5th WG & 3rd TTG meetings (Olsztyn, Poland - 2017)

5^th Working Groups meeting and 3^rd TT meeting of COST Action FA1403

Olsztyn, Poland, February 21-22, 2016

The 5th WG meeting will be hosted by the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn: - Location: Poland, Olsztyn, Hotel HP Park, 119A Warszawska Str. - Contact Persons: Ms. Iwona KIEDA: i.kieda@pan.olsztyn.pl Dr Wieslaw WICZKOWSKI: w.wiczkowski@pan.olsztyn.pl Dr. Mariusz PISKULA: m.piskula@pan.olsztyn.pl   The meeting will be held from February 21 at 9:00 to February 22 after lunch.

Welcome to Olsztyn !

 Agenda

Free discussion or a social event to be further agreed upon for those not leaving Olsztyn on the 22nd

Number of invited participants on COST funds estimated up to 65 participants

POSITIVe partners who want to come on their own funds are welcome!

Practical information

VENUE :

Poland, Olsztyn, Hotel HP Park, 119A Warszawska Str.

ACCOMMODATION :

Best price (40 €/night (single) ; 48€/night (double)) for your accommodation have been negotiated in the Hotel “HP Hotel”, that is also the venue of the meeting (119A Warszawska Str, Olsztyn). This special prize of the HP hotel for POSITIVe participants is guaranteed until 6th February 2017. 

Please fill out ASAP the hotel reservation form  and sent it in due time to the hotel management office (e-mail address indicated in the form).

For reminder, as stated in the approved W&B plan of the Action, the flat rate of accommodation for this meeting is set at 70 euros/night.

TRAVEL :

As regards to the planned flight schedule for the winter season at the Mazurian airport (Olstzyn), the only travel connections available at the beginning of the year will cover only flights to/from London Stansted and London Luton. At this moment, the planned timetable of these flights in February don’t fit with the schedule of the COST meeting.

Consequently, all the partners are recommended to travel either to 1) Gdańsk Airport, 2) Warsaw Modlin, or 3) Warsaw Chopin.

You can reach Olsztyn from these airports in several ways:

 1) Direct bus transportation lines from/to Warsaw Okęcie Airport / Modlin Warsaw Airport / Gdańsk Airport to/from Olsztyn. 

The cost of the one-way ticket at this moment is:
Warsaw Okęcie Airport - Olsztyn - 80 złoty (20 EUR), duration (depending on the traffic): ca. 3,5h
Modlin Warsaw Airport - Olsztyn - 50 złoty (12 EUR), duration: ca. 2,5h
Gdańsk Airport - Olsztyn - 50 złoty (12 EUR), duration: ca. 2,5h
Note that you are recommended to pay in Polish zlotys on the bus.

The current timetable is available at: https://www.kondratowicztransport.pl/rozklad-jazdy/

Reservation is necessary. The webpage only available in Polish, thus please look at the little guide as to the arrival to Olsztyn (please see the following tutorial).

For any additional information/help please contact directly Iwona Kieda (i.kieda@pan.olsztyn.pl)

2) If you do not find this bus suitable, you may also travel via other means of transportation:

Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin Airport

 When you arrive at the Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin Airport, you can take the bus No. 175 to the Central Railway Station (Warszawa Centralna). Price of the ticket is 4,4 zlotys - time limit 75 minutes -tickets can be bought at the newsagent’s at the airport) and then a train or a bus to Olsztyn. The cost of taxi service from the airport to Central Warsaw railway station is about 30-40 PLN. If you plan to take a taxi, please take a taxi only from the official line. Taking either a bus or a taxi, it is recommended that you have Polish cash on you – there is an Exchange Office at the airport.

If you decide to travel to Olsztyn by train (about 2,5h):

You can find the best train connection using the website of the Polish Railways: http://www.intercity.pl/en/ When using the connection search engine, for the main railway station in Olsztyn enter “Olsztyn Główny”, in Warsaw — “Warszawa Centralna” in Gdańsk — “Gdańsk Główny”. Train tickets can be bought online, at railway stations or even on the train, with the last option being most expensive.

If you decide to travel to Olsztyn by bus departing from the Warsaw City Centre (about 3h):

There are two companies: RADEX (www.radex.net.pl) and TRANSWAL (www.transwal.pl) operating direct connections. Main bus stop (for both transporters) in Warsaw is located in the city center in front of the Palace of Culture and Science (PoCS, Plac Defilad 1 Street, see attached map) which is easy to access by taxi or municipal bus service No. 175 (from airport). Your stop: CENTRE. It is recommended to make a ticket reservation ahead (via internet). Price for the bus ticket to Olsztyn is approx. 10 € (you have to pay in Polish zlotys on the bus). If you use these buses please use stop KORTOWO (first stop in Olsztyn) and walk back about 1500 m to the Hotel. Go back on foot in the direction of the hotel. The hotel is on the same side as the stop but you will have to cross the road. 

Both train and bus connections can be also found via the website e-podroznik - http://en.e-podroznik.pl/ (please enter the names of the cities in this case, not stops or stations), which also provides ticket sale where possible.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ON PLACE:

Public transport in Olsztyn includes trams and buses. You can check the connections at the website jakdojade.pl (for the main railway station enter “Dworzec Główny”, for the venue — “Stary Dwór”). Direct bus line from railway station (and bus station) is no 103 and stop is "StaryDwor". Tickets can be bought at newsagents’ and in ticket machines at more frequented bus and tram stops, e.g. in front of the main railway station and as well as inside some buses or trams. In ticket machines, you can pay by card (VISA or Mastercard). Price of the ticket for one line is 2,9 PLN (for 3 days (72 hours) - 20 PLN).