About Berlin & Germany

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About Berlin & Germany

General Information
Berlin is the capital of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. Berlin is also Germany’s largest city, with a population of approximately 3.45 million. Located in northeastern Germany, it is the center of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Around one third of the city's area is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes.

Berlin has a rich cultural landscape with more than 180 museums, Major collections and art treasures from all over the world. It is also a popular metropolis which sets trends and offers a modern lifestyle, with a high standard of living and good infrastructure. The city has a bustling nightlife with an array of well over one thousand events everyday.

Time
Germany is on Central European Time (CET) and is one hour ahead of Greenwich Standard Mean Time, 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 9 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. Summer Time is in force from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

Weather
Germany has a temperate climate. The average summer temperatures in Berlin can rise above 30 °C with average day time temperatures between May and September usually somewhere between 15°C and 25°C. In winter, it can be extremely cold with temperatures as low as -10°C or less. As a rule, however, daytime temperatures are around freezing point during the winter months. You can find up to date information on the weather in Germany at www.wetteronline.de

Berlin has a low emission zone
The inner city of Berlin is a designated LEZ (low emission zone). The LEZ covers the entire city area with the S-Bahn (city railway) ring. Vehicles entering the LEZ have to meet set pollutant levels and display a LEZ emission sticker. The LEZ sticker is available from vehicle registration centres, vehicle emissions, monitoring centres such as the TÜV (the German MOT), the DEKRA and around 800 authorised Berlin garages and workshops. Detailed information at: www.berlin.de/umweltzone and www.berlin.ihk24.de

Shopping
Berlin caters to the needs of all consumers - from wickedly expensive temples of consumption overflowing with designer labels to flea and antique markets, shopping malls, bargain stores and the whole spectrum in between. For luxury designers and international chain outlets head for Kurfürstendamm or Friedrichstrasse. For flair, trendier boutiques and hip Berlin labels browse around Mitte.

Business Hours
Berlin is the first area of Germany allowing shops and stores to stay open around the clock, Monday to Saturday. Many retail outlets have already changed their business hours and now open until 10pm, some even longer. However, no shops are open on Sundays.

VAT / Tax-Free Shopping
Value Added Tax is currently 19% in Germany. Travellers who live outside the European Union can obtain a refund on value added tax for goods bought in Germany. Save your receipts from your purchases. Get to the airport ahead of time when you are leaving. Before you check in your luggage, you can go to the tax free shopping reclaim office and get your receipts stamped and obtain a cash refund.

Tipping
Tips are officially included in all prices, but it’s standard practice to add a tip if you were hapy with the service provided. The following is a guideline:

Taxis: 10%
Restaurant: 10-15%
Porter: €2 - €3 depending on the quality of the hotel
Chambermaid: €2 - €3 depending on the quality of the hotel
Hairdresser: 10%

Currency
The currency in Germany is the Euro.

Banks and Exchange Offices
You can exchange currency in an exchange office or bank. Many exchange offices are located at the airports or near the mainline stations. Berlin is also well supplied with banks, and all major names have branches throughout the city, with many opening late on certain weekdays. There are also numerous cash machines (ATMs) in all areas available 24/7.

Insurance
The Conference Organising Committee or its agents will not be responsible for any medical expenses, loss or accidents incurred during the congress. Delegates are strongly advised to arrange their own personal insurance to cover medical and other expenses including accident or loss. Where a delegate has to cancel for medical reasons, the normal cancellation policy will apply. It is recommended that citizens from EU countries bring with them a current EHIC card.

Smoking Policy
Under German law smoking is not permitted in pubs, restaurants, hotel lobbies and all enclosed public buildings.

Electricity
220 volts – remember to pack adaptors and only bring electrical equipment with voltage change facility.

What to Pack
Include jeans and casual wear. Smart casual for the gala dinner. Rainwear and comfortable shoes are advised.

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Access

Flight Access to Berlin Airports
Berlin currently has two commercial airports which will close once the Berlin Brandenburg Airport is opened. These include: Tegel International Airport (TXL), which lies within the city limits (8km Northwest of the city centre), and Schönefeld International Airport (SXF), which is situated just outside Berlin's south-eastern border in the state of Brandenburg (18km Southeast of the city centre). Please note that it is envisaged that the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport will be opened in June 2012. The proposed site for the new airport is at the Schönefeld International Airport (SXF). More information will follow.

Berlin is easily accessible from most location and more particularly from Continental European Countries, the UK and the east and west coast of the USA.

