Reaching CERN
CERN is located on the border between 🇫🇷 France and 🇨🇭 Switzerland. The workshop will take place on the 🇨🇭 Meyrin site.
You can find a map of the Geneva public transport system here. Even better, download the TPG Preview phone app (Android or iPhone) with live timetables, route calculation and e-ticket purchasing. Google Maps also provides up-to-date information.
Fares are 3 CHF (3.10 €) for a max. 60 min trip within the Geneva area (ticket zone 10 🇨🇭), or 4.60 CHF (4.80 €) between Geneva and France (ticket zone 250 🇫🇷 + 10 🇨🇭). There are ticket machines pretty much at every stop, except from some stops in France, where you’ll have to buy the ticket once on the bus or through the TPG Preview app. It’s also possible to purchase tickets using the SBB app.
Double check that you have a valid ticket before you board any bus/tram, controls are frequent and fines quite heavy!
If you’re staying in Geneva
You can take Tram 18 from the City centre. Meyrin, CERN is the last station.
If you’re staying in France
The Geneva public transport (TPG) system covers also the surrounding France area, so if you are hosted in France there’s a chance you will get to use it. Bus 68 makes the connection between CERN and Saint-Genis-Pouilly. If you are staying in/around Sergy and Thoiry, then Bus 66 makes regular connections to Saint-Genis-Pouilly (where you can change to Bus 68 at the Porte de France stop to go to CERN) and to Geneva Airport.
Both Buses 66 and 68 run every 30 minutes, but it is advised to check the plan ahead and check the timetable of these buses.
If you’re staying at the CERN Hotel
CERN provides a shuttle service that does the connection between the different buildings of the hotel (including those located in France).
If you’re coming from the Airport
If you’re coming straight from the Airport, then you can take advantage of the Geneva public transport system (TPG).
You can take the Bus 23 (dir. Carouge, Tours), 28 (dir. Les Esserts), 56 (dir. La Tour) or 57 (dir. ZIMEYSA-Gare) to Blandonnet and then switch to Tram 18 (direction Meyrin, CERN);
Entering CERN
You can enter CERN through either the Reception or Entrance B.
Conditions for entering CERN and the UN sites
You should have already received your CERN visitor badge in an email, please make sure to print this badge and bring it with you when coming to CERN - you will have to show it to the guard at the main entrance (Gate B).
In case you cannot print it for some reason, write down the access code from the email you received ("CERN access ticket") - you will be able to enter it in the small phone booth on the right side of gate B and then retrieve the printed ticket from the guard. There is also another badge printer at the reception (bldg. 33).
Also, please be aware that you MUST bring either your government-issued ID card (only if you are an EU/Swiss citizen) or your passport with you.
This is MANDATORY to access the site of the United Nations on Monday afternoon, and the guard at the CERN entrance may ask for an ID as well.
In case you have any trouble getting on the CERN site, please tell the guard that you are here for the Indico workshop and to check with Adrian Mönnich (+41227663666) or Pedro Ferreira (+41227674345) if necessary.
Once you are on site, please proceed to Building 513 (CERN data center); the meeting room 513/1-024 is right there when you go upstairs to the first floor. You can check the exact location either on the CERN map or on Google Maps. There are usually enough parking spots available nearby in case you come by car - check the map above where we highlighted some of them.
When you are in the workshop room, you will be able to exchange your CERN visitor badge to a proper workshop badge + lanyard, and we have some Indico swag for you as well (pen, notebook, stickers)
WiFi at CERN
- If you have Eduroam access via your home institution, this is the preferred option. It gives you unrestricted internet access.
- Otherwise if you want full internet access (including VPN, SSH, etc), use the
CERNWiFi and when asked for a contact person search for “Jerome Monnich” or “Jose Pedro Ferreira” (choose “MACEDO ALVES FERREIRA” from the dropdown). For the reason you can simply put "Indico Workshop". If you stay in the CERN hostel, you can already do that while you’re there. - If you need ONLY basic web access (HTTP/HTTPS), you can use the
CERN-VisitorsWiFi. It requires only a SMS verification like many other public WiFis, but it may be less stable and/or slower than the other options.
Workshop Dinner
Attention: as mentioned at registration time, given that workshop attendance is free, participants are expected to pay for their own dinner!
We have booked a table at the Café du Soleil, which is located within walking distance of the United Nations, from 18:30.
The Café du Soleil is a traditional restaurant which is known in the region for its delicious cheese fondue, but other choices are also available.
For those who need to get back to CERN, we have a bus booked for 21:00.
Map links to the restaurant:
CERN Visit
We will meet right after lunch on Tuesday at the workshop room; the first part (datacenter visit point) is right next to it.
The Antimatter Factory afterwards is not recommended for pregnant women (please let us know in that case), and everyone is required to wear flat closed shoes (no open sandals or heels).
You are allowed to take as many photos as you want (anywhere at CERN).
