Coming to Strasbourg

By aircraft

The closest airport is Strasbourg-Entzheim, however it is a small airport with few international flights. It is recommanded to fly to larger airports and then take a local transport.

• If you travel with Air France, you can buy a combined ticket for your flight and train using TGV AIR; simply search for Strasbourg as your final destination instead of Paris.

• If you travel with Lufthansa, the flight ticket can include a bus Frankfurt–Strasbourg, again search for Strasbourg as your final destination instead of Frankfurt.

If you arrive in Paris-Charles de Gaulle with other air companies, there are direct trains to Strasbourg leaving from the airport. You have to buy the train ticket separately, please keep in mind that tickets should be booked in advance (usually 1 or 2 months before the trip), for instance here.

If you arrive in Strasbourg-Entzheim, from there you can either:

• take a taxi to Strasbourg (usually 40–50€),

• take a train from the airport station to the central station in Strasbourg. To access the station, leave the airport and cross the footbridge. Tickets may be purchased on the platform; you can either buy a single trip to Strasbourg (2.70€) or a combined ticket including access to all public transport in town, valid for 1 hour and 30 minutes starting from the time you buy it (4.40€). The train frequency is quite good, but you may want to check the schedule.

Another possibility is Basel Mulhouse Freiburg airport. You may then take a train to Basel central station and from there, another train to Strasbourg. There are also but shuttles between the airport and Strasbourg.

By train

All trains will arrive to and depart from the central station in Strasbourg. Again, if you need to travel by train from another French city, please make sure to book your tickets in advance (tickets can NOT be purchased on board), see the SNCF website. The station is very close to the historical center, and many trams and buses depart from it (especially tram C going to campus, see below).

By car

Driving to Strasbourg is relatively straightforward; the highway (either A4 if you arrive from the north or A35 if you arrive from the south, roughly) will bring you very close to the city center. Please be aware, however, that parking in Strasbourg can be quite difficult (on campus, it is nearly impossible). If your hotel does not provide you with a parking spot, you can use one of the Park & Ride parking ran by the local public transport company, see here.

Accommodation

More details about accommodation will be available soon. Should you need to find your accommodation by yourself, here is a list of nearby hotels, unfortunately in French.

Coming to IRMA (Institut de Recherche Mathématique Avancée)

The conference venue is located on the Esplanade campus, very close to the city center; the IRMA building is here. From the main station, you have several options:

• walking is usually nice at this time of the year, and goes through the historical center (cathedral, etc.). It takes 30–35 minutes if you know your way around (maps are available in the station),

• taking a taxi should cost around 20€,

• the safest option is to take tram C from the station. You must leave the station on the left when coming from the platforms, and outside you will find the tram C which goes in only one way from there, so you cannot make any mistake. You must then leave the tram at the station « Université », and walk south for a few minutes until you see a seven-story tower on your left; this is IRMA. The whole trip takes 20–25 minutes.

Here is a useful map of the city: StrasMap. You also have access to maps and schedules on the website of CTS, the local public transport company.

Sightseeing

If you have some free time, you may consider visiting Strasbourg and its surroundings. Here is a small list of interesting places:

• the cathedral is a must-see. You can either visit the inside (and see the beautiful astronomical clock for 3€), or climb to a platform on the roof offering an amazing view of the city, for 5€ (the ascent may be difficult, with a lot of stairs to climb, and painful if you are acrophobic). Here is a schedule for visits of the cathedral,

• « Petite France » is a charming neighborhood with small pedestrian streets, half-timbered houses and nice views on the river. Going on top of Vauban Dam will reward you with a nice view on the famous « Ponts Couverts » and the city center,

• there are also several museums, boat tours, etc. For more information, see the tourist office website; you can also directly go to the tourist office located near the cathedral,

• trying local cuisine is highly recommended; organizers will be happy to give you some advice about restaurants.