General Infos
ICMC|SMC Conference, Athens 14-20 September 2014
Practical Information
Time: EET = GMT + 2 (+3 in Summertime)
Currency: Euro
Temperature in September: Good and a little hot (24o-30o C).Slightly windy(about 25 km/h)
Phone: Country code for Greece is +30. for international call from Greece just dial 00 before your country code.
Mobiles: You can by if you want local mobile card for 5€ or more at any kiosk providing your personal data from ID or password.
Arrival to Athens
Athens has only one international airport named Eleftherios Venizelos (http://www.aia.gr/). The location of Athens International Airport related to the city of Athens can be seen in the following map.
Airport - Hotel Astor
The airport is effectively connected to Athens by bus, metro, suburban rail or taxi.
a) By Bus
The hotel can very easy accessed by bus X95 Athens International Airport – Syntagma square (24 h. every 15-20 min). The ticket (5€) is validated inside the bus. Tickets can be bought at the kiosk outside. The departure is right outside the arrival of Intra Schengen area, between Doors 45. The journey from Athens International Airport to Syntagma has a mean time of 50-70 minutes depending of the traffic. (Time plan http://www.oasa.gr/xmap.php?id=px95&lang=en). From the terminal the Hotel is 5 minutes walk (see map).
B) By METRO – Line 3
You can take also the Metro Line 3-blue: "Athens International Airport Aghia Marina". The Metro terminal station is located opposite the airport arrival terminals building. Time: from 6:30 to 23:30, every 30 minutes (timetable: http://www.amel.gr/index.php?id=363&L=1). The airport ticket price is €8.00 (14€ for two persons group), it is valid for 90’ in all metro network and can be bought in any metro station. The ticket must be validated in the station before embarkation. The journey time from Athens International Airport to Syntagma square is 40 minutes.
For map an more info see: http://www.stasy.gr/index.php?id=33&L=1
C) By Taxi
All taxis are collared yellow and in the airport are next to exit 3 at the level of the arrivals. Transportation to the city centre will has fixed price 35€ including all surcharges. (Night tariff from 23:30-6:30 50€). Duration 40’-60’.
The transportations are safe. (As in any big city, on open transports you should be a little aware from pick-pockets.)
Athens - Airport
You must be at the airport at least one hour before your flight.
By bus. The terminal (“Afetiria”) of line X95 Athens (Syntagma square - International Airport), is in the upper right corner of Syntagma square. (Duration 50’-70’)
By metro. The metro station is un the upper side of Syntagma square. You take Line 3-Blue direction “Airport” («Αεροδρόμιο») twice an hour. From 5:37 to 23:03, every hour at 3' and 33'. (Duration 40’)
By taxi. There is a taxi station at the lower position of Syntagma square. Duration 40’-60’.
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Access to venue
Conference Onasis Cultural Center, 107-109 Syngrou Avenue, Athens 11745 (see map)
The transfer to and from the venue is organized. If you want to go alone:
By Taxi: From Syntagma square 5 -10 minutes. 4€
By Tramway: From Syntagma square (upper right corner): Take any tram (T3, T4 or T5) and after 4 stops (15’) you step down at “Kasomouli” station. Then you walk 5 minutes to the Onasis Cultural Center (see route http://goo.gl/maps/OU3p) Ticket price 1.40€. (see also tramway map).
OTHER INFOS
Signs are usually in Greek and English. If it is only in Greek, the following tips will be useful.
H, Y, EI, OI (η, υ, oι)are all pronounced “i” (ee)
AI (αι) is pronounced “e” (eh)
Ω (ω) is pronounced “o”
P (ρ)= “r”,
The rest is easy: Σ (σ, ς) = “s”, Γ (γ)= “gh”, Δ (δ) = “th” (like that), Θ (θ)=”th” (like think), Λ = "L", Ξ (ξ) = “ks”, Φ (φ) = “f” and Ψ (ψ) = “ps”.
Smoking: is forbidden in all closed public areas and transports. Despite that many bars and taverns do not forbid the smoking. In hotels also you can ask for smoking rooms.
Travel to the islands
You can get information for all boat schedules to the islands at openseas website: http://www.openseas.gr/openseas-webapp-war/en/index.html and get tickets at http://travel.viva.gr/en/home (both available as mobile apps "openseas" and "viva wallet").
