4 9 August Sofia, Bulgaria. Know Before You Go

Transcription

1 4 9 August Sofia, Bulgaria Know Before You Go

2 Know Before You Go As one of several hundred computational linguists getting ready to leave for Sofia this week, we wanted to provide you with as much information as possible to help you prepare for your trip. This Know Before You Go document is your guide to answering all of your questions about the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL 2013).

3 Contents Where is Bulgaria? 4 Meet Sofia 5 Conference Venue 6 General Information 12 Travel Information 20 Tax & VAT Information 27 Accommodation Information 28 Restaurants & Bars 30 Tipping & Etiquette 31 Other Useful Information 31

4 Where is Bulgaria? Bulgaria has an area of 110,993.6 km 2 and it is situated in Eastern Europe. Comparatively, the area occupied by Bulgaria is less than half of the territory of the United Kingdom and it ranks as the 16 th largest country in Europe. Bulgaria boarders in its East with the Black Sea, it is bounded on the North by Romania (mostly along the Danube), on the South-East by Turkey, on the South by Greece, and on the West by Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia, with a total boundary length of 1,808 km. Its location on the transition line between two climate zones influences the climate, soils, vegetation and animal species. All of them are characterized by great diversity. The country s geographic position also determines the relatively wide angle of sunlight that falls on the country, making the country predominantly sunny. For more information: 4 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

5 Meet Sofia Sofia is Bulgaria s capital and its largest city. Founded thousands of years ago, today the city continues to develop as the country s cultural and economic center. At present, the city has a population of 1,250,000. On the lower slopes of Mount Vitosha, in the Boyana District, is located The National Museum of History, with its collection from prehistoric times to the present day. The museum has one of the largest collections anywhere, with over 700,000 items of cultural importance. Close to the museum is The Boyana Church, one of the Bulgarian monuments that is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage sites. Sofia preserves many valuable monuments to its long and storied past. Visitors exploring the city s streets can see remnants of The Eastern Gate from the days when Sofia was Serdika and Sredets, dating from the 2nd-4th centuries CE. These remains are exhibited in the underpass connecting the Presidential Palace and The Ministerial Council, surrounded by shops selling traditional Bulgarian souvenirs and rosewater. For more information: Free Sofia Tour, What s on? Know Before You Go 5

6 Conference Venue National Palace of Culture Congress Center Sofia For more information: 6 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

7 Level 0 Meeting rooms situated on this floor Hall 4, Hall 5, Hall 6 Know Before You Go 7

8 Conference Venue Level 2 For poster sessions 8 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

9 Level 3 For poster sessions Know Before You Go 9

10 Conference Venue Level 5 Meeting rooms situated on this floor Hall 7, Hall 8, Hall 9 10 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

11 Level 7 Meeting room situated on this floor Hall 3 Level 8 Meeting rooms situated on this floor Hall 3.1, Hall 3.2, Hall 10 Level 7 Hall 3 Know Before You Go 11

12 General Information Official Language of ACL 2013 All sessions and materials are in English. Time Zone GMT +2 / (UTC +02:00) Helsinki, Kyiv, Riga, Sofia, Tallinn, Vilnius Currency Bulgaria is a part of the EU, yet it is not a member of the Eurozone! This means that the main currency is BGN (Bulgarian Leva). Euro is also not accepted in shops, service providers and restaurants. Bulgarian National Bank Exchange Rates Weather Sofia is characterized with hot summers and mild to cold winters. The temperatures during your stay in August are to be rather warm between 26 and 30 Degrees Celsius ( Degrees Fahrenheit) For a daily Sofia City weather forecast, visit: 1 EUR 1 USD BGN BGN 1,49334 EUR sells at BGN 1.96 (approx. amounts) EUR buys at BGN 1,94 (approx. amounts) Dress Code The recommended attire for the conference is business casual with the exception of the social functions: TBD PLEASE ADVISE USD sells at BGN 1.50 (approx. amounts) USD buys at BGN 1,47 (approx. amounts) Voltage and Adaptors Bulgaria has the usual European power standard. Bulgarian sockets are 2-pin with voltage: V. Please bring a travel adaptor and voltage converters in order to avoid problems on-site or in your hotel. Also a good idea is to check with the hotels in advance and post it some of the 5* hotels can provide, some of the other hotels will require a fee on that, that is why we advise people to bring their own Please, check the daily exchange rate: Banking Most banks are open Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 17:00 but there are some branches working also on weekends. There are ATMs at the congress venue, and in walking distance there are quite a few banks and Change Bureaus reachable on foot within 5 minutes. Please, bear in mind that many shops do not accept credit cards! 12 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