For more information please visit www.berlin-airport.de

Please find below a list of the airlines that fly to Berlin (through Tegel and Schönefeld)

Lufthansa	MALEV	All Nippon Airways
Air France	US Airways	Air Malta
KLM	Alitalia	China Southern
British Airways	EgyptAir	Iceland Express
Swiss	Aegean Airlines	Syrian Air
bmi	LOT	Kenya Airways
Iberia	Czech Airlines	Icelandair
germanwings	Qantas	Blue1
Norwegian	Spanair	Thai Airways
SAS	TAP	Belavia
airBaltic	Transaero Airlines	MIAT Mongolian Airlines
Luxair	Royal Air Maroc	Croatia Airlines
Air Berlin	Air China	Germania
Turkish Airlines	Hainan Airlines	Ethiopian Airlines
TUIfly	Rossiya Airlines	Wind Jet
Aeroflot	Ukraine International	InterSky
Brussels Airlines	Jet Airways	Estonian Air
Delta	SunExpress	Tunisair
Austrian Airlines	South African Airways	Transavia
Continental Airlines	Air New Zealand	Skyways
United	Cathay Pacific	Israir
American Airlines	JAT Airways	GermanSkyAirlines
Condor	Royal Jordanian	Cirrus Airlines
Finnair	EL AL Israel Airlines	Aerosvit Airlines
easyJet	Bulgaria Air	S7 Airlines
Qatar Airways	Singapore Airlines	Golden Air
Virgin Atlantic	TAM Linhas Aeras	Armavia
Pegasus Airlines	Air India	Dniproavia
Air Canada	Japan Airlines	AerLingus
Ryanair

Access from Berlin Airports to Berlin City Centre

Schönefeld International Airport (SXF) – the proposed site for the Berlin Brandenburg Airport (June 2012)

Public Transport
Buses and trains provide a quick and comfortable connection to the airport. Please click HERE in order to call up a new browser illustrating your personal travel connection. Please click on Download for the complete Berlin train network in PDF format.

VBB – Verkehrsverbund
Please click HERE to plan your journey

Airport Express
The Airport Express takes just 28 minutes from the main railway station [Hauptbahnhof] to Schoenefeld airport. The specially identified regional train lines RE7 and RB14 run every half hour. Local public transport tickets are accepted on these trains. The journey is within fare zone C.

At the Schoenefeld railway station, the exits leading to the airport are clearly marked. A covered walkway leads from the station to the terminal.
Link to the Timetable

Tegel International Airport (TXL)

Name	Opening Hours	Phone	Website
Avis	Mon-Fri 07.00 a.m. - 11.30 p.m. Sat-Sun 08.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Holidays on request	+49 30 6091 5710	LINK
Budget	Mon-Fri 07.00 a.m. - 11.30 p.m. Sat-Sun 08.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Holidays on request	+49 697 1044 5596	LINK
Europcar	Mon-Fri 07.00 a.m. - 11.30 p.m. Sat 08.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Sun 08.00 a.m. -11.00 p.m.	+49 30 6349 160	LINK
Hertz/ADAC	Mon-Fri 07.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Sat-Sun 08.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.	+49 30 6091 5730	LINK
National Car Rental/Alamo	Mon-Fri 07.00 a.m. - 11.30 p.m. Sat 08.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Sun 08.00 a.m. -11.00 p.m.	+49 1805 002738	LINK
SIXT	Mon-Fri 07.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Sat-Sun 08.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m.	+49 1805 252525	LINK
Motorhomes CC-Mobile	Waltersdorfer Chaussee 100(near airport)	+49 30 634 99 150	LINK

Tegel International Airport (TXL)
Counter near parking space P2

Name	Phone	Website
Avis	+49 30 4101 3148	LINK
Budget	+49 697 1044 5596	LINK
Europcar	+49 30 4178 520	LINK
Hertz/ADAC	+49 30 4170 4674	LINK
National Car Rental/Alamo	+49 1805 002738	LINK
Sixt	+49 1805 252525	LINK

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Visa Information

Everyone entering Germany must have a valid passport, or in the case of European Union Member States, a national identity card. Visas are required for some countries. Please click here for a list of countries for which a visa is or is not required: http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/EinreiseUndAufenthalt/StaatenlisteVisumpflicht_node.htm to see which countries .

For more information on visa regulation and the application procedure, please visit: http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/EinreiseUndAufenthalt/Visabestimmungen_node.html#doc480844bodyText6.
Alternatively, delegates should check with their local German representation.

Please note that it can take up to 8 weeks to process a visa application and early application is recommended. The Conference Organising Committee, or its agents, cannot accept any responsibility for visa applications. Where a delegate is unable to attend because of failure to obtain a visa on time, the normal cancellation policy for registration fee and accommodation will apply.

If you need to apply for a visa, please register for the conference, pay your registration and accommodation fees in full and request a visa letter from Conference Partners at gin2012@conferencepartners.ie

Please note the German Embassy will only accept a visa letter if it states that the delegate has registered for the conference and has paid their registration fee and accommodation fees in full. The German Embassy will only accept original letters from us so please allow enough time for us to post the visa letter to you.

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