Dear All
As for the June meeting I have put together a list of some useful information for next week - it will be more useful and relevant to those of you who have not been to CERN. Any times mentioned are approximate. Please could everyone check their names in section 8 "GridPP CERN hostel block booking" and let me know immediately if:
a) the booking is not required
b) the dates are wrong
If in doubt about a booking which is non-standard please contact the hostel directly to confirm the situation.
1. General
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The agenda for the main WLCG meeting is:
http://indico.cern.ch/conferenceTimeTable.py?confId=3738&showDate=all&showSession=all&detailLevel=contribution&viewMode=parallel
Organisational material (including a link to room locations) is here:
http://indico.cern.ch/conferenceDisplay.py?confId=3738
Although registration is now closed please let me know if your name does not appear on the "List of registrants", especially if you do not have a CERN pass already.
If you intend to take a laptop to CERN and want to use the wireless network you must register your MAC address in advance (you may have already done this for the previous meeting). For more information see the first item on the page already mentioned: http://indico.cern.ch/conferenceDisplay.py?confId=3738.
You are 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!
2. 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 (e.g. from the one to the left as you exit the arrivals baggage area). 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". 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
3. 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 to be on the list - http://indico.cern.ch/confRegistrantsDisplay.py/list?confId=3738). 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 (and probably on Sunday) you will need to collect your pass from the site security office (across the main site exit road at the last number 9 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 (see section 8) 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. Those on the GridPP block booking (see list below) will have room charges paid directly by GridPP - if there is any confusion at checkout mention the GridPP Block Booking requested by Tony Cass and the list sent by me. If things can not be resolved and you have to pay on checkout be sure to keep the receipt for your expense claim. If you expect to check-out outside of their hours of operation you must understand where to deposit the key.
4. Getting into Geneva
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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.
5. Food and drink
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Supermarkets - the main supermarket in Geneva 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 9 and 10 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). Please note that restaurant 1 is currently undergoing refurbishment so gets even more congested. 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.
6. Departure
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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).
7. 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!). The information for university users is all on
http://www.particlephysics.ac.uk/research/travel-and-claim-forms.html.
Enter the details of the bank account to where a payment should be made. The subsistence rate for CERN is still 87CHF per day, so enter this in the appropriate column and your hotel/hostel rate in the other column if you were not on the block booking. 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 CHF2.34 to £1. Enter additional travel expenses and include receipts (e.g. UK taxi receipt, bus ticket).Sign and date the form and send it to the PPD director at RAL. The documentation is not clear about the need for an approval signature from your department leader (if outside CCLRC) and I am seeking clarification, this also applied to the travel request which most of you will already have submitted.
8. GridPP CERN hostel block booking
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As mentioned in previous emails GridPP was able to block book rooms in the hostel for this meeting. We will be charged even if you do not use the booked room so if the dates are wrong for you or you need to cancel please inform the hostel reception directly ( [log in to unmask])and cc: the message to me ([log in to unmask]). Unless mentioned otherwise the default date used for the booking is from Sunday 21st until checkout on Friday 26th January.
The list as it currently stands is:
1 Derek Ross
2 Duncan Rand
3 Chris Kruk
4 Sam Skipsey
5 Winnie Lacesso
6 Chris Brew
7 Ewen MacMahon
8 Dominic Wilson
9 Gianfranco Sciacca
10 Paul Trepka
11 Colin Morey
12 Santanu Das
13 David Colling
14 Giuseppe Mazza
15 Peter Love
16 Simon George
17 David Martin
18 John Gordon
19 Jeremy Coles
20 Martin Bly
21 Andrew Sansum
22 Marian Klein*
23 Greig Cowan Requires also nights of January 26th and 27th
24 Jens Jensen
25 TBC
26 Gordon Brown
27 Stephen Burke
28 Neil Geddes Will leave on 21st
29 Olivier van der Aa*
30 Alessandra Forti *
31 Peter Gronbech*
32 Shaun de Witt Booking required for January 15th to 25th inclusive
33 Dave Kant*
* indicates that the room charge will be allocated to an EGEE project code.
If you had already booked the hostel assures me (and I named those I knew about) that they will delete any duplicate bookings. If your name does not appear on the list but you believe it should then please let me know as soon as possible!
This mail should cover most questions but if you have others please let me know. 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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