13 Banks near the congress venue Online interactive map: Item Bank Address Working Hours Types of Cards 1 UBB (United Bulgarian Bank) 1, Cherni Vrah Blvd. Mon Fri 8:30 16:30 2 UBB (United Bulgarian Bank) 9, Frityof Nansen Str. Mon Fri 8:30 16:30 3 UBB (United Bulgarian Bank) 11, Prague Blvd. Mon Fri 8:30 16:30 4 Alpha Bank 1, Gen. Mihail D. Skobelev Blvd. Mon Fri 8:30 16:30 5 Societe Generale Expresbank 58, Patriarh Evtimiy Blvd. Mon Fri 8:30 16:30 6 First Investment Bank 110, Vitosha Blvd. Mon Fri 9:30 19:00 7 First Investment Bank 2, Arsenalski Blvd. Mon Fri 10:00 22:00 Maestro, Mastercard, Visa, Diners Maestro, Mastercard, Visa, Diners Maestro, Mastercard, Visa, Diners Maestro, Mastercard, Visa, Diners Maestro, Mastercard, Visa, Diners Maestro, Mastercard, Visa, AmEx, Diners Maestro, Mastercard, Visa, AmEx, Diners Know Before You Go 13

14 General Information Closest ATMs near the congress venue Online interactive map: Opening hours stores and shops Major stores and specialist shops are open Monday to Saturday from 8:00/9:00 to 19:00/22:00, and on Sundays until 17: ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

15 Mobile Operators Areas with poor or no reception are usually high in mountains or in remote areas. There are three mobile phone service providers: Globul, www. goo.gl/x55yv Mtel, vivacom, As in most countries, buying a mobile phone can involve a dizzying array of choices between not only the network and the option of a contract or a pay-as-you-talk system, but also a wide range of tariffs covering connection fees, monthly subscriptions, insurance and call charges. If you want to use a foreign mobile in Bulgaria, you can buy a SIM card that will give you a Bulgarian mobile number and allow you to make and receive calls and text messages, although you may need to get your phone unlocked from the network in your home country (this can be done cheaply at most mobile phone shops). A tip Unless you absolutely have to, don t use your mobile phone from an overseas network to make calls in Bulgaria, as the cost will be astronomical. Globul Registration of Prepaid Customers www. goo.gl/x55yv For more information on the registration of prepaid cards, please visit: For more information on the rates, please visit: Mtel Registration of Prepaid Customers For more information on the registration of prepaid cards, please visit: For more information on the rates, please visit: vivacom Registration of Prepaid Customers For more information on the registration of prepaid cards, please visit: For more information on the rates, please visit: Know Before You Go 15

16 General Information Location of Mobile Operator stores near the congress venue Online interactive map: Item Mobile Operator Address Working Hours 1 Mtel 82, Vitosha Blvd. Mon Fri 8:30 16:30 2 Globul 64, Vitosha Blvd. Mon Fri 8:30 16:30 3 vivacom 98, Patriarh Evtimiy Blvd. Mon Fri 8:30 16:30 4 vivacom 35. Gen. Mihail D. Skobelev Blvd. Mon Fri 8:30 16:30 5 vivacom 86, Vitosha Blvd. Mon Fri 8:30 16:30 6 vivacom 96, Vitosha Blvd. Mon Fri 9:00 19:30 International and Local Dial Codes For more information on international and local dial codes, please visit: and 16 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

17 Closest Post Offices near the congress venue Online interactive map: Closest Police Stations near the congress venue Online interactive map: Know Before You Go 17

18 General Information Closest Pharmacies near the congress venue Online interactive map: Closest Malls near the congress venue Online interactive map: 18 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

