Travel Info - HPCS2016
The International Conference on High Performance Computing & Simulation
(HPCS 2016)
July 18 – July 22, 2016
Innsbruck, Austria
http://hpcs2016.cisedu.info/ or http://cisedu.us/rp/hpcs16
TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION INFO
How to reach Innsbruck:
There are several choices a traveler will have to reach Innsbruck.
By Air
Innsbruck Airport, also known as Kranebitten Airport, was opened in 1925 and is located in the west of Innsbruck, about 5km from the city centre. Address: Fürstenweg 180, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Code: INN. Phone: +43 512 225250. Airport Map: http://www.innsbruck-airport.com/en/airport-map/.
Innsbruck has direct connections to Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Graz, Liverpool, London Gatwick, Moscow, Rotterdam, St. Petersburg and Vienna. Austrian Airlines and other low cost carriers offer several daily connections to major European cities.
- Amsterdam: 1h 30 min (daily)
- Frankfurt: 1h 15 min (4 times a day)
- London: 2h 50 min (daily)
- Vienna: 1h 05 min (6 times a day)
Airlines: include: airberlin, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, easyJet, Finnair, Lufthansa, Monarch, NIKI, S7 Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines, Transavia .....
Flight Information: http://www.innsbruck-airport.com/en/flightinfo/
DIRECTIONS:
Arriving from the south (Italy)
Schönberg toll station, across the Europabrücke bridge, get into the lane towards Arlberg/Bregenz at Innsbruck-Bergisel junction, then take exit Innsbruck West - Airport ('Flughafen'), follow the signposting and turn off left in the direction of the airport.
Arriving from the north (from Germany via Garmisch-Partenkirchen)
No toll sticker required to Innsbruck Airport. From border crossing at Mittenwald/Scharnitz in the direction of B177 federal road ('Zirlerberg', towards Innsbruck) - follow the airport signposting. Please note: A toll sticker is required when using the motorway!
Arriving from the east (from Germany via Kufstein)
Kufstein border crossing, A12 motorway in the direction of Innsbruck/Arlberg/Bregenz, leave A12 motorway at exit Innsbruck West - Airport ('Flughafen'); turn left following the airport signposting.
Arriving from the west (from Vorarlberg)
Coming from Bregenz - A12 motorway in the direction of Innsbruck, leave A12 motorway at exit Innsbruck West - Airport ('Flughafen'); turn left following the airport signposting.
Bus route F connects Innsbruck main train station with the airport main building. The journey takes about 20 minutes.
Taxi ranks are located immediately in front of the airport building.
Car Rentals: Six renowned car rental firms (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, MegaDrive, Sixt GmbH) have offices at Innsbruck Airport, and there is a wide range of vehicles on offer. The car rental offices are located on the upper floor of the main hall and on the ground floor of the multi-story car park which is located in the immediate vicinity of the airport building. The multi-story car park is accessed through a covered walkway which provides protection from bad weather.
By Train
With around 25,000 passengers a day, Innsbruck's main train station is one of the busiest in Austria. It is centrally located with only a ten minutes’ walk to the conference location and to the old town.
Innsbruck is connected with all major European cities via Inter City and Euro City trains. The ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways http://www.oebb.at/en/index.jsp) Railjet provides a fast and convenient connection to Austria’s capital city Vienna, via Salzburg and Linz. There are also regular trains to Italy, Switzerland and Germany.
Connections:
Vienna – Innsbruck: 4h 15 min
Munich – Innsbruck: 2h
Zürich – Innsbruck: 3h 40 min
Additional Options:
1. Fly to Munich. Munich airport is internationally well connected. From Munich, it is only about 2 hours to Innsbruck by train. There may be a train every hour (check www.bahn.de). Munich Airport to Munich Train Station (via train or shuttle) to Innsbruck Train Station is about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Cost wise, add about €10 for the airport-train station and about €50 for Munich-Innsbruck train (may be cheaper if booked in advance). This option is good if the difference in airfare rates between Munich and Innsbruck merits the train option. (http://www.bahn.de).
- You can choose a direct transfer from Munich airport to Innsbruck venue (2h 15min., approx. €50). Check https://www.tirol-taxi.at/. Most travelers take this option.
- There is also the possibility of car rental from Munich to Innsbruck.
2. Fly to Vienna. Take the train (Railjet, http://www.oebb.at/) from Vienna airport to Innsbruck (about 4h 30min; train every hour, between €40 and €80, depending on choices).
