Slovakia is a part of the European Union and the Schengen Treaty. If you are traveling from the EU country, you need an ID card or a passport when you staying in a hotel or at the conference venue (Smolenice Castle). You may also be asked to present some form of ID on other occasions.

For citizens of countries outside Europe, a valid passport is required. A visa is required from some countries. Please check for any visa requirements before leaving your home country. If you need an invitation letter, please contact Milan Čertík, the conference chair.

The official language is Slovak, but a lot of people in Bratislava understand and speak English. The official language at the conference is English.

The conference cannot be liable for any personal injuries or damage/loss of property, that may occur during the conference. Please check in advance that all relevant insurances are valid before attending the meeting.

The currency in Slovakia is the Euro (€).

Cash payments are common in shops, hotels, restaurants, and taxis, but credit cards are also widely accepted. Money can be changed at the airports (Vienna and Bratislava) and in downtown Bratislava.

Power sockets in Slovakia accept type C, E, and F plugs. The standard voltage is 230 V at 50 Hz. Travelers from countries using different plug types or voltages may need an adapter or converter.

During the conference Central European Summer Time will be in effect (UTC +2).

At the time of the conference, expect daylight from approximately 05:00 to 20:30 h.

In mid-May, the weather tends to be changeable. In Smolenice, morning temperatures vary between 7 - 14 °C and daytime temperatures between 15 - 25 °C.

Generally, Slovakia is a safe country but be aware of pickpockets in crowded places in shops, bus and train stations and public transport.

Upon registration, each participant will receive a name badge. Please wear it at all times.

No formal dress is required at the conference. The conference room is air-conditioned. If the weather is fine, a welcome party will be held in the castle courtyard on the first evening, so please bring warmer cloths.

The official language at the conference is English.

During the conference, MS PowerPoint running on Windows PC will be available.

Invited speakers usually have twenty-five minutes for presentations, plus five minutes for discussion. Common session speakers have fifteen minutes allotted. Young speakers in the Poster Highlights session have five minutes.

Please organise your presentation to respect your allocated time.

The maximum size for posters is 70 × 100 cm (width × height; portrait orientation). The posters will be fixed to the boards with pins or clips provided at the conference. Authors should be present during the appointed time in the scientific programme for the poster exhibition.

Smolenice Castle is about 50 km from Bratislava. The organizers will provide transport for conference participants by special bus from Bratislava to Smolenice on the first day of the conference and from Smolenice to Bratislava on the last day of the conference.

Since the bus station is quite large, the meeting point for the participants of the conference will be on the -1st floor in front of Lidl supermarket between 13 and 13.15 h. Then they walk together to special bus to Smolenice Castle.

Bratislava Central Bus Station is located in the wider city center. The Slovak name of the bus station is Mlynské nivy, Autobusová stanica or AS Mlynské Nivy. There is a number of shops, fast food outlets and restaurants at the bus station. Platforms for departure and arrival of buses are located at -1st floor, see the bus station plan.