Travel Information



The TSD 2004 conference will take place in the city of Brno and is organised by the Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.

Conference venue:

Faculty of Informatics (Fakulta Informatiky)
Masaryk University
Botanická 68a
CZ-602 00 Brno
Czech Republic

phone: +420 5 49 49 6696
fax: +420 5 49 49 1820
email: tsd2004@aurora.fi.muni.cz

Accommodation places

Hotel Druzba
Kounicova 50
602 00 Brno
Hotel Continental
Kounicova 6
602 00 Brno

Reaching the Conference Site and Hotels

The overall description of how to get to the city of Brno can be found on the page

How to reach Brno

If you arrive before the start of the conference, go directly to your accommodation place. If you arrive late at night, there is a nonstop service at both the accommodation places.
Registration for the conference starts on Tuesday, 7th September, 17:00-19:00 and on Wednesday, 8th September, from 8:00 at the conference site.

See the map of the conference surroundings with relevant public transport (the same map in higher resolution).

Taxis

Brno taxi services have better reputation than those in Prague. Overcharging does not happen so often and the taxi-gang wars are not an issue here. In any case, when using the taxi, ask about an approximate price in advance and make sure that the taxi-meter has been set to zero at the beginning of the ride.

An operator of City Taxi (phone number (++420-) 542 321 321) is able to speak English.

Prices for travelling from bus or railway station to the conference and accommodation sites should be roughly CZK 150-200.

From railway station

The Brno main railway station is called "Brno Hlavni nadrazi". To reach the conference site (Faculty of Informatics, Botanicka 68a) use the tram line 1 in direction "Reckovice" and leave on fifth stop "Hrncirska". To reach the university hotel Druzba (Kounicova 50), you can use tramway line 12 in direction "(Kralovo Pole) Technicke muzeum" or "Kolejni" and leave on the seventh stop "Klusackova". At night you can use the bus line 93 in direction "Oresin" instead of tramway line 12. Important points can be found on map of conference location.
You have to buy a tram ticket (CZK 13) in any news-stand before you enter the tram and mark it inside the tram.

From bus stations

There are two big bus stations in Brno: "Grand hotel" and "Zvonarka". The first one is located near the railway station. The second one is located about 500 meters from railway station (over footbridge to TESCO store and through underpass).

From Brno airport

You can use bus line 76 to reach the railway station from the airport.

Maps

Exchange Facilities and Rates

The currency used in the Czech Republic is the Czech Crown (CZK, koruna ceska, Kc). There are exchange facilities at the train/bus stations, airport and at the border. The approximate exchange rate is 28 CZK for one US dollar and 33 CZK for 1 EURO. See actual exchange rates.

Czech Crowns are available in the following denominations: 5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20. We advise you to ask for 200 or 500 crown banknotes when you exchange your money as these are easier to change. Do not change money on the street.

The City

Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, with a population of almost 400,000, and is the country's judiciary and trade-fair centre. The first written record of Brno dates from the ninth century. City rights were acquired in 1243. After successfully defending the city against the Swedes 350 years ago (in 1643--45 during the Thirty Years' War), Brno became the capital of Moravia. The nineteenth century was a period of technological progress and development for Brno. It became one of the most prominent industrial centres in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was in Brno that J. G. Mendel formulated his theory of heredity, V. Kaplan produced the first water turbine and Leos Janacek composed his musical works. Milan Kundera wrote his first novels here. Brno is the place of birth of Kurt Goedel--- a major 20th century scientist of international standing.
The Czech Republic consists of Bohemia in the north and Moravia in the south, with Brno the capital of the latter. It had been a royal city since 1347. There are six Universities in Brno. Historical and artistic places of interest include:

In the immediate surroundings of Brno are the Moravian Karst with Macocha Chasm and Punkva caves; the site of the "Battle of the Three emperors" (Napoleon, Alexander I of Russia, and Franz Joseph of Austria), known as the Battle of Austerlitz; the chateau of Slavkov (Austerlitz); Pernstejn Castle; and many other attractions.

Time Zone and Climate

The Czech Republic is on Central European Summer Time (MET DST), two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The average temperature for September is between 15-20 degrees celsius. The weather is normally warm and sunny.

Links