  General Information  FAQs Date & Venue Arrival Banks Business Centre Car Rental Catering / Diet Child Minding Climate Cloakroom Credit Cards Electricity Insurance Left Luggage Messages & MailMotoring in UKOpening CeremonyPassports & VisaPost OfficesPublic TelephonesPublic TransportRegistration Shopping Social Functions Sports Facilities Tipping Tourist Activities Transport for IUCR Useful Addresses |
We are looking forward to welcoming you to the XVIII IUCr Congress andGeneral Assembly being held at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) in Glasgow from 4 to 13 August 1999. We hope that the following information will assist you with your travel arrangements and make your attendance at the Congress and your stay in Glasgow easier to plan and more enjoyable. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) We have compiled a list of freqently asked questions, FAQs list , which will be updated as regularly as possible. If you have further questions please contact us IUCR99 c/o Professor Chris Gilmore, Department of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland U.K.; fax + 44 (0) 141 330 4419; e-mail iucr99@chem.gla.ac.uk Date and Venue The XVIII IUCr Congress will take place from 4th to 13th August 1999 in Glasgow, Scotland. Glasgow is a city known for its abundance of cultural and recreational opportunities and has been recognised with many awards - Garden Festival City 1988, European City of Culture 1990 and UK City of Architecture and Design 1999. It is also renowned as one of the liveliest and friendliest cities you could ever visit. The venue for the Congress is the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) situated on a superb landscaped site on the banks of the River Clyde in the heart of Glasgow. Situated twenty minutes from Glasgow International Airport, fifty minutes from Edinburgh Airport, forty minutes from Prestwick Airport and just five minutes from the main line railway stations, the SECC is one of the most attractive and modern conference centres in Europe. Arrival By Air: Glasgow International Airport is about 10 miles from the centre of town. There are numerous direct international flights from Europe and North America, and a regular service from the three London airports. You are likely to arrive in the UK at the two largest interntaional airports in London: Heathrow and Gatwick:London Heathrow (0181-7594321) is about 15 miles west of the city. The quickest way of travelling to Central London is by the Piccadily Line Undergound (about 40-50 minutes and £3.20 one way). If you have a lot of luggage, it would be better to take the Airbus A1/A2 to Central London. The Airbus runs every 20 minutes and the journey takes about 60-70 minutes. The tickets cost £6 single and £10 return. A taxi ride to Central London costs about £30-40. Just follow the signs at the airport to get to the Underground station, bus stop or the taxi point. Warning: Terminal 4 is quite a distance away from Terminal 1/2/3. When you are leaving London at the Heathrow Airport, please make sure that you know the terminal for your flight. London Gatwick (01293-535353) is about 28 miles south of the city. The Gatwick Express runs a train service between the airport and Victoria station in central London 24 hours a day (every 15 minutes from 5:30am-8pm, every 30-60 minutes other time). The journey takes 30 minutes and tickets cost £8.90 single and £17.80 return. The Flightline 777 Bus (00 44 181-668 7261) also runs a daily service (6:35am-11:25pm) from the airport to Victoria Coach Station. Tickets cost £7.50 single and £11 return. The following airlines providing domestic air services to Glasgow: British Midland Airways (00 44 181 734 4110) http://www.2book.britishmidland.co.uk/ KLM UK (00 44 1345 666777) http://www.klmuk.com/ British Airways (00 44 181 759 2525) http://www.british-airways.com/ The cheapest fares are with Easyjet but they fly from Luton Airport north of London. http://www.easyjet.com/ On arriving at Glasgow International Airport there is an express coach service operates from the airport to Glasgow City Centre from 08:00hrs to 17:00hrs Monday to Saturday and less frequently outside these times. The journey takes approximately 20 minutes and costs £2.50 one way and £4.50 return. Alternatively, you may take a taxi from the taxi rank just outside the airport entrance. A taxi from Glasgow Airport to Glasgow City Centre will cost approximately £15.00 you may book a taxi in advance by calling Tel: + 44 (0) 141 848 4900. By Coach: A coach is the cheapest way to get to Glasgow. National Express provides a regular coaching service. Most coaches are very comfortable, equipped with washrooms, videos and you can have a hot tea or coffee. Tickets can be bought at coach stations, many travel agents, and via a credit card booking hotline (00 44 171 730 3499). Britexpress Card and Tourist Trail Pass are available to oversea visitors. The Britexpress card costs £12 and gives 30% discount for any journeys within 30 days. The Tourist Trail Pass allows unlimited travel for 5-30 days in the UK. For further information and credit booking, see : http://www.nationalexpress.co.uk/ Victoria Coach Station (164 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1) is the main coach terminus in London for services to and from all parts of the UK and Continental Europe. By Train: Special rail passes are available to visitors for unlimited rail travel within the UK (or within the Europe) for specific periods, and they offer excellent value for money. Rail passes must be purchased before you arrive in the UK and can be obtained from travel agents and British Rail overseas offices. The standard rail tickets can be expensive in the UK. However, if you can travel on off-peak periods, there are a number of reduced priced tickets: Cheap Day Return, Network Break, Saver and SuperSaver. You can check the on-line railway timetables for the whole UK on: http://www.railtrack.co.uk/travel/ By Car: The SECC is well signposted from the M8 motorway. Car parking is available at the SECC at a cost of £2.00 per car, per visit throughout the Congress. The designated car park for delegates is Car Park 3. Bank Opening Hours Generally, week day opening hours for banks are 09:00hrs to 16:00/17:00hrs. There is a bank at the SECC which will open during the following hours:
No service will be available on Tuesday 10th August as this is the tour day, however the cashline facility will be available to anyone in need. Bank staff usually take a 30 minute lunch break. A notice advising this will be displayed. Business/Message Centre A photocopying and faxing service will be available at a small charge for delegates at the Business/Message Centre in the Exhibition Hall. Car Rental Arnold Clark Hire is part of Scotland's largest motoring group, the Arnold Clark Organisation, and is ideally placed to provide you with the car you require to ensure that your stay in Scotland is even more enjoyable. Arnold Clark daily car hire rates are extremely competitive and can include a free collection and delivery service at all main Scottish Airports. For further information, please contact: Arnold Clark Car Hire, Toyota ComplexPhoenix Retail Park, Paisley, PA1 2BH Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0) 141 848 0202 Fax: +44 (0) 141 849 0177 Catering / Diet If you have special dietary requirements e.g. you require Kosher, vegetarian or gluten-free meals, please ensure that you have informed Northern Networking, by fax on + 44 (0) 141 954 2656 by Friday 23th July of your requirements. We cannot guarantee that your needs will be catered for if we are not informed in advance by fax. Child Minding Facilities A nursery facility is available at Strathclyde University. For further details, Climate The weather and its vagaries are a constant source of conversation in Scotland, and you can pass many a happy hour discussing it. Summer temperatures in Glasgow are "often" very pleasant, but can be variable, and a raincoat and umbrella is advisable! The average daytime temperature is in the region of 13-20oC. Cloakroom A cloakroom will be situated between the entrance to the Loch Suite and theentrance to Hall 1 at the SECC. It will be open from 07:30hrs-19:30hrs each day of the Congress and 07:30hrs-22:30hrs on Saturday 7th August. There will be a small charge of £0.50 per item for use of this facility. Credit Cards Most shops and restaurants accept major credit cards. The most commonly accepted cards are: Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners. Electricity The voltage in the United Kingdom is 220-240v. An adaptor and/or converter is usually necessary for non UK appliances. Insurance All delegates are reminded to take out their own travel and cancellation insurance. Left Luggage A left luggage facility will be available at the SECC from Wednesday 4August-Friday 13 August 1999 on the ground floor of the Clyde Auditorium. The facility will be open from 07.30hrs-19.30hrs each day of the Congress and until 22:30hrs on Saturday 7 August. Messages and Mail E-mail: The exhibition and poster area will have an Internet Café with 22 networked PCs (courtesy of Compaq). These can be used to access your host computer to download and send e-mails. There are no individual e-mail addresses available. Telephone: Telephone and facsimile messages can be received for delegates at the Business/Message Centre. The telephone numbers at the Message Centre are Mail: Mail can be forwarded to delegates at the SECC. Mail should be addressed: Motoring in the U.K. You can use your own driving licence in the U.K. for up to 12 months, but do not forget to bring it with you. Please remember to drive on the left hand side of the road. Petrol costs between £0.65 and £0.75 a litre (at the time of going to press). Wearing seat belts in the front and back seats is compulsory. There are heavy penalties in Britain for driving whilst under the influence of alcohol. Opening Ceremony and Welcome Reception The XVIIIth IUCr Congress Opening Ceremony will take place on Wednesday 4th August in the Clyde Auditorium at the SECC. The ceremony will begin at 18:00hrs prompt and will include the award of the Ewald Prize, musical entertainment and a Welcome Reception, sponsored in part by Glasgow City Council. The evening will finish at approximately 21:00hrs. Passports and Visa The Congress will be held in accordance with the principle of the universality of science upheld by the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). This principle entails freedom of association, expression, information, communication and movement in connection with international scientific activities without any discrimination on the basis of such factors as citizenship, religion, creed, political stance, ethnic origin, race, colour, language, age or sex. A valid passport is required for entry into the United Kingdom. Please contact the British embassy or consulate in your country to determine if you will need a visa. The Congress announcement will be sufficient invitation in most cases.However, if you need a personalised