19 Language The national language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian. The Bulgarian alphabet is Cyrillic, quite different from English. English is spoken mostly by the younger generations, together with German, Spanish and French. Bulgarian Pronunciation Guide Letter Pronunciation Letter Pronunciation А а like a in bath П п like p in power Б б like b in boat Р р like Spanish r (rolled) В в like v in victory С с like s in supper Г г like g in great Т т like t in tell Д д like d in dent У у like oo in boot Е е like e in let Ф ф like f in fever Ж ж like s in measure Х х like h in hot З з like z in zipper Ч ч like ch in chat И и like i in hit Ц ц like ts in cats Й й like y in yes Ш ш like sh in cash К к like c in cold Щ щ like sht (sh + t) Л л like l in love Ъ ъ like ea in earnings М м like m in mother Ь ь softens consonants before o Н н like n in never Ю ю like you in you О о like a in ball Я я like you in young Bulgarian Salutations Hi, Hello Zdrasti (informal) Goodbye, Bye Dovizhdane (formal), Chao (informal) Good morning, Good day Dobro Utro Good evening Dobar Vecher For more on phrases and information on the language, please visit: Know Before You Go 19

20 Travel Information Passports and Visas Bulgaria has the European Union s Common Visa Policy as a member country accepting European citizens freely. All non-eu citizens are required to have a passport to enter the EU with the appropriate visas. For more information, please check: Embassies in Sofia A list of all embassies and their contacts can be found on the following link: Sofia International Airport Airport Transfers Taxi: The transfer time to the city center is approx. 20 min., and the fare is approx. 12 BGN (a fare is 0,77 BGN/km or 0,79 BGN/km). Terminal 1 & Terminal 2 For your convenience and safety, we would recommend that you use the services of the taxi companies, which Sofia Airport has contracts with. You can make a request for the service at the office of: OK Supertrans T: (+359 2) Sofia International Airport is well connected with direct flights from a number of European cities, and with the long-haul destinations, the big European hubs (e.g. London, Frankfurt, Munich) are used ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

21 Stations near the congress venue Online interactive map: Bus There is a direct bus line to the city center route No. 84, the ticket is 1 BGN. Departs from Terminal 1 & 2. Bus line 84 operates on the following route: Gen. Gurko Str. Blvd. Tzarigradsko shose Blvd. Christopher Columbus Prodan Tarakchiev Str. Terminal 2 Terminal 1. The reverse route is from Terminal 1, along Christopher Columbus Blvd, towards Gen. Gurko Str. Bus stops at Orlov Most (Eagles Bridge) and Sofia University provide convenient transport connection to the underground and other public bus and trolley services. The entire journey takes approximately 40 min during weekdays and 30 min. at weekends and holidays. Know Before You Go 21

22 Travel Information Public Transport The public transport in Sofia is efficient and will get you anywhere in the city. Waiting time are short are acceptable. At peak times metro, trolley buses, trams and buses run every 3 5 minutes. The public transport network consists of: 2 Metro Lines (3 rd under construction); 9 trolley bus lines; 15 tram lines; 51 suburban bus lines; 43 bus routes. Ticketing Single-trip ticket Single-trip ticket sold by the driver Single-trip ticket issued by on-board ticket vending machine in trams and trolleybuses Single trip ticket issued by ticket vending machine at underground stations or by cashier at underground ticket desk of Metropoliten 10-trip voucher ticket (valid for one passenger) One-day travel card for all lines A piece of baggage larger than 60 cm x 60 cm x 40 cm is charged by a separate ticket 1 BGN 1 BGN 1 BGN 1 BGN 8 BGN 4 BGN 1 BGN 22 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

23 How to validate your ticket? In trams and trolleybuses passengers may purchase a single-trip ticket from an ON-BOARD TICKET VENDING MACHINE. The machine issues a ticket with predefined price, on which are printed all details of the journey: date, time, line No. and vehicle No. Ticket vending machines in trams and trolleybuses are situated near the first door. The price of a single ticket is displayed on the screen. How to buy a ticket from the vending machine in the vehicle? The VENDING MACHINE accepts coins of 10, 20, 50 stotinki and BGN 1.00 and DOES NOT GIVE CHANGE! Insert the coins into the slot of the ticket vending machine. On the display will appear information about the coins you have inserted. When you insert the amount required for a single ticket, the vending machine immediately issues a ticket. THE TICKET MUST BE PULLED FORWARD AND DOWNWARD! If it is pulled to the side or upward, part of the ticket may tear off. It is possible that the ticket inspector may deem a torn ticket invalid! THE TICKET MUST NOT BE PERFORATED! You can cancel the issuance of a ticket and get the inserted coins refunded, though only before the price of one ticket has been registered. Press the button of the ticket vending machine and the coins will drop down in the bowl of the vending machine. All information on issuance, fare collection and verification of the smartcard, as well as for the data on the tickets issued from vending machines are stored in the central server of the automated fare collection system. This server prepares automatic accounting reports and various analyses required for improvement of the organization of Sofia Public Transport System. Operating Hours The public transport works from 4:00 am to 11:00 pm, where it is advised to always check online or at stations the exact operating hours of each line. Know Before You Go 23

