ArchiCAD Summer School Sept 2005 : Travel Info

Checking in:

The main event: Checkin time is Thursday 12.00-16.30 in Derby Hall, University of Nottingham: Registration in the main Lobby. There will be a buffet lunch from 1300-1430 for those who arrive early enough. Light refreshments will be on tap during the afternoon. Delegates should print the map off this site to be sure of finding it. The idea of Thursday afternoon is to meet other delegates, its an important part of the ACUE tradition! You can bring work in a small portfolio and discuss with other delegates.

Arriving:  Enter by the North gate or the West gate, use the maps on this site to find Derby Hall. The Hall is down the hill from Cripps Hall where we used to hold ACUE events, with its own car parking. The Porter's lodge with keys is by the entrance, then go through to the the lobby by the Dining Hall, where registration will take place.
  From check in time till Saturday afternoon, all meals are included for all delegates. DNC's mobile is 07970-059525 for emergencies. If you do not intend to come till Friday morning, notify the organiser (DNC) NOW, so we can save on the accommodation and food bill, and give you a discount.

Going Home: There will be plenty of people to Taxi share with when its time to return to the station on Saturday. Plan to leave by taxi 25-30mins before train departure time (leaves plenty of contingency).

Kick off: The conference action proper starts at 16.30 on Thursday 8th Sept in Derby Hall. The Evening session will be in the nearby Studio Block of the SBE (School of the Built Environment).

Coming Early?: Very long distance travellers are welcome to arrive on Wednesday or even Tuesday to kick the jet lag and do a bit of gentle tourism locally, just let us know and we can book you in. B&B rate is very cheap. See the 'How much does it cost' page for more details.

Exhibition: there are plenty of screens in the ACUE building, so there is room to pin up examples of work, but please don't forget to take it when you go home!

One-Day courses: If you are coming early for the one day courses on Wednesday 7th Sept., you will need to have booked this of course, and Bed and Breakfast residential accommodation will be in Derby Hall, as for the main event if you need it. Courses will be 10am to 6pm, giving people time to travel up in the morning if they are close enough. Let the organiser know if you need to arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday night. Parking for the 1-day course in front of Paton House or in Lenton Hall Drive.

Weather Prospects

Long Range Forecast for Nottingham

Swimming Pool, Nottingham uni

Other Attractions - Sport : The University has a Fitness Centre and you have free access to running machines, squash, sauna, tennis, badminton and heavens knows what else. There is an excellent Swimming Pool just near the Fitness Centre. Don't forget your running suit and swimming cozzie! All you need to show is your room key from the hall.

Nottingham Uni general: Note for those asking directions, using Taxis or Buses: There are 2 universities in Nottingham. You are going to "University of Nottingham near the QMC", NOT "Nottingham Trent University".

Special Diet: We need to know if people require vegan or celiac or other special catering. Vegetarians will be well catered for.

Smoking: is not permitted within any University buildings, but is permitted on the campus, out of doors.

Disabled Access: People requiring special disabled access (e.g. ramps) should notify the organiser well in advance. Almost all Nottingham University buildings have disabled access.

Laptops: If you have brought your laptop, please bring your dongle and ensure that you are adequately insured and looking after your equipment. For workshops, the Education version of ArchiCAD9 can be installed temporarily if you do not have a dongle.

Electrics: Make sure you bring an electrical adaptor if you come from USA or Europe - best place to buy them is in the airport! We have 240 volts AC, with 3 square pin UK style sockets.

Derby Hall

To Help you find it by car, see the Regional and local Nottingham Maps on the right. The AA operate a Travelwatch service as do the RAC, it's worth checking before planning your route. MultiMap.com and Streetmap.co.uk are excellent Map services.

Accommodation: is mostly in single rooms, with washbasins in all rooms. For couples, there are linked single rooms sharing a bathroom. Sorry, the rooms do not have telly, but at a hotel, the cost per delegate would be too expensive for it to be fun. There is a TV in the main common room, and for News junkies, there is access to news websites etc through the computers in the school or through your Wireless laptop.
Towels and Linen are provided.

Arriving Late?: the Front door of the building is locked from midnight to 7.00 am and if you are arriving very late, or going out to town, you need to take a plastic card to enable you to re-enter. For late first time arrivers on Thurs night, you will just have to phone organiser's mobile phone to be let in - 07970-059525. If you are so late that you are going to arrive Friday, don't forget to notify the organiser.

Car Travel to Nottingham (come by train)

Try to come by Train so that you have no parking to worry about. Nottingham is a most popular conference venue and the campus is already too full of cars!

Getting here by Car: Use the Car park of Derby Hall, Lincoln Hall or Sherwood Hall There may be too many cars for the normal car park of Derby Hall. Lincoln Hall is closed for building repairs, so use that car park. There are also free visitor parking spaces in the central Visitors car park nearby - ones not marked as for visitors are Pay-and-Display. The hall may permit us to park on the adjoining grass, but the landscape and security people hate this.

Security Note: Throughout the campus, it is recommended to lock cars, leave nothing tempting in sight, bring valuables into your room in the Hall, and consider a steering wheel bar if your car has no immobiliser.

Get here safely - if you are from outside the UK and renting or driving a car, please remember to drive on the LEFT! I expect you will find this out long before you reach Nottingham (:-)

Rail Travel to Nottingham

Coming from Europe? try these sites for information

From London, the start point is St Pancras Station/Kings Cross - regular hourly rail services throughout the day (some require to change at Leicester). You are strongly advised to buy your tickets on the Web beforehand (a week or two weeks beforehand) Rail tickets in Britain are ridiculously expensive, perhaps 3 times as much if you buy them on the day of travel. See below for more detail on buying rail tickets.

For visiting architects, take a look at St Pancras and Kings Cross, both Victorian masterpieces. St Pancras Hotel and station is one of the most spectacular victorian buildings in London, and is currently being turned back into a hotel after years of being empty. The actual working station is now 5-10 mins walk north of St P in a modern temporary structure. (AlwaysTouch will tell you what the old St P's concourse will be turned into, due for completion in 2009.) If you have an hour or more take a look at the modern British Library next door to St Pancras. East of St Pancras is Kings Cross, the complete architectural antithesis to St Pancras, strong functional arches in London brick, undecorated, but symbolising travel. (Look for Harry Potter's platform).
Links: St Pancras Tour Jonathan Hall (see what is presently covered with scaffolding) / St Pancras Station on Great Buildings.com / See Cathy Roha's Travel Tips for more local knowledge on St Pancras /

Information on travel in London

Rail Timetables: See QJump on the web - this will also tell you of the changes required, if required.

Buying Rail tickets: It's always worth buying the rail tickets in advance - much much cheaper. You can buy them on Midland Mainline or QJump on the webwith credit card, they give you a booking number and email acknowledgement. If you use the same credit card when you are here and remember that booking number, you can get your number from a machine on the main platform, and if the machine malfunctions, the ticket office issue the ticket on the basis of the email printout and the booking number. Rail Tickets from Heathrow can also be purchased in advance from QJump on the web, and picked up from machines or ticket office at the station, as long as you have your booking code and the credit card with which they were first ordered. This is essential, if you leave it to the day, its twice as costly. For Example, Heathrow to Nottingham 9rd Sept returning 11th, is £ 66 if you buy now and £ 116 if you buy on the day!!!
If the Rail computer says you must change at Farringdon or Luton or Leicester, do what it says. If you buy cheap advance tickets, its a regulation that you travel as per the dates and places on the ticket.
If you are from abroad, the stupid QJUMP computer often requires your UK Postal Code as part of the address whoever you are. Use our postal code NG2 7JU just to satisfy the beast.

Air arrivers: Arriving at Heathrow or Gatwick, allow at least one hour from touchdown to getting to a train - the walking distances are long, and there maybe monorails to wait for, and there is luggage to reclaim etc.

Buses to the Campus - 12 and 13 and 13C!

For Buses from the city centre or railway station: walk towards the Broadmarsh bus station just north of the railway station. Go beyond the bus station through the pedestrian underpass to the other side of Collin Street where there are many many bus stops.
Get the numbers 13 or 13C which takes you to the south corner of the campus and you have to walk up through the campus - they leave the city at 05 and 35 through the working day, coming along Collin St.
If you get the number 12, it goes right into the campus, reducing your walking distance - they come along Collin St at 20 and 50 past the hour during working hours.
Buses 35 and 35 also go to the campus but from north of the City centre.
Have plenty of loose change ready to put in the machine (50p and 20p pieces), they dont give change. Corporation Buses are at http://www.nctx.co.uk/ and their timetables are all visible and helpful. Sit near the driver and ask him/her to tell you when you are at the edge of the campus. You want to get off at the East end of the campus.

