ASSETS 2002

• The conference accommodation
• Getting to Edinburgh and the conference hotel
• Getting around within Edinburgh
• Other useful travel information
• Obtaining a Visa to enter the United Kingdom

The conference accommodation

The conference hotel is the Crowne Plaza, located on Edinburgh's historic Royal Mile. It is ideally situated in the center of Edinburgh, near the Waverley Railway Station, the St Andrews Square coach station, Princes Street, Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace.

Internet access is available from the hotel rooms by plugging a modem into the telephone, and dialling '9' for an outside line before your ISP number. Power and modem adaptors are available from the hotel at no charge. There is also a public access computer located in the lobby, where you can buy internet access time.

The conference rate, which includes a full Scottish breakfast, is £140 for a single room and £170 for a double room. This rate is guaranteed until Saturday May 11, 2002. Early booking is recommended, as Edinburgh is a popular tourist destination. Please specify any accessibility requirements to the hotel when making your reservation

Hotel reservations should be made directly with the Crowne Plaza by phone or email:
From outside the UK call +44 131 473 6590.
From within the UK call the freephone number 0800 027 1022.
Email rescpedinburgh@allianceuk.com.

PLEASE INFORM HOTEL STAFF YOU ARE ATTENDING THE ASSETS CONFERENCE.
QUOTE THE BLOCK CODE ASS0607 WHEN YOU BOOK.

DO NOT USE the online reservation facility on the Crowne Plaza web site as you will be UNABLE to quote and obtain the conference room rates.

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Getting to Edinburgh and the conference hotel

By air:

Direct flights to Edinburgh are available from many UK and European destinations. Flights from the US will usually be routed via Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels or London or you can fly direct to Glasgow airport.

Edinburgh airport is situated 8 miles west of the city centre. In addition to the official Edinburgh airport web page, an informative unofficial airport site gives extensive details about the airport and its facilities. A taxi to the conference hotel will cost approximately £10 and take 25 minutes outside the rush hour. A regular bus service (number 100, departing every 15 minutes at peak times) offers fast transfer to locations in the city centre including Waverley Bridge, the entrance to Waverley Railway Station. The fare for a one-way journey is approximately £4. The Crowne Plaza can also arrange for a chauffeur service to take you directly to the hotel.

By rail:

Conference attendees can travel to Edinburgh's Waverley Station by rail from all over the UK. The station is approximately 0.5 miles from the conference hotel. Railtrack provides online timetable and route planning information but bookings should be made by calling National Rail enquiries on (+44) (0)8457 484950.

Assistance to and from trains is available and should be arranged in advance by calling the relevant train operator: GNER (also provide mobility assistance for Virgin CrossCountry), telephone (+44) (01)31 550 2461; or ScotRail Railways telephone (+44) (0)131 550 2711.

By coach:

National Express offer services from major cities in the UK. An online journey planner and online booking are available, or call them on (+44) (0)8705 808080 between 8am. and 10pm. UK time 7 days a week.

Scottish Citylink offers services from within Scotland. They offer an online journey planner and can be contacted by phone on (+44) (0)8705 505050.

All coach services terminate at the St Andrews Bus Station, near the East end of Princes Street, less than one mile from the conference hotel.

By car:

Approach from the South is via the M74 and A1. The M8 and M90 approach from the West and converge a few miles from Edinburgh airport. Approach from the North is via the M9.

All main roads into the city lead towards Princes Street. The Crowne Plaza hotel is situated South of the East end of Princes Street, just off North Bridge. Detailed driving directions to the hotel are provided by the Crowne Plaza, or refer to this city centre map. On-site parking is available in the Hotel car park off Niddry Street, to the right of the entrance.

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Getting around in Edinburgh:

Edinburgh is a very compact city, and walking is often the best way to get around. Buses and taxis are abundant. Information on public transport is available from the Lothian Regional Council 24 hour enquiry line : (+44) (0)131 555 6363.

Other useful information:

To dial a UK phone number from abroad, substitute the initial '0' of the area code with '44' - the international dialing code for the UK. Within the UK, always dial the initial '0'. Within Edinburgh, drop the initial 0131 area code and dial the remaining 7 digits.

This city center map shows the relative locations of the railway stations, coach stations and other places of interest. The Crowne Plaza hotel is situated on the Royal Mile opposite John Knox's House, which is numbered 13 on the map.

Please note that the UK have not changed to the € Euro, all prices noted on this page are UK £sterling. Some retailers and hoteliers will accept € as payment, but please do not assume that all will. An online exchange converter can be found at this link Universal Currency Convertor.

Obtaining a visa to enter the United Kingdom:

Anyone travelling with a United States passport does not need to worry about entry visas. Other nationals outside the EC and British Commonwealth may well need a visa. In such cases you will require to provide details which will include some form of letter from the ACM.
To obtain a letter from the ACM for the UK Consulate while applying for a UK visa, first contact the UK Consulate in the country you reside in to determine what information and/or documentation is required. Then send an email to Irene Frawley frawley@hq.acm.org with the following information:

• Your name.
• Your mailing address.
• The address, telephone and fax number of the United Kingdom Consulate you are applying at.

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