letter of invitation to accompany your visa, request it before 31st January 1999, by contacting Professor Judith A.K. Howard, University of Durham, Department of Chemistry, Science Laboratories, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, England, U.K., Post Offices Post offices are usually open from 09:00hrs-17:30hrs Monday to Friday and 09:00hrs - 12:30hrs on Saturday. Post offices are closed on Sundays. Postage stamps can, however, be bought from a variety of shops. Public Telephones Public telephones accept coins and phone cards which are available for purchase at hotels, post offices and newsagents. Credit cards are also accepted in many public telephones. Public Transport Public transport is available to and from the SECC: Scotrail: From Glasgow Central Station (low level), there is a regular train service to Exhibition Centre Station which is linked to the SECC by a covered walkway. The train service to Edinburgh departs from Glasgow Queen Street Station. Bus Service: A regular bus service between the SECC and the city centre departs every 30 minutes. The bus stop is situated in front of the Clyde Auditorium. Taxis: Taxis are available for hire outside the SECC or the adjacent Moat House Hotel. It costs about £2.50 to the centre of Glasgow and up to 5 people can be accommodated in a standard black cab. Registration Registration, Social Tours and Information desks will be located within the Exhibition Hall and will be open as follows:
Please bring your Confirmation of Registration with you as you will be registered numerically. This document will be required to gain access to the SECC. Your conference documents and delegate bag will be available at the Registration Desks located in the Exhibition Hall. Each registered delegate and accompanying person will receive a Congress badge. Badges must be worn by all persons at the SECC Shopping Shops in Glasgow and Edinburgh are generally open from 09:00hrs - 17:00hrs Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Saturday. Many larger department stores and boutiques are open until 19:00hrs on Thursdays and from 12:00hrs-17:00hrs on Sundays. Social Functions Full details of social functions will be contained within the Congress programme. Dress for all social functions is casual, but men may like to wear a kilt and all its trimmings at the Gala Ceilidh. There are several shops which hire out Highland Dress for these sorts of occasions Sports Facilities A full range of sporting facilities e.g. golf, fishing, cycling etc., are available in and around Glasgow. For further information, contact Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board, Tel: + 44 (0) 141 204 4400. An arrangement has been made with Glasgow University to use their sports facilities at the Stephenson Building which is about 1 mile from the SECC. This offers a gym, weight machines, free weights, rowing/running/cycling machines, a sauna, a swimming pool, squash courts etc. Simply show your badge and pay £2.50 (plus 25p for a towel and 10p for a locker). Strathclyde University offers the use of a swimming pool which is located in the Royal College, 204 George Street, Glasgow. For climbers, there is a climbing wall at Ibrox; details of which will be available on site. Tipping Tipping is not as widespread or regulated in Scotland as it is in other parts of the world. Tipping is your prerogative, a reward for service. It is customary to tip hotel porters (£0.50 - £0.75 per piece of luggage) and taxis (10% of the fare). A gratuity of about 10% is usual in restaurants if good service is received and if it is not included already on the bill. Tourist Activities Glasgow is a lively, welcoming city with much to do. You will find the following web sites useful: In August, Edinburgh (which is only 45 minutes away by train) holds the worlds largest arts festival. This year it takes place between 15 August and 4 September. See www.edinburghfestivals.co.uk/ . Associate with it is the Fringe Festival spanning arts, drama, all sorts of music, revues etc. See http://www.edfringe.com . Transport During the Conference A shuttle bus service will be provided between the Congress Hotels, most University accommodation and the SECC. Shuttles will depart in the morning in time for registration and the mornings first sessions. Return coaching from the SECC to Congress Hotels/University accommodation will departat 18:30hrs. To use this facility you will need to purchase the coaching pass. Coaching passes cost £10 and can either be ordered in advance via the registration form or can be purchased on site. Specific timings will be provided in your registration documentation. A bulletin will also be provided in your hotel. Transport from Delegate Reception: A shuttle service will only be provided from the Delegate Reception on Sunday 8 August at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum back to all Congress Hotels and University accommodation. This will depart from outside the Museum at 22:00hrs. Transport from Gala Ceilidh: A shuttle bus service will only be provided from the Gala Ceilidh on Thursday 12 August at the University of Glasgow back to all Congress Hotels and University accommodation. Buses will depart from outside the University at 23:00hrs, 23:30hrs and midnight. Useful Addresses Should you require any additional information prior to your arrival please do not hesitate to contact us. XVIII IUCr Congress and General Assembly Adrian Lapthorn Last modified: Mon Jul 12 14:57:16 BST 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||