Dear All
As many of you will be attending the Tier-2 workshop and tutorials next week at CERN, here is a summary of useful and important information. Times (other than for the actual workshop) are approximate and to the best of my knowledge so do not rely on them strictly!
General
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Please ensure that you are aware of the agendas for these meetings which you will find here: http://indico.cern.ch/conferenceTimeTable.py?confId=1148 and http://indico.cern.ch/conferenceTimeTable.py?confId=a058483. There will be a UKI meeting on Tuesday morning 09:00-10:40 where we will discuss areas of UKI deployment and operations. The agenda for these discussions (which replace the VRVS UKI monthly meeting) will appear here: http://agenda.cern.ch/fullAgenda.php?ida=a06684 by close tomorrow (Friday 9th).
The rooms for the meetings can be located via the building location service which is under "practical info" on this page: http://user.web.cern.ch/user/Welcome. If you intend to take a laptop to CERN and want to use the wireless network you must register your MAC address in advance. Details of this and other workshop/tutorial background information are well summarised here: http://indico.cern.ch/conferenceDisplay.py?confId=1148. You are also advised to take a travel adaptor with you (note that Swiss sockets are recessed) if you wish to use mains power - in some rooms there are only a limited number of outlets so charge in advance or better still switch off the laptop during the talks and discussions!
Arrival
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Most of you will be arriving at Geneva airport and will hopefully already have experience getting to CERN.
For most the best method is using the bus. Once through customs you need to go up one level and catch the number 10 bus (destination: Onex Cite). It runs every 10 mins from about 05:20 till 24:00 (if you arrive after this time or in a large group consider a taxi which will cost about CHF35 to CERN). At the bus stop you can purchase a ticket using change (the machine does not give change or accept notes) or a Cart@Bonus card which you can get from a newsagent for 20 CHF. Generally the best ticket to get is the "Billet Tout Genève" which costs 3CHF and lasts for 1hr (it is clearly marked! Tickets can not be purchased on the bus and there are regular random inspections with fines for those without a valid ticket.
Take bus 10 about 5 stops and get off at the stop labeled "Bouchet". For those familiar with this stop please note that it has now moved due to the extension work for the tram system. From that stop you need to walk in the direction of the bus around the corner to another stop where you catch the number 9 bus with destination "CERN". There is more than one 9 service so check the destination! If you miss the Bouchet stop you can also change at the next stop (Vieussaux) or the one after that....
The official directions are here: http://press.web.cern.ch/Public/Content/Chapters/VisitCERN/GetToCERN/GetToCERN-en.html
Visitor site pass
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When you arrive at CERN if you do not have a pass you will need to collect one (you must have registered for the workshop/tutorials to be on the list - http://indico.cern.ch/confRegistrantsDisplay.py/list?confId=1148). If you arrive during normal office hours 08:00-17:00 then you should go to the site reception (it is on the left of the bus as it goes between the two CERN stops). Outside office hours you will need to collect your pass from the site security office (across the main site exit road at the last bus stop). You may need some photographic ID such as your passport.
CERN hostel accommodation (http://housing-service.web.cern.ch/housing-service/hostelwelc.html)
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For those staying on site in the hostel you will also need to collect your room key from the hostel reception desk in building 39. They are open 07:30-19:30 Mon-Fri and 09:30-12:00 at weekends. If you arrive outside these times you will need to collect the key from the security lodge mentioned above - if you arrive at a change over time you may need to wait! Check out is by 12:00 on the day of departure and you need to pay at the reception (building 39) at the time of check out. If you expect to check out outside of their hours of operation you must pay the day before and understand where to deposit the key. Keep your receipt as you will need it for your expense claim.
Other accommodation
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Hopefully you will have some other prearranged accommodation for the week if not staying in the hostel. Geneva is busy next week. It is often possible to get into the hostel at the last minute (i.e. on the day) due to cancellations but do not count on it! If you are staying in town you are advised to get a 20 CHF bus card ("Cart@Bonus"). The number 9 from CERN (destination Petit-Bel-Air) terminates in the centre and goes via Gare Cornavin, from where you can get connections to most places in Geneva. When checking out get a receipt as you will need it for your expense claim.
Food and drink
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Supermarkets - the main supermarket is called Migros. There is a small one above the station at the airport and a large one in the Balxert shopping centre (there are Balxert stops on both the bus 10 and 9 routes). There is a small shop at CERN next to the main restaurant. There is a petrol station across the road from the main site entrance that also sells snacks if you are hungry after the restaurant has closed! The main CERN restaurant provides for breakfast, lunch (gets very busy so consider also walking to restaurant 2) and dinner (served till about 20:00). CERN food is less expensive than in town but rarely as nice, so most of you will probably want to take the bus into Meyrin or Geneva centre to find a decent restaurant and/or bar. You may also walk from the site to St. Genis (25 mins) in France where there are some restaurants. There are 24hr cash machines on site near both restaurants.
Departure
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Make sure you have checked out and got a receipt. Upon leaving CERN for the last time hand in any temporary pass you may have been given. The simplest route to the airport is to take the bus in the reverse order to arrival. Take the number 9 bus (destination Petit-Bel-Air) and change at Bouchet. You need to cross the road to get the number 10 (destination Aeroport).
Expense claims
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Assuming you got travel approval in advance (i.e. you submitted a travel request form which was not rejected) this is easy. Print out the claim form (follow the link here: http://www.gridpp.ac.uk/meetings/Travel_Policy.html and also reread the policy!). Enter the details of the bank account to where a payment should be made. The subsistence rate for CERN is 87CHF per day so enter this in the appropriate column and your hotel/hostel rate in the other column. If you have proof of the exchange rate then you can enter it, otherwise leave it and the total blank as the official rate for that day/period will be filled in by the claims department. The current rate is about 2.2CHF to £1. Enter additional travel expenses and include receipts (e.g. UK taxi receipt, bus ticket...). You must also attach to the form your hotel receipt(s). Sign and date the form and send it to Robin Middleton at RAL.
This mail should cover most questions but if you have others please let me know. This message and any update will be attached to the UKI agenda page.
Have a safe trip and I look forward to seeing you next week at CERN
Jeremy
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Dr Jeremy Coles
GridPP Production Manager
CCLRC eScience Department Phone: (+44)(0)1235 778256
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Fax: (+44)(0)1235 446626
Chilton, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX, UK Email: [log in to unmask]
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