24 Travel Information A pretty Metro? Yes indeed! Sofia has a rather new metro in place (since 1998) the design of each station is modern, unique and themed to a specific topic. This makes Sofia Metro the desired way of transportation as for the locals, so for the visitors of the capital. Sofia Metro Map Metro Line 1 Metro Line 2 24 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

25 Rent-a-car The following rent-a-car companies can be found at Sofia International Airport Terminals accordingly: Terminal 1 Company Phone Website Choice Rent a Car (+359) Europcar (+359 2) Tourist Service (+359 2) Thrifty (+359 0) Terminal 2 Company Phone Website Choice Rent a Car (+359) Tourist Service (+359 2) AVIS (+359 2) National Car Rental (+359 2) Budget (+359 2) Hertz (+359 2) AutoJet (+359) Europcar (+359 2) TBI Rent-a-Car (+359) MOTO PFOHE (+359 2) Parking in Sofia Sofia is divided into parking zones, where each zone determines the time and fee one has to pay in order to use a public parking space on the street. There are a number of car parkings where one can leave the car for a number of hours, where the fee is not determined by the zone. For information on parking, please visit: Speed Limits Populated areas: 50 km/h Outside populated areas: 90 km/h Limited access highways: 130 km/h Know Before You Go 25

26 Travel Information Safety Information For your own safety, and for the safety of your money, credit cards, other valuables and your travel documents, PLEASE, follow not just the usual precautions (keep an eye on them at all times, leave them in the hotel and do not carry them with you to the city, etc.), but specifically: Change money only in the bank or ATMs or use your credit cards for payments. Be careful when using the ATM; if you spot any strange device attached to the card slot, even if tiny, do not use the machine. Sofia Taxis have a bad reputation for overcharging foreigners. There is almost no way to avoid it once the driver decides to do that their meters are secretly switchable, and the police is basically helpless. The only way is to know the companies that are (statistically) not so bad, such as OK Taxi ( ). 26 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

27 Tax & VAT Information VAT export refund scheme Visitors from outside the EU are entitled to get a refund of VAT paid on goods they have purchased during their stay in the EU provided that the goods are produced to Customs on departure from the EU together with the VAT refund documents. These documents are normally prepared by the merchant from whom the goods have been purchased, and the refund is made directly by the merchant, rather than the customs service. In many countries, commercial firms act as agents for the merchants. Generally, merchants or the commercial companies charge for this service by making a deduction from the refund. As the refund scheme is voluntary, travellers should check that the merchant participates in the scheme before the goods are purchased. Conditions: Visitors must provide proof of their residence status (e. g. non-eu passport) Goods must be exported from the EU within 3 months of their purchase Minimum value of purchases to qualify for refund, Tax and duty free sales Travellers holding a valid ticket for a destination outside the EU (and certain areas within the EU, such as the Canary Islands) can buy goods free of duty and tax in so-called "tax-free shops" in airports and ports. There are no limits as to the quantity or value of the goods that can be purchased duty and tax free. Travellers should however bear in mind that the importation of these goods in the country of destination will be subject to duty and tax allowances, similar to those applying to travellers that enter the EU ( from a non Member State. Travelling with 10,000 or more in cash As from 15 June 2007, travellers entering or leaving the EU and carrying 10,000 or more in cash (or its equivalent in other currencies or easily convertible assets such as cheques drawn on a third party) have to make a declaration to the customs authorities. This follows the entry into force of a new European Regulation aimed at fighting money laundering, and the financing of terrorism. Customs authorities are empowered under the Regulation to undertake controls on individuals, their baggage and their means of transport and detain cash that has not been declared. Travellers must be aware that all Member States apply penalties in the event of failure to comply with the obligation to declare as laid down in the Regulation. Some Member States may apply additional measures according to their national legislation (e. g. intra-community cash controls). Read more: Travelling by air: baggage controls in the European Union You may find background information on baggage controls of passengers entering or leaving the EU in this information document, Know Before You Go 27

28 Accommodation Information Thank you for booking within the conference room block at the: Hotel Category Rate includes Distance to Airport, km Distance to Venue, min Webpage Hilton 5* B-fast, VAT, Health Club, Fitness by Precor, Internet Kempinski 5* B-fast, VAT, Fitness & Pool, Internet 11,8 5 min by walk Nearest stop: Metro Line min by Metro Line 2, min by walk Grand Hotel Sofia 5* B-fast, VAT, Fitness, Internet 11 7 min by Metro Line 1 & 2, 15 min by walk Sheraton 5* B-fast, VAT, Gym & sauna, Internet 10,9 5 min by Metro Line min by walk Radisson Blu 5* B-fast, VAT, Fitness, Internet 9,9 5 min by Taxi or 10 min by Metro Line 1 & 2, min by walk Central Park 4* B-fast, VAT, Internet 11,8 2 3 min by walk Nearest stop: Metro Line 2 Rodina 4* B-fast, VAT, Internet 12,5 5 min by Taxi or 10 min by Public transport: Trolleybus N5, min by walk Princess 4* B-fast, VAT, Fitness & Pool, Internet 8,3 10 min by Metro Line 1 & 2, min by walk 28 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

29 Hotel Category Rate includes Distance to Airport, km Distance to Venue, min Webpage Downtown 4* B-fast, VAT, Fitness, Internet 10,8 5 min by walk Nearest stop: Trolleybus 1, 2, 5, 8 Best Western Plus Bristol Hotel 4* B-fast, VAT, Internet 9,2 10 min by Taxi or 20 min by public transport Nearest Stop: Tram 6 Lozenetz 3* B-fast, VAT, Internet 10, min by walk Nearest stop: Metro Line 2 Hemus 3* B-fast, VAT, Internet 11,4 10 min by walk Nearest stop: Metro Line 2 Slavyanska Beseda 3* B-fast, VAT, Internet 10,3 5 min by Taxi or 10 min by Public transport: Trolleybus 9, min by walk Know Before You Go 29

30 Restaurants & Bars Near the National Palace of Culture there are different bars & restaurants with varied cuisine options. The options include the following: Online interactive map: 30 ACL August Sofia, Bulgaria

31 Tipping & Etiquette Travellers have had varying experiences of tipping & etiquette in Bulgaria. Tipping has become more and more popular and actually expected especially in the resorts and larger cities. Tips are very much welcomed in Bulgaria by people occupied in tourist industry. It's a custom in Bulgaria for tour guides and drivers to be given a tip after the trip. But giving them small coins is considered as an insult. Hotel and restaurant staff accept tips, too. In most of the cases the service staff have simply migrated to the location for the season and they are paying large amounts of cash for rent and other expenses. They highly depend on the tips, since their basic salaries don't even cover their transportation back and forth. Tipping is a very personal thing. Everyone is different. Some people tip large, some small, and of course some not at all! In Bulgaria a tip is not an obligation, but is appropriate for good service. How to spend leisure time? The most complete and up-to-date guide on the cultural life of Sofia is Programata, Have a look to plan your free time and make a good use of all events happening in Sofia! Other Useful Information Emergency Telephone Number: 112 Hospitals Name Address Phone Website Military Medical Academy 3, St. George Sofiiski Str. (+359 2) University Hospital Alexandrovska 1, St. George Sofiiski Str. (+359 2) University Hospital Lozenets 1, Koziak Str. (+359 2) , (+359 2) University Hospital St. Anna University Hospital St. Ekaterina Mladost 1, 1, Dimitar Mollov Str. 52A, Pencho Slaveikov Blvd. (+359 2) (+359 2) N. I. Pirogov 21, Totleben Blvd. (+359 2) Know Before You Go 31

32 4 9 August Sofia, Bulgaria Know Before You Go