Conference Venue

WIMS'11 will take place in Quality Hotel Sogndal.

Getting to WIMS'11 Venue

Important telephone numbers

Travel and local information

Travel toSogndal

Here you will find some travel information, especially how to reach the conference venue from the airports Oslo and Bergen. Fly with Widerøe (official airline of WIMS'11) direct to Sogndal from Bergen and Oslo.

Sogndal offers daily connections to Oslo, Bergen, Lillehammer, Ålesund and Trondheim, by bus, boat or air. Oslo can be reached in about 40 minutes by air and 7 hours by bus. Bergen takes around 20 minutes by air, or 4 hours by express ferry and bus. Express coaches leave for Lillehammer, Ålesund and Trondheim several times each day, travel times from 5.5 to 11 hours through wonderful western Norwegian scenery!

More information on how to reach Sogndal can be found here.

This region, considered to be one of the most beautiful in Norway, has been a destination for tourists, discoverers, and artists from around the world for more than 150 years. Once again in 2009, the Norwegian fjords have been rated as the World’s most celebrated and iconic travel destination by National Geographic Traveller. The region’s scenery is powerful and varied, ranging from flat fjord-side districts to steep mountainsides, beautiful fjord arms, torrential waterfalls, blue glaciers and lush valleys.

The conference will be hosted by Vestlandsforsking (Western Norway Research Institute), Sogndal. The institute is located at the Fosshaugane Campus. It is a 5 minutes walking distance from the center of the small town Sogndal, in the view of the Sognefjord, the longest and deepest fjord in Europe.

UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Nærøyfjord and Urnes stave church are located near Sogndal. There are also possibilities for guided glacier hikes on the Nigardsglacier. Local attractions include the Sogn Folkmuseum, one of the largest outdoor museums in Norway, the Glaciermuseum in Fjærland and the Glaciersenter in Jostedalen.

Beautiful Flåm is situated in the innermost part of the Aurlandsfjord, a tributary of the 204 kilometres long and up to 1,308 metres deep Sognefjord.

More information about the city and arround can be found here.

Travel from Oslo

The international airport in Oslo, Oslo Airport Gardermoen, is located approximately 50 km north of the city.
Airport Express trains run every 10 minutes to Oslo Central Station (NOK 170). SAS Express bus departs every 20 minutes to Radisson SAS Skandinavia Hotel.
For Taxi: http://www.oslotaxi.no

However, the city is also easy to reach from Sandefjord Airport Torp, located 110 km south-west, and Moss Airport Rygge which you find 66 km south-east of Oslo. These two smaller airports are operated by lowcost airlines, such as Norwegian, Ryanair and WizzAir.
See http://www.trafikanten.no.

AIR
Check the home pages for different airlines operating on the airports:
Gardermoen: www.Osl.no/en/osl 
Torp by Sandefjord: www.torp.no 
Rygge by Moss: www.ryg.no

TRAINS
All trains arrive Oslo Central Station (often referred to as Oslo S), while buses arrive at Oslo Bus Terminal. Both stations are located right in the heart of the city!
 
Oslo is also an important port serving cargo, ferryboats and cruise ships. The large ferryboats offer direct routes from Kiel, Fredrikshavn and Copenhagen.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Banks
Currency exchange banks are located at major international airports and rail and shipping terminals, usually outside customs areas in the arrival hall. All Norwegian banks and major post offices exchange foreign currency. Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 09.00 to 16.00. Many banks have automatic currency exchange machines that also take credit cards.

Temperature
Often rises during day at an average of 15°. Light summer clothing is suitable. Rain is also possible; light raincoat and something warm for the evening is advisable.

Credit cards
Major credit cards, including American Express, Diners Club, Visa and MasterCard, are honoured throughout Norway at hotels, stores and restaurants. Taxis in Norway accept all major credit cards.

Currency
The unit of currency is the Norwegian krone, which is abbreviated NOK. NOK 1 = 100 øre.

Electricity
The electric current in Norway is 220 volts and the frequency is 50Hz. Wall sockets are the round two-pin European type. Foreign voltage could require an adapter.

Insurance and liability
It is highly recommended that all participants carry an adequate travel and health insurance, as the organisers of WIMS'11 cannot accept any liability for accidents, illnesses or injuries that may occur at or during the conference.

Language
Norwegian is the official language of Norway, but a majority of Norwegians speak English very well.

Letter of Invitation
If you require a Letter of Invitation to attend this event, you must select "Need Visa Invitation Letter" on the on-line Registration form and provide your passport number. Letters of Invitation are usually only required by foreigners who must obtain a VISA in order to attend the conference. All persons who require a Letter of Invitation to attend the conference must be registered and paid in full on or before February 15, 2011. Letters of Invitation will only be issued to the registrant and only after the registration is paid in full. The letter of invitation issued by WIMS'11 is not a commitment to provide any financial support nor does it guarantee a visa.

Passports and visa
A valid passport is required for entry into Norway. A visa is required for citizens of a number of countries. Please check with the Norwegian Embassy or Norwegian Consulate in your country for requirements. Please visit the website of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration for information on visa applications:
http://www.udi.no/templates/Tema.aspx?id=7403

No Smoking Policy:
Smoking is not permitted in any indoor public areas including bars and restaurants or on any means of public transportation.

Official Language:
English is the official language of the conference.

Time Zone:
GMT/UTC +1

Tipping:
A service charge is automatically added to hotel and restaurant bills. Tipping for special services at hotels or superior service at restaurants is appreciated. 

Certificate of Attendance:
All attendees will receive an official certificate of attendance from WIMS'11 verifying their participation at the conference.