General Info

Warsaw

The capital of Poland is located on Vistula River in the very heart of the country, on the route traditionally connecting the West and East of Europe. The oldest part of the city (Stare Miasto) on the west bank of the Vistula was built around the market square and enclosed by walls in 1380. At the beginning of the 15th century the new town was added and in the subsequent centuries suburbs have spread entirely around the inner core of the city as well as the east bank of the river. During the II World War 84% of Warsaw was completely destroyed, with the city centre bearing the brunt of the damage. The Old Town was restored in its original style. Contemporary Warsaw with more than 1,7 million inhabitants is a blooming European metropolis with excellent restaurants, cafes, galleries, shopping centres and hotels. It is economic, intellectual and cultural centre of Poland.

Climate

In June the weather in Warsaw is generally warm and sunny. Temperature during the day can range from 15° to 24° C.

How to get to Warsaw

The location of Warsaw guarantees convenient air, road and train connections. You can choose between any of the world major airlines which maintain daily connections with Warsaw International Airport and low-cost careers flying to Warsaw from many European airports. As alternative you may use international coach services or travel by train.

Public transportation

The urban transportation system in Warsaw is well organized and quite efficient. The main means of transportation are underground (subway), bus, tramway and taxi. Price of one ticket for any of the means is 2,40 PLN (approx. 0,65 EUR as per November 2007). Taxis are available all day long. They charge lower fares between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and higher fares between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. as well as on Sundays and holidays. Price of one-way taxi from the Warsaw International Airport Okęcie to any of the hotels booked for Brain Edema 2008 Meeting should not exceed 10-12 EUR (during the day). Be careful and if you do not want to risk being overcharged, take a radio taxi. Recommended taxi corporations: Merc (tel, 022 677 77 77), Sawa Taxi tel 022 (644 44 44) , Radio Taxi MPT ( tel. 91-91).

Currency

All official congress prices are indicated in EURO, however the official currency in Poland is the Polish Zloty (PLN). One zloty equals 100 groszy. Banknotes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 zloty and there are 1, 2 and 5 zloty, and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy coins in circulation. Foreign currency can be exchanged at the airport, hotels, banks and exchange offices (kantor). You will get a better deal by using a kantor that displays its exchange rate in the window.

Most hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, petrol stations and larger shops accept American Express, MasterCard and Visa cards. ATMs are widespread.

Venue

The meeting will be held at the conference centre of the Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, 4, Ksiecia Trojdena str. It is conveniently located at a short distance both from the Warsaw Airport Okęcie and the city center.

Language

Official language is English. Simultaneous translation will not be provided.

Visas

Citizens from most of the countries (e.g., the Czech Republic, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Great Britain, the USA) are allowed to stay in Poland without a visa for 90 days. Please consult the Polish embassy in your country regarding Polish visa well in advance if you are not sure whether you require a visa.

Electricity

The electric current is 230 Volts AC, 50 Hertz. European two-pin plugs are required or bring plug converters from home.