3. Fly to Zurich. Take the train from Zurich airport to Innsbruck (about 3h 30min; train every 2 hours, between €35 and €75, depending on choices). Driving is about 3h 20min.
TRANSPORTATION WITHIN INNSBRUCK
Bus and Tram
Public transportation in Innsbruck is mainly organized by the IVB (Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe und Stubaitalbahn GmbH http://www.ivb.at/).
Innsbruck has an excellent bus and tram network. Bus and tram connections are well established, except for late hours. (There are night buses, but they do not go that often). Most buses and trams leave either at the main train station or at the so-called “Terminal Markplatz” in the city center. If you have questions, ask the driver before the bus/tram leaves. You can also purchase your ticket directly on the bus/tram from the driver. There are tickets for 1 or 4 rides, day tickets, and tickets for a week. Tickets can be purchased at the main train station or at the “Innsbruck Information” (Tourist Info Center, Burggraben 3 in the city center) or at public machines, which can be found at the main train station, the Rathaus Galerien in the city center and the main bus stops. If you buy your ticket at a machine, you have to stamp it on the bus/tram to make it valid.
Public transportation to some parts outside town and to the surrounding villages might be a bit difficult. Keep this in mind when looking for a place to stay. For route maps on trams and buses see links below:
For general information on tram and bus schedules, see also http://efa.ivb.at/ivb/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=de.
More on Trams
Currently there are four tram routes in Innsbruck (1, 3, 6 and STB for “Stubaitalbahn”). The tram network has a total length of 19.5 km (12.1 mi). For a map showing a general overview, see the German Wiki-site on trams in Innsbruck: Linien/Bestehende Linien: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stra%C3%9Fenbahn_Innsbruck. For general information in English, see the link below
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Innsbruck.
Please note: Innsbruck is a small town. Most places are within walking distance.
Car
Driving in and around Innsbruck is convenient. Parking in the city however is expensive. It might even be difficult to find a parking lot.
Either you use one of several car parks (http://www.bing.com/entities/search?q=Parken+in+Innsbruck&filters=segment%3a%22local%22&pin=YN9002x3148445%2cYN9002x2631862%2cYN9002x2984131%2cYN9002x3336981%2cYN9002x2599730&FORM=LARE) or you park your car at the parking lots beside the streets, which are as the car parks, liable to fees. In these short term parking zones you can leave your car for 90 minutes. In some zones outside the city center, you can park 180 minutes max at a time. There are parking meters on the side of the streets where you can buy your ticket and get information on the allowed parking duration. Short term parking zones are marked blue.
Biking
Innsbruck is a biker-friendly city with many streets having their own biking tracks. Lots of people go by bike.
Bike rental. This rental “Netbike/Stadtrad (city bike)” is also (like the public transport) organized by the IVB. There are about 25 places in the city where you can rent a bike, for instance at the main train station, at the Hofburg in the city center or at the main hospital in Innsbruck. The bike costs €1/30 min. A 24 hour-ticket is €15. For further information on how to register, see the link below http://www.nextbike.de/en/information/.
BANKING & CURRENCY:
The official currency of Austria is the Euro. Banks are open from Monday to Friday between 10am and 4:00pm. For cash withdrawal, please look for the sign OTTO, which accept almost all credit cards.
BUSINESS HOURS:
Banks open early in the morning, around 10.00am, but close for the day at 4pm.
Tyroleans eat early compared with typical European standards. Most restaurants in Innsbruck serve lunch from 11:00pm until 1:30pm and dinner from 5:00pm to 9:00pm.
Most shops and shopping centers in Innsbruck are open on weekdays from 08:00am to 08:00pm, with the exception with most grocery stores that tend to open earlier and close at 08:00pm. On Saturday, most shops are open from 10am to 6:00pm. On Sundays, some shops are open from noon to 6:00pm.
The majority of bars, clubs, nightclubs and discos in Innsbruck are open from Thursday to Saturday from 10:00pm on. Some places open much earlier than that. Bars usually open in early afternoon. Clubs will open at 8:00-9:00pm, especially if there is a band playing.
The closing time depends from one club to another, although it is normal to last up until 3:30 am.
ELECTRICITY:
In Innsbruck the norm is 220 V (230 V), 50 Hz, the European standard. A two-pin plug system is used.
WEATHER:
In the summer, the days are long starting from the second half of June. In July, the average temperature is 20°C (68°F), the maximum daytime temperature is about 30°C (85°F) and the minimum nighttime temperature is 10°C (50°F). There are 16 hours of daylight per day in July. Chance of sunny day is about 25%. More information about climate and weather in Innsbruck can be found at: