Biology by other means

Travel

Here you can find info about hotel accommodation.

Cagliari can be easily reached by plane, thanks to its modern international airport 5 Km to the city centre. Direct flights connect Cagliari to the major Italian towns (Rome, Milan, Turin, Florence, Naples, Bologna, Venice, etc.), and many European capitals (London, Paris, etc.). Other international connections are operated through the airports of Alghero and Olbia, located in the northern part of Sardinia and connected to Cagliari by buses and trains.
Sardinia can be also reached by ferryboats departing form Genova, Livorno or Rome.



 In this page you can find information on:

Airports in Sardinia
Low cost Airlines flying to Sardinia
Daily ferryboats
Tourist offices in Sardinia
Customs and immigration rules
Telephone systems
Currency
Electricity
Credit cards information
Banking hours
Internet availability



Airports in Sardinia:

Cagliari Elmas : web site: http://www.aeroportodicagliari.com/cagliari_airport.htm
        Car rental:
            Hertz +39 070 240037
            Autonoleggio Matta +39 070 240050
            Autonoleggio Sina +39 070 240322

Olbia Costa Smeralda: web site: www.geasar.it

Alghero Fertilia: web site: www.aeroportodialghero.com
        Car rental
            Hertz +39 079 935227
            Maggiore-Budget +39 079 935045
            Pinna-Travelcar  +39 079 935130 - +39 079 935223 (fax)
            Ruvioli +39 079 935125 ; Sardinya +39 079 935060
            Thrifty +39 079 935167 - +39 079 935188 (fax)

Daily connections to Rome and Milan hubs:

to Cagliari airport from Roma Fiumicino with Meridiana and Air One
to Cagliari airport from Milano Linate with Meridiana and Air One

Low cost Airlines

 to Cagliari airport:
        from Cologne, Munich and Stuttgart with TUIfly.com;
        from London and Ginevra with Easyjet; from Bruxelles with Brussels Airlines; from Zurigo with Helvetic.com; 
        from Barcelona-Girona with Ryanair; from Paris with Meridiana
to Olbia airport:
        from Hannover, Cologne, Munich, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Amburgo and Stuttgart with TUIfly.com;
        from London and Ginevra with Easyjet; from Zurigo with Helvetic.com;
to Alghero airport
        from London Stansted, Barcelona-Girona , Frankfurt-Hahn, Dublin with Ryanair

Daily ferryboats

to Olbia from Genova with Tirrenia and with GNV
to Porto Torres (near Sassari) from Genova with Tirrenia and with GNV
to Cagliari from Civitavecchia (near Rome) with Tirrenia

Radio taxi in Cagliari: +39 070 400101 - +39 070 657070

More information may be obtained from all travel agencies and from the Provincial and local Tourist Boards:

In Cagliari:
        AAST (local Tourist Board), Via Mameli, 65– Tel. + 39 070 664195-6; email: aastinfo@tiscalinet.it;
        information office: P.zza Matteotti – Tel. + 39 070 669255.
        EPT, P.zza Deffenu, 9 – Tel. +39 070 604241; information office: toll-free number 800 203 541;
at airport terminal Elmas – Tel. +39 070 240200;
at ferry-station – Tel. +39 070 668352
        ESIT, Via Mameli, 97 – Tel. +39 070 60231 – 602 3331 – toll-free number 800 013 153.

Customs and Immigration

 When entering Italy, passport control and customs control of carry-on bagage take place at the airport of entry, while customs control of checked baggage takes place at the final destination, but only for those of you arriving from destinations outside the so-called Schengen area (roughly, the EU minus the UK and Ireland). Those arriving from outside the Schengen area have to collect their checked bagage from a bagage carousel which can be found in a separate enclosure in the bagage claim area; the others have to collect their bags from the carousel where over 95 percent of the passengers are going. Customs clearance at the Cagliari Airport usually does not amount to more than passing the bags through an X ray machine.

Telephone

The area code and the telephone number must be dialled in all Italy, even if you call someone within the same city. Italy's country code is 39, and Cagliari's area code is 070. Cell phones numbers all have 10 digits, starting with a "3". Pre-paid telephone cards can be bought at electronics shops, tobacconists' (tabacchi), newsstands and bars.

Currency

The currency in Italy was converted to Euro along with the twelve European Union countries in January of 2002. Notes are in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of 2, 1 ad 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 Euro cents.

Electricity

Electricity in Italy is 220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC). For comparison, in the United States it is 110 volts, 60 cycle AC current.
Italian plugs can be of two different sizes.  Some socket will take in the plugs with large prongs only, some other will take in the ones with small prongs (more common for small appliances; large prongs are used for demanding appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines). There are sockets designed to take in both kinds.
Nowadays more and more demanding Italian appliances have "Shuko", or German-style plugs, which need to be plugged in an a special socket, or require a special converter.

Credit cards and automatic teller machines

Most establishments will accept major credit cards. Those establishments accepting credit cards will post the logos in their front windows.

The ATM (Automatic Teller Machines) in Italy are known as Bancomat. There are many to be found, usually next to any bank. At the beginning of the transaction, they prompt the user for the preferred language.

Banking Hours

Banks in Italy are open Monday through Friday from 8:35 a.m. to 1:35 p.m. and from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Travelers checks can be exchanged for Euros at most hotels and shops and at the foreign exchange offices in main railway stations and at the airports.

Internet

There will be free wi-fi in the Congress Center and a few computers available for people who do not have their own laptop.