CERN is located a few kilometers north-west of Geneva, at the border between Switzerland and France. This Google map (click on it) highlights all points of interest discussed below.
Reaching CERN:
Reaching CERN from Geneva airport:
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By public bus: bus Y runs every 30 or 60 minutes from the airport directly to CERN, in about 20 min. Other connections are also possible. See the route planner (input From: 'Geneva airport', To: 'CERN').
Notice 1: take the bus towards 'Thoiry' (not 'Ferney-Mairie'!), find its stop on the departure-level plaza, to the left behind a building: see the pointer in the Google map above.
Notice 2: pick up a free bus ticket from the machine in the baggage delivery hall (see Note below). - By bus+tram: at the airport, take one of the bus lines that stop at Blandonnet (bus 23, 57, 28, and even Y), get off at Blandonnet, take the elevator up to the tram platform and take tram 18 towards CERN.
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By the free CERN airport Shuttle: see the schedule and information.
Notice 1: find its stop on the departure-level plaza to the left, see the pointer in the Google map above.
Notice 2: in principle you should already hold a CERN access card to be allowed to board the shuttle. If you don't have one yet, please ask the driver to be left outside CERN's gates (if, by mistake, you enter CERN campus on board the shuttle, you will be left at the shuttle stop in front of Bdg. 500 (see map): you are close to the Main Auditorium, but you may want to head back to the normal entry points of the Reception (Bdg. 33) or Entrance B: see the Access instructions below). - By taxi: it should cost around 40 CHF and take 15/20 min.
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By tram: board tram 18 at the Cornavin train station downtown and get off at the terminus (CERN).
Notice: if staying in a downtown hotel, ask for the 'Geneva Transport Card' (see Note below). - [From other points in dowtown Geneva] By tram: board tram 16 or 14 downtown and get off at Jardin Alpin (three stops before the terminus). Then take tram 18 to CERN.
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Get directions here. CERN's address is 385 Route de Meyrin, Genève, Switzerland.
Lat: 46.233058, Long: 6.055692.
Note: public transport tickets in Geneva: every visitor staying at a hotel in Geneva is entitled to a free 'Geneva Transport Card', which allows for unlimited travel on the bus and tram system of the city: ask for it at the hotel desk.
The airport offers to all arriving passengers a free "Tout Geneve" ticket, which is valid for 80 minutes, available from the automatic ticket machine situated in the baggage reclaim zone.
Access into CERN campus and CERN access card:
The Workshop takes place in CERN's Main Auditorium.
Every participant will be given a Conference Badge / CERN access card. Your access inside the CERN campus and the way to obtain the access card depends on when you arrive.
- If you arrive on Tuesday June 14th in the morning, before 10:00am, go directly to the Reception (= Building 33), where one of the Organizers will be welcoming you and giving you your badge. The Reception opens at 8h15am.
- If you arrive on Tuesday after 10h00am or on other week-days between 8am and 6pm: go to the Reception (= Bulding 33), mention that you are going to attend the PPC 2011 workshop at the Theory Division: the receptionist will contact one of the Organizers and let you in. Then enter the glass doors and follow the black line on the floor until the end: you will arrive at the Main Auditorium, where the Workshop takes place. You can pick up your badge at the Conference desk outside the Auditorium.
- Arriving at CERN on weekends, holidays and on week-days before 8am or after 6pm (for people with a reservation at the Hostel): go to 'Entrance B' (= Main Entrance), the CERN security staff will have a list of all people participating to the Workshop. If the hostel reception is still open (until 1am) you will be let through and be directed there. If the hostel reception is closed the guard will give you the key of your room. Come to the Conference desk outside the Auditorium or see the Theory Division secretaries on the first working day to pick up your access card. In the meanwhile, the hostel key is valid to get in/out of campus. Notice that monday June 13th is a holiday!
For any need, the Theory Division Secretariat is located in Building 4, second floor (room 4-2-004, see the map above or this map). Notice that, when walking along the 'black line' from the Reception (Bdg. 33) to the Auditorium you walk through the first floor of Building 4 of the Theory Division (you can read the building number on most doors).
Visa: Based on your nationality, you may need a visa: see here for the conditions concerning Switzerland and here for France. A visa to Switzerland is enough if you plan to come to CERN and/or stay in Geneva hotels. A visa to France is necessary if your hotel is located across the border.
