-- WilliamBreadenMadden - 2011-07-29

The Hitchhiker's Guide to CERN

* THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. *

This page is an informal guide that contains tips, tricks and observations for the avid physicist going on an adventure to CERN.

Important notes before going to CERN

CERN and ATLAS registration forms

Be sure to fill out and get the following forms signed by your 'team leader' (i.e., Tony Doyle, Craig Buttar or Val O'Shea can sign the form): CERN Registration form, ATLAS registration form. These form registers you at CERN and ultimately grant you access to the internet while at CERN and a CERN access card. Be sure to do this, as waiting to gain access to computers and the internet while at CERN can be frustrating.

Not so important notes before going to CERN

Money

You will mostly use Swiss Francs (CHF), but Euros are often accepted and are needed for shopping in France (which is often cheaper than Switzerland). The best exchange rates will often be offered with student accounts at banks (e.g., RBS). Note that generally banks require a day or two of notice in order to acquire Swiss Francs. Alternatively, Marks & Spencer offer generally decent exchange rates.

Language

English usually works, but having some French will help you. If you do not know a great deal of French, Google Translate is getting very good and you could have this at the ready on your mobile telephone.

Arriving at Geneva Airport

On arriving at Geneva airport, you will go through the usual procedures that you would expect at an airport including showing your passport and collecting checked baggage.

Free travel ticket

When you are in the baggage collection area, remember to collect a free bus ticket! These are ideal for getting to wherever you need to go when you arrive and mean that you don't have to worry about having CHF change on arrival. The ticket machine could be quite easy to miss. It looks like this:

* image *

The ticket lasts for 88 minutes.

Airport Wi-Fi

Swisscom offers access to Wi-Fi in the airport. There is also a small snack shop (which sells decent food) that offers Wi-Fi (SSID: *, passcode: *).

Leaving Geneva airport

Bus 57

The bus stop you will need to get anywhere (i.e., CERN) is likely to be the one on the corner as you leave the airport. For vague instructions, after you pass from the baggage collection area to the foyer, turn left, following signs for buses, and eventually you will reach a yellow escalator. Go up this and, at the top, come back on yourself, exit that way and you will be essentially standing at the bus stop.

Airport to CERN: Take bus 57 (in the direction Gare Vernier-Meyrin) to Hôpital-La Tour, then take the tram (on Route de Meyrin) to CERN. The tram stops outside building 55, the reception building.

CERN Shuttle Service

The CERN Shuttle is a less frequent but direct service that operates on weekday mornings and afternoons. If you do not have a CERN access card, you are permitted to have transportation to the CERN reception building (building 55).

[[http://gs-dep.web.cern.ch/gs-dep/groups/SEM/ls/ShuttleService/][CERN Shuttle Service circuit information]

Bus 57: Arrêt Gare Vernier-Meyrin Voituriers Jardin-Alpin-Vivarium Forumeyrin Meyrin-Mairie Sainte-Cécile Meyrin-Gravière Champs-Fréchets Vernes Prulay Meyrin-Village Hôpital-La Tour Alphonse-Large Veyrot Pré-de-la-Fontaine Les Maladières Gare ZIMEYSA P+R Vernier-Meyrin Signal Renfile Blandonnet Grand-Hangar ICC Tour-de-Contrôle WTC Aéroport

Accommodation

The Glasgow group has a flat close to CERN in the town of Meyrin. Here are the coordinates: (46.237145706538854, 6.077819913625717). The address is as follows:

It is a nice flat with three bedrooms, Wi-Fi, a stereo system, a telephone, a washing machine/spin-drier, a shower and the other usual things you would expect in a flat. There is also a television, if you are into such retro things. There is a great view of the Jura mountains to wake up to each morning. You can view the availability and book the CERN flat here

* images of flat *

Arriving at CERN

You should complete CERN and ATLAS registration. Go to the Reception Desk in building 33. Identify yourself and your contact person (usually your supervisor). Receive a printed temporary pass card (which lasts for 2 days). Be sure to get yourself a nice little fold-up map of CERN. You could, perhaps, stick this in your lab. notebook. Now, go to the CERN Users office in building 500 and hand in your two signed registration forms. Next, go to the ATLAS Secretariat on the top floor (south wing) of building 40 (the ATLAS building) to get put onto the HR database. Now go to the ID Office in building 22 (which is near to gate B). Go up to the top floor first. Here you will receive details for internet access. Now, go to the ground floor. Here, you can get your photograph taken and your new CERN access card. If you want to, there are toilets on the ground floor with mirrors, so you can make yourself look very attractive before your photograph is taken. Next, go back to the ATLAS Secretariat in building 40 with your new CERN access card and fill out the requisition form for your office key. It can take a few days to get this key. Finally, go to your office, sit down and relax after all of that exercise.

In case of problems etc., you can go to the CERN UK Liason Office. Here, you can ask questions and send and receive faxes (for those signatures you might have forgotten to get...).

Opening times

Reception (building 55): Monday: 08:00 - 18:00 Tuesday: 08:00 - 18:00 Wednesday: 08:00 - 18:00 Thursday: 08:00 - 18:00 Friday: 08:00 - 18:00 Saturday: 09:00 - 17:00 Sunday: closed

CERN Users Office: Monday: 08:00 - 16:00 Tuesday: 08:00 - 16:00 Wednesday: 08:00 - 16:00 Thursday: 08:00 - 16:00 Friday: 08:00 - 16:00 Saturday: 09:00 - 16:00 Sunday: closed

CERN ID Office: Monday: 08:00 - 16:00 Tuesday: 08:00 - 16:00 Wednesday: 08:00 - 16:00 Thursday: 08:00 - 16:00 Friday: 08:00 - 16:00 Saturday: 09:00 - 16:00 Sunday: closed

Living at CERN

Food

Restaurant 1

You can get decent food at Restaurant 1 in CERN. There are various areas to eat in; try them out. It is nice to sit outside with good weather, a view of Le Salève (a mountain) and the ATLAS building. Some food is available throughout the day, but there is more food available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. While the food is good, the conversation is the main thing that you go for. High-quality physics talk is available in abundance.

Restaurant 1 is the only restaurant at CERN that is open at weekends and in the evenings for dinner.

Restaurant 2

Menu for CERN Restaurant 2

Living in the Glasgow commuter flat

Wi-Fi

The details for the Wi-Fi network in the CERN flat are as follows:

SSID: * Key: * Administration user name: * Administration passcode: *

Money tin

This contains money which is to be used for flat expenses (e.g., lightbulbs). Staying in the flat, you should put 2 CHF into the tin every evening.

Telephone

The telephone number for the telephone in the Glasgow flat is *. You can both make and receive calls on the telephone, but you must record the times of the calls (and ultimately reimburse the group for any calls you make). Remember that VoIP services are available (often for free) using the Wi-Fi.