The University of Nottingham also have a page on How to Get to the Campus.

Taxi!

Taxis to the Campus: From the Nottingham Railway Station, taxis can be obtained, and are better because they take you to the door. If you arrive at Nottingham East Midlands airport, do not dream of using the Taxi, its expensive. There is the wonderful Skylink shuttle bus which is cheap and frequent and takes you to the Rail station.

Need a Taxi?: If you are at the Station or City Centre Taxis are findable on a taxi rank, but if you are somewhere else, you may have to phone. 0115-9-701-701 are the black cabs. 0115-9-818181 are in West Bridgford, but cover all over, including the airport. 0115-9-229-229 are based in Beeston, but are also OK for City and Airport.

Getting to Nottingham from Airports

ACUE supports Climate Care. If you are coming by air, use this calculator to work out the amount of CO2 you are generating, and consider paying into Climate Care's fund for investment in environmental projects and reforestation.

Getting here from Heathrow: You can buy the ticket in advance from QJump on the web and collect at the station. You can go either on the Heathrow Express (about 15mins, every 15mins or so) to Paddington, and then by Tube, Circle Line to Kings Cross-St Pancras. Get the ticket in one, ie Heathrow-Nottingham Return including Tube travel.
Another route from Heathrow is that the Tube (Piccadilly Line) goes directly from all Heathrow Terminals to St Pancras, but as this is a regular line (stopping at all places), it takes almost an hour (this is the option used by DNC because it's direct and cheaper.)
There are long distance buses to Nottingham a few times a day, some direct, some change in London, see the National Express website, most take 4 hours, about the same as the train.

Getting here from Stansted : This is the main arrival point for RyanAir and Easyjet who cover much of Europe. It's right next to Junction 8 on the M11, which leads south to the M25 and North to the A14, then to the A1_M and by the A52 to Nottingham (or the A14 goes on further to the M1 and you turn north for Nottingham, get off at the A453). Trains go from the airport, north via Peterborough, or south to Liverpool st station in London. There is a variety of car rentals from Stansted including Budget, Alamo and Avis. Should be about £100 rental for the 4 days. On Sunday, its almost impossible to get to Stansted by train earlier than about midday, so its best to rent a car unless you have a later flight. RyanAir have a hostile attitude to wheelchair users, so make sure you book this in days or weeks before if you need one. There are flights from Eastern Europe by Sky Europe to Stansted for example, Bratislava, Dubrovnik, Budapest, Warsaw.
Dont even think about coming Stansted-Nottingham by bus, there are no direct buses, all have to go via somewhere else, and the shortest time is over 4 hours!

Getting here from Gatwick: There are frequent trains to London Victoria, then get the Tube to St Pancras. Alternatively, there are frequent Thameslink trains to Kings Cross, which is in the same walking zone as St Pancras. The Thameslink trains go on to Luton, and there is an option for going on to Luton and picking up the St Pancras or Kings Cross services from there. Check it all out at QJump on the web. There are buses to Nottingham a few times a day, some direct, some change in London, see the National Express website, most take over 5 hours.

Getting here from Luton Airport : there are trains directly from Luton to Nottingham (Look at QJUMP's website). Wizzair a new East European cheap flights airline has cheap flights directly from Budapest to Luton. A free shuttle bus service operates to and from Luton Airport Parkway Station, and you need a Thameslink one stop jump to Luton's main station. There are regular trains from Luton to Nottingham (24mins past every hour during the daytime, and another one at less predictable times) or to London. For Car hirers, Luton is only 90mins easy driving south of Nottingham. There are direct buses to Nottingham a few times a day, see the National Express website.

Getting here from Birmingham Airport: Flybe fly in to Birmingham from European destinations. So do KLM/Air France with regular flights. There is a free bus to the railway station, and regular trains to Birmingham New Street, and regular trains to Nottingham from there. Getting back should be researched carefully, British trains (except in London) run very late on Sunday mornings, so think carefully about your return route (get a later Sunday flight back, or travel to a near-to-BHX hotel on Sat night). There are buses to Nottingham a few times a day, change in Birmingham city centre, see the National Express website.

