Local Arrangements

Conference Location

The conference will be held at the Lugano convention centre—

Palazzo dei Congressi

Situated in one of the town parks and only 100m from the lakefront it is within good walking distance of hotels, attractions, and the town centre. Lugano airport is just a 15 minute drive away. Hotel reservations will be taken care of by Lugano tourism office and hotels have been selected in the area immediately surrounding the conference venue.

Getting to Lugano

By plane

Lugano airport is situated just 15 minutes away from the town centre. Flights to Lugano are available from Zurich or Geneva airport with Swiss International Airlines, Darwin Airlines and Flybaboo.

Malpensa Airport (Milan, Italy) is a 1 hour drive from Lugano. An express bus is available that directly connects Lugano main station to Malpensa Airport with just one stop at the border. Make sure you book the shuttle in advance. Go to the StarBus web site to see the schedule and click on "prenotazione online" to make a reservation onlline.

Zurich Airport is a 3 hour train ride from Lugano that will take you through central Switzerland and through winding tunnels to cross the Alps. Well worth the trip for rail enthusiasts.

By train

You will find all the train connections to Lugano on the Swiss Federal Railway site.

By car

Lugano is a fairly congested area of Switzerland and not the easiest of towns to get around or park in. We therefore recommend you avoid this alternative if possible. Should you choose to come by car you can access Lugano through either of the motorway exits (Lugano Nord, Lugano Sud) and follow signposting for the Palazzo dei Congressi. An underground parking at the Palazzo dei Congressi has just been completed, so you can drive straight to the venue.

We strongly advise you to use public transport as it is an efficient and easy solution to the very congested traffic situation in Lugano.

Currency

Although Euros are accepted in some places, Switzerland works with Swiss Francs. It is therefore advisable to have the local currency with you. You can exchange foreign currencies at any of the banks around the conference venue or in town.

Get an update on the current exchange rate at http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic.

Conference Dining Services

Breakfast, Lunch, and Refreshments

Breakfast is included in the price of all hotels. The registration fee includes morning and afternoon refreshments as well as lunch for the duration of the conference—running from Monday morning May 8th to Thursday afternoon May 11th, 2006.

Special dietary requirements should be noted on the conference registration form.

Favorite Attractions In and Around Lugano

Here are some links to sites that will help you explore Lugano and its surroundings. Your CUG 2006 Local Arrangements Committee offers some additional suggestions with some helpful comments.

Dining Out

A wide variety of restaurants are available in downtown Lugano. Local instinct is to go for the full ones as that is usually a sign of good food.

On-Site Facilities

Messages

During the conference (May 8-11^th), telephone messages will be taken at the on-site CUG conference office. (+41 91 911 04 25)

Faxes

A fax machine will be available at the conference office. The fax number during the conference (May 8-11^th) will be +41 91 911 04 24. Notices for incoming fax messages will be posted on the conference notice board.

Wireless Access, E-mail, and Personal Computers

There is wireless access for your laptop computer throughout the conference venue for which you must provide an 802.11b/g compatible card. Please make sure your wireless access has not been disabled by your company/institution as we will not be able to modify this on site.

The e-mail room will be equipped with 8 personal computers. SSH will be available on all systems. Two printers will be available on the LAN. One computer and printer are designated for the use of speakers for last minute changes to presentations. You may also bring your laptop computer and connect to the ethernet hub. The ethernet hub accepts RJ-45 modular jacks. The e-mail room will be available until Thursday at 4 PM.

Speaker Preparation

We invite speakers to use the personal computer and printer in the E-mail room for last minute changes. Video projectors will be provided in all session rooms. Please find time before sessions and during breaks to test your laptop connection to the video projectors. Should you require any assistance please come to the conference office.

Business Services and Photocopying

A photocopying machine will be available on site. However, if you plan to distribute copies of your presentation, please bring sufficient copies with you. If you need to make copies while you are at the conference, you may go to COLOR X S.A. in via Frasca 1, Lugano (Phone: 091 923 58 91).

Voltage

Switzerland operates on a 240V system; those travelling from abroad may need an adaptor. Check the Voltage Valet for information on requirements and to find adapters.

Special Assistance

Any requests for special assistance during the Conference should be noted on the "Special Requirements" area of the registration form, or you may contact the Local Arrangements Committee.

Smoking Policy

There is no smoking allowed at the Conference.

 Social Events

Cray Inc. Reception

Cray Inc. will host a reception Tuesday evening. All conference participants and their guests are invited to attend. Details will be provided at a later date.

CUG Night Out On Wednesday, all attendees are invited to enjoy a night out organized by the Local Arrangements Committee. The CUG Night Out will be held at one of Bellinzona’s medieval castles, which are part of the UNESCO world heritage. The bus ride to the venue will take approximately 20 minutes. During the night you will have the opportunity to taste some local specialities ranging from traditional dried meats, fresh water fish, cheese, and vegetables to the well known Risotto and meat dishes and last but not least—the local wines. Buon appetito e buon divertimento!

CUG 2007

Plan now to attend CUG 2007. Our theme is "New Frontiers" and our host is The Boeing Company. Go to the CUG 2007 web page for more information.