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VISAS All participants in the Congress will require a valid passport and a visa for visiting Turkey. Please contact your nearest Turkish Embassy/Consulate for this purpose. Participants from those countries where there is no Turkish diplomatic representation can obtain their visa at the airport on arrival to Turkey. Related link: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/grupf/fa/06.htm CURRENCY The local currency is the New Turkish Lira (YTL). The exchange rate changes daily. Foreign currency can be exchanged at the airport, banks, hotels and exchange offices. International Credit Cards are widely accepted. BANKS Bank business hours are from Monday to Friday, 09.00-16.30. Banks are closed on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays. All banks have similar exchange rates. TIME ZONE Turkish Standard Time is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. CLIMATE AND CLOTHING The temperature in Istanbul in September is around 25C° and ranges from 24C° to 20C°. Although autmun weather is generally warm, it is advisable to take a jacket, a light raincoat or umbrella for occasional rain showers and cool evenings. Hotels and conference halls are air-conditioned. ELECTRICITY General household electric power is 220 volts. FIRST AID & HOSPITAL SERVICES A doctor and a nurse will be available to serve all participants in the First-Aid room of Congress Venue during the Congress. In case of emergency, transfer to the nearest hospital will be provided by private ambulance. INSURANCE Registration fees do not include insurance of any kind. At the time you register for the Congress and book your travel you may take an insurance policy of your choice. This insurance is to be purchased in your country of origin. DRIVING LICENCE International driving licences are recognised throughout Turkey. Car rental firms ask for a valid national or international licence. POSTAL SERVICES Hotels often provide basic postal services. Post offices are open daily except Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. SECURITY Based on the data provided by well known statistical institutes of the world for major metropolises, Istanbul is one of the few cities with a minimum amount of crime. Despite its intensive population and traffic, you can walk through every part of the city without any problems. SHOPPING Most shops in Istanbul are generally open from 09:00 to 19:00, Monday to Saturday. Some of the supermarkets, shops, newspaper kiosks, restaurants and food shops are also open on Sunday. In all the big shopping centers, major credit cards are accepted and your shopping will be tax free. There will also be some special organised shopping tours by the organization TAXI All the taxis in the city are yellow colored with a sign "taxi" written on them. As historical places and shopping centers are very close to the hotels, it is quite economical to use this transportation. Taxis have a taximeter system with rates varying during the day and the night. TOURS |