Getting here from Manchester Airport: Thereare 6 trains/hour to the City centre during the day and up to 4/hour at night. Trains run to Manchester Piccadilly in about 15-20 mins. From Piccadilly you can connect to services all over the country, including regular departures to Nottingham.

Coventry Airport is new on the scene, with a few services to European destinations: Shannon, Amsterdam, Paris, Cologne, Venice, Barcelona and more. Coventry is near Birmingham. Coventry Railway Station is 3 miles from Coventry Airport. Bus Service 737 departs hourly from the station to the Airport. Taxis are also available from the station/airport.

Robin Hood Airport: There is a new airport at Doncaster north of Nottingham, serving a number of european and international destinations. There is a shuttle bus to the rail station, and there are regular train services southwards to Nottingham.

Getting here from Nottingham East Midlands Airport: The N-EMA is close to Nottingham and the Campus. [Please do not be put off by the Mac hostile website, but if you use a Mac, do not forget to send an email of complaint to the N-EMA Webmaster.] N-EMA is used by BMI Baby, Easyjet, RyanAir and more. The Three Letter Code for the airport is EMA. If you put 'Nottingham' into a departure or return field in a website, it may reject it! should be 'Nottingham EMA'

Skylink buses run half hourly from the Nottingham East Midlands Airport, they go to Nottingham's Rail station and to Friar Lane in the City centre (not to the campus) and stops on request at in-between places, 24 hours a day, on the hour and on the half hour. Get a taxi from the centre or the station to the Campus. Buses depart from just outside the NEMA Arrivals hall. This is an EXCELLENT service. If coming for a few days (eg for 1-day courses), you can buy an Easy-Rider ticket on the Skylink bus which gives you access to ALL Nottingham City buses for a period of days.
Trent Barton Rainbow 5 buses from the Airport, once an hour xx.58 through the day directly past the Campus, on the south boundary. Returning, it is once an hour between 40-50 past the hour on Rainbow 5 buses marked "Loughborough". If going from Nottingham City Centre, the departure is the Broadmarsh Bus Station, or you can leave from the Beeston Bus station very much nearer the Campus. See the Rainbow bus timetable.
If your flight arrives or departs at an unusual time, Skylink is the best bet because it's 24 hour.
The Nottingham East Midlands Airport website only works fully for PCs, there are idiots there who believe that Mac users dont use aeroplanes. But if you can tolerate that, there are flights to N-EMids from Dublin, Cork, Knock and Edinburgh, Glasgow, Brussels, Amsterdam, Prague, Paris, Venice and many more - by either Easyjet or by BMI Baby, or RyanAir.

Map: You have on this site a map of the campus. Most Nottingham taxi drivers are familiar with the layout. Derby Hall is North central to the campus, and taxi drivers should know it well.

Bicycle Hire: available within 30 metres of Nottingham Railway Station, Bunney's Bikes, 97 Carrington St, 0115-947-2713. £ 8.50 a day. Local Info on Cycling.

Accommodation elsewhere

A lot of travellers from afar have to come or depart via London. we recommend the California Hotel, in Belgrove St only 200 m from St Pancras Station, close to Kings Cross and the British Library, very affordable, hospitable and much used by ACUE long-distance travellers over the years.

Weather: The wonderful website WINDGURU forecasts weather by combining Land and Satellite data with computational fluid dynamic real-time calculations while you are on line. It is a remarkably accurate 7 day forecasting centre for Windsurfers the world over. Enter "UK-Rutland Water" as your location, which is near enough to Nottingham to give a result. Weather is predicted to be fine for Thursday and Friday, but becoming rainy or showery on Saturday (but not cold). Saturday Sleepover delegates should bring light showerproof jackets or light umbrellas.

Insurance: Please note that we carry Event Insurance only to protect against events like 911, or loss of major speakers or conference equipment, but for you, remember that Delegates must insure themselves and their property through their own car, travel and all-risks insurance for their personal property and person and travel risks.

Email: ArchiCAD University Secretariat for further information [updated 14-sep-05 ] Full Contact Details with ACU organiser is on Registration page.