dinner We are happy to invite you to an informal dinner cruise on the Rhine on September 5, After the first day of the symposium we will walk to the boat together, which is located very closely to the venue (see map below). The boat will depart at 18:30 h, so please be there at least 15 min earlier. A dinner buffet will be served on board while you can admire the Rhine and the landscape around. The boat will be back at the pier at 20:30 h and will remain open until 22:30 h. We kindly ask you to register for the side event until August 29, by sending a short to Jakob Henninger (jakob.henninger@giz.de). On the first day of the event (5 th September), please collect your ticket at the registration desk before 13:00 h. All unclaimed tickets will then be given to participants asking for it at the registration desk on a first come, first served basis. Please note the free tickets only include the buffet and a welcome drink. Drinks will be charged on consumption at a reasonable price (about 3 5 EUR). Once all free tickets are gone, you will still have the possibility to take part in the side event at a cost of 30 EUR per person (incl. dinner and excl. drinks). Total participation is limited to 200 persons. Here is the meeting point in case you come on your own:

5 Further travel information for Bonn Weather The weather in September can be rather changing, with temperatures between 25 degrees Celsius and as low as 10. With this in mind, make sure to bring some warm clothes and an umbrella together with lighter options. Currency The Euro has been Germany s official currency since Euros come in seven notes (five, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros) and eight coins (one- and two-euro coins and one-, two-, five-, 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins). You can exchange money at many banks and post offices as well as foreign-exchange offices. Visa/Immigration Most EU nationals only need a valid national identity card or passport to enter, stay and work in Germany (there are some exceptions). Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and the US are among those countries that need only a valid passport but no visa if entering Germany as tourists for up to 90 days within a six-month period. Nationals from most other countries need a Schengen Visa. You must apply for the Schengen Visa with the embassy or consulate of the country that is your primary destination. It is valid for stays up to 90 days. Passports should be valid for at least another three months from the planned date of departure from Germany, they have to be issued within the last 10 years and they should have at least two blank pages. Legal residency in any Schengen country makes a visa unnecessary for visits to Germany of up to 90 days in any period of 180 days when not taking up work, regardless of your nationality. More information can be found on the website of the German Federal Foreign Office. Public Transportation Bonn has a good public transport infrastructure, which makes it easy to get around town if you do not wish to walk. Please note that in order to take the tram, subway or bus, you must hold a valid ticket. Tickets are on sale at vending machines at the stations. On buses, you can buy your ticket directly from the driver. You must validate your ticket and keep it until the end of each trip as your proof of payment. The approximate cost for a ticket is between 1.90 and 2.40 EUR depending on the number of stops between your departure and arrival points. For up-to-date information, please consult: Travel insurance Please note that all participants to the symposium are responsible for arranging their own travel insurance. We are looking forward to welcoming you in Bonn. If you have any further questions regarding the logistics, please do not hesitate to contact Kerstin Schickendanz (info@ma-socialprotection.de or by tel. +49 (0) ) or Sandra Grehl (sandra.grehl@giz.de or by tel. +49 (0) ). For more information on the programme please visit: