Logistics

INFORMATION ON TRAVELING TO AND LIVING IN CRETE

2007 International Institute for Political and Economic Studies

Registration for all participants will take place on Friday, July 13 from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m in the lobby of the dormitory at The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh). Signs placed around the campus will direct you to where you need to go. The address is:

Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania
Alsylio Agrokepion, PO Box 85
Chania 73100
Crete
Greece

Early Arrivals/Late Departures

If your travel plans require that you arrive or depart beyond the Institute dates, you may be responsible for your own accommodations. We encourage students to arrive on July 13th as rooms at the dormitory may be limited prior to the Institute. If you will arrive in Chania before July 13 th we need to know as soon as possible. If you need to stay beyond August 7th because of travel reasons and if the dormitory is available, students may be charged an additional fee. A travel information form was included with your acceptance letter and needs to be returned to The Fund for American Studies prior to your arrival.

 Entry to Greece --Visas

You may be required to obtain an entry visa to enter Greece. It is necessary that you call your regional Greek embassy or consulate for visa regulations as soon as possible. Students from the United States, Israel, Italy, Croatia, Malta and Bulgaria do not need a visa to enter Greece.

An official letter of invitation signed by Mr. Theodossis Georgiou, Chairman of the Greek Association for Atlantic and European Cooperation will be sent to all students needing a visa. You will need this letter to obtain a visa or any other entry documents. We recommend that you carry this letter with you as you travel.

TRAVEL OPTIONS TO ARRIVE AT MAICH

Once in Athens, there are four major travel options for arriving at Chania:

1. Fly directly from the Athens airport to Chania, Crete. From there, take a taxi (approximately 15 Euros) to MAICh.
2. Fly directly from the Athens airport to Heraklion, Crete. From Heraklion, you can take a 2 ½ hour coach ride to Chania. The coach leaves every hour from 05:30 to 20:30. You can ask the driver to drop you off at MAICh, instead of getting to the coach station in Chania. You can get from Heraklion airport to the