Practical information
A
Accommodation
Should you need any help with your accommodation, please contact our secretariat at accommodation@euchems-prague2012.cz
Rooms at special congress rates are being held in hotels of different categories close to the venue. Rooms will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Participants are recommended to reserve the accommodation before 24 May, 2012. After this deadline requests will be accepted however hotel rooms are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
Airport
Prague International airport handles flights from within Europe and from overseas. It is located 30-45 minutes by car from the city centre. The airport is well served by public transportation – buses and taxis.
Letiště Praha – Ruzyně 160 08 Praha 6
Tel.: + 420 220 113 314, + 420 220 113 314, + 420 220 113 321, + 420 220 113 321
Fax: + 420 235 350 922
http://www.prg.aero
B
Badges
You will receive your personalised name badge at the registration. The name badge must be worn at all times to access the sessions and the Congress dinner. Admittance to the sessions and dinner without badge is not possible. Only full participants may attend the session.
C
Cash machines
Cash machines are available close to the venue.
Certificate of attendance
The certificate of attendance is to be issued at the Registration desk as of the morning of last day of the Congress.
Climate
Prague is a city with a “mild continental climate”. The average temperature in August/September varies around 20°C. Umbrellas may be useful although the month usually shows more of the sunny side.
Cloakroom
Staffed cloakroom will be located next to the Registration area, coats and luggage may be left during the Congress hours.
Congress language
The Congress language is English and French. No interpretation is provided.
Currency / Exchange
The Czech currency is called the Czech crown (CZK). Banknotes are circulated in values of 5 000, 2 000, 1 000, 500, 200, 100 and 50 crowns with coins valued as 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 crowns. Exchange offices are located throughout the city centre (exchange offices, banks, post offices). It is advisable to exchange money rather in banks than in the highstreet exchange offices. For the current exchange rate please click here.
D
Doctor / First Aid
In urgent matters, dial 112 to get specialised help. For medical assistance of non-urgent character, a local clinic may be helpful.
Emergency numbers:
112 - General emergency number
The number can be used for urgent help from Police, Fire brigade, or Emergency medical assistance, though the following numbers can also be dialed directly:
150 - Fire brigade
155 - Medical emergency (Ambulance/First aid)
156 - Prague City police
158 - Police
E
Electricity
Electricity used in Czech Republic is 220 Volts / 50 Hz (type E French 2-pin electrical adapter plug and electrical outlet; identified by two round pins spaced 19mm apart with a hole for the socket's male grounding pin. Type E outlets will also accept Type C plugs and Type E plugs will also work in Type F outlets).
A transformer is necessary for your electrical or electronic equipment if using different voltage (ie. USA, Canada).
Exchange
See the http://www.euchems-prague2012.cz/practical-information-a-z.htm#currency
F
First aid
Please see http://www.euchems-prague2012.cz/practical-information-a-z.htm#doctor
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Guided tours
For assistance on guided tours, please contact the info desk at the registration area. The meeting point for all guided tours is located at the Registration area. Please make sure to arrive 15 minutes prior to the planned start of the tour. Guided tour overview is to be found in section Social programme.
H
Healthcare
When travelling around the Czech Republic you might need medical assistance. You can be sure you will be treated with high European standards. The country has 216 hospitals and every 10 000 inhabitants are catered for by 108 hospital beds (67 beds for patients with terminal diseases). In Prague itself there are 11 hospitals (including a psychiatric clinic and rehabilitation centre) out of which all are capable of providing you qualified and professional medical aid. If any assistance is needed please contact our registration staff.
I
Information
The Registration staff will be happy to help you on any questions you may have with regards to the Congress or any other matters. Do not hesitate to contact us at info@euchems-prague2012.cz.
Insurance and Liability
The Organizers do not accept liability for personal injury or loss or damage to private property of participants and accompanying persons either during or while travelling to the Congress. Participants are strongly recommended to seek insurance coverage for health and accident, lost luggage and trip cancellation.
Internet
There is no free wi-fi available at the venue.
L
Lost & Found
A lost and found service will be available at the Registration area.
Lost or stolen credit card? Call one of the following services to take care of it:
- Visa (+ 420 800 142 121)
- American Express (+ 001 850 882 028)
- MasterCard/Eurocard (+ 420 800 142 494)
M
Medical Emergency
For medical assistance of non-urgent character, a local clinic may be helpful.
Messages
A message board will be located in the exhibition area. You can post your messages there.
Mobile Phones
Participants are kindly requested to keep their mobile phones in the off position in the meeting rooms while sessions being held.
O
Official letters of Invitation
Should you require an official letter of invitation to obtain your visa to enter Czech Republic, please contact the Congress Secretariat. Please note, however, that the Organisers do not undertake any obligation to pay any expenses incurred by supplying these letters. Furthermore, for some countries, a confirmation of registration with payment may be asked by the authorities.
P
Parking
Participants arriving by car are advised to use the parking plot nearbay the congress venue. Parking is free of charge
Passports and Visas
Every person entering Czech Republic should be in possession of a valid passport. Some countries require a visa. Please contact your nearest Czech Embassy or Consulate for further information or visit the website of Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mzv.cz. List of countries with visa waiver regime with the Czech republic can be found here.
Visitors from non-EU Countries must possess a passport valid for at least a 3 month stay. Participants requiring a visa should apply immediately to a consular office or diplomatic mission of the Czech Republic in their country in order to avoid a delayed arrival to the Congress. Please note that the visa application procedure can take up to two months. It is not possible to obtain a visa at the Prague Airport.
Pharmacy
The nearest pharmacy is located in the Vysehradska str. 5 minuts to walk from University campus
Poster area
The poster area is located in the 1 and 2 in the Second floor.. Poster board size is maximum 96 cm (width) x 130 cm (height).
Please mount your poster to the assigned poster board (marked by your number) in assigned time and date. In case any assistance is needed please ask the hostess at the poster desk in the poster area. Please make sure you remove your poster before the end of the last Congress day. Posters left behind are to be destroyed.
Presentation submission
MS Power Point presentations only (CD, USB stick) may be used. A data projector and laptop (MS Windows 7) will be at your disposal. Should you need to use your own laptop, please inform the Speakers’ preview room technician. Please make sure to take your presentation to the Speakers’ preview room no later than 24 hours prior to your assigned lecture time.
Program changes
The organizers cannot assume liability for any changes in the program due to the external or unforeseen circumstances.
R
Registration
Registration desk will be operated during the congress
Participant registration fee includes:
- Admission to all sessions, poster area and exhibition
- Admission to Get together evening
- Congress bag including presentation Final program, City map, Evaluation form
- Coffee breaks
- List of participants
- Free internet connection in the Congress venue, excursion.
Cancellation policy / Name changes:
Onsite cancellations are applicable to cancellation fee in full.
Name changes unnotified in advance will be treated as a new registration.
S
Safety
Prague is among the most popular destinations in the world. Compared to many Western cities, Prague is relatively safe. You will generally find policemen very helpful. Prague is an unthreatening city to walk around. Violent crimes in the city centre are rare. The main criminal problem is petty pilfering (pickpockets) from cars, hotels, and pockets. As with any city, always use caution and care when travelling around.
Shopping
Most of the shops in Prague are open from 09.00 to 18.00, Monday through Saturday. Shops in the city centre are usually open from 09.00 to 20.00, Monday through Sunday. All major credit cards are accepted.
Smoking policy
Smoking is forbidden in all Congress areas. But it is allowed to smoke in most of restaurants/bars and public areas.
T
Taxi
When taking a taxi, make sure the taxi is equipped with a permanently installed yellow roof lamp with the TAXI sign in black letters. The registration number, company name and the price per kilometre and one-minute-waiting rate must be displayed on both front doors with the prices set on the meter inside the cab. Participants are reccommended to order a taxi with non-stop dispatching office where the information on fares is available in advance. AAA Taxi provides excellent service within Prague (phone No. 14014).
Time diference
The Czech Republic is in Central European Time Zone. Central European Time (CET) is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1). After last Sunday in March the time in the Czech Republic is shifted back by 1 hour to Central European Time and this lasts until the end of September.
Tipping
Service almost always included in hotel and restaurant bills. A further tip of a few coins is appropriate. Typically, the tipping in restaurants would be around 5-10%, tourist guide 10%.
Transportation
The public transportation in Prague is very easy and efficient; the journey to the city centre from the Congress venue takes some 15 minutes by tram No.. 18 or 24 to metro station Karlovo nám - line B
Metro-The Prague Metro network consists of 3 lines designated by letters and differentiated in colour: A - green colour, B - yellow colour, C - red colour, with transfers possible at Museum station (lines A and C), Mustek station (lines A and B), Florenc station (lines B and C). Metro operates daily from 5:00 to 24:00.
- Trams-Daytime operation is from 4:30 to 24:00. Night time operation is from 00:30 to 4:30 and is provided by tram numbers 51 to 58 with traffic intervals 30 minutes. The central transfer-station for night time lines is Lazarska stop. Tram schedules are located at individual stops.
- Buses-The daytime and night time operation of buses is similar to tram operation. Night time service is provided by bus numbers 501 to 514. Bus schedules are located at individual stops.
- Fares-Transfer ticket 26,- CZK Non transfer ticket 18,- CZK.
The ticket is valid for 75 minutes after marking. During off-peak hours, i.e. 20:00 to 5:00 on working days and all day. On Saturdays and Sundays ticket validity is lengthened to 90minutes. In trams and buses a non transfer ticket is valid for 20 minutes after marking and does not allow changing of lines. In the underground the non transfer ticket is valid for 5 stations after marking (excluding the starting station) and allows transfers between the underground lines.
V
Venue
The 20th Colloquium be held at in the Faculty of Science, Charles univestity in Prague, a purpose made venue with easy accessibility to many hotels in near vicinity. With the tram No 18, 24 and 7 station Albertov located within just 5 minute walking distance from the venue, the very heart of the city can be reached within minutes.
Visas
More information about visas is available in the article about Passports and Visas.