Tentative answers to questions about hotels, visas, etc.
What time of day will the workshop start on Aug. 11?
No day to day schedule yet, but we will start in the morning because we already have a significant number of papers and from the preliminary notes we received it looks we will have a very full schedule. Plan on arriving on the 10th if at all possible.
Do I need a visa?
It is my understanding (AK) that US and EU citizens do not need visas, but check with your travel agent to make absolutely sure, because different EU countries can fall under different international agreements. In general, visas can be obtained at all border crossings including Ferihegy airport (which is the only airport Budapest has) where they cost $60. If you obtain them at the Hungarian Embassy (or Consulate) in your own country (assuming you need one) it costs only $40. On applicable airfares, MALÉV Hungarian Airlines, the official carrier of ECAI'96, offers a 15% discount.
Do I have to exchange money?
No, Hungary doesn't require anything of the sort. Exchange rate is currently around 1 USD = 150 HUF (Hungarian Forint), black market rates currently indistinguishable from official rates. Big banks keep the buy and sell rates very close (plus or minus 1% of the median rate) but expect a bigger spread (plus or minus 3% of the median rate) and possibly other transaction fees at smaller banks, hotels, airports, etc.
How do I get in from the airport?
There is the plain vanilla bus (#93) that takes you to the "blue" subway line that takes you wherever -- a combined fare of maybe 20 cents, but requires local know-how, willingness to navigate in an unknown city (Budapest is quite sizable, over 2 million people), stamina to carry all your luggage, etc. Budapest has excellent public transportation, so even if you take a cab from/to the airport it might be worth your while to bring a passport-size photo and purchase a pass (bérlet) valid for all trams buses subway lines etc (HUF 500 for a day, HUF 975 for a week, HUF 1300 for two weeks). There is the airport van a.k.a minibusz, costs around $8, takes you where you want to go, but you share the ride with others. And there are cabs, a set fare from Ferihegy (possibly different from terminals 1 and 2, which are miles apart). The fare, which is posted at the taxi stand, also depends on which zone of the city you go to. In general all licensed cabs have meters and are supposed to use them, the fixed fare deal only applies to/from the airport. You can also rent a car -- most major car rental agencies like Avis and Hertz have a Hungarian subsidiary. AIRPORT RentACar offers special rates for ECAI'96 participants. If you would like a parking spot reserved for the conference week, it costs ECU 25.
Where will the workshop be held, exactly?
At the Budapest University of Economics, on the Pest side of the Danube right next to Szabadsághid (Liberty bridge), in room 309 on the third floor (this would be the fourth floor in the US, but in Hungary ground floor is floor 0). We start at 8:15 on Sunday, see the still not very specific schedule for further details.
What kind of lodging will be available?
Not much, especially as the Workshop will coincide with the Budapest Grand Prix (Formula I racing). When and if information from the ECAI local arrangements committee becomes available we will post it here. Of the three hotels listed on the ECAI home page my personal favorite is the Hotel Gellért, especially the expensive suites (the others are not exactly cheap either) but the Budapest Hilton is also great. You should consult your travel agent or get a guidebook, because the workshop committe doesn't really have up to date information on prices availability etc. If you don't have a travel agent knowledgeable about Hungary you can try mine at Lotus Travel: her name is Éva Szenczi-Molnár and she can be reached at 1(800)675-0559 for callers from the US or Canada, 1(714)850-9876 from elsewhere.
Are we expected to pay conference and workshop registration fees?
Yes. The conference organizers were very emphatic about that. In addition to the workshop registration fee of ECU 80, all participants are expected to register for the main ECAI conference as well (ECU 350 for ECCAI members, ECU 400 for non-members). Contrary to information posted here earlier, you need to register before the 15th of July to get the early registration rate. Check out the ECAI registration page for further details.
Can I read my email or will I be completely cut off from civilization?
There will be some terminals so you can telnet to your own machine and read your mail, but the connection tends to be slow. Also, we are starting a day earlier than the rest of ECAI, and it's not clear whether these terminals will be set up a day in advance.
Last update: July 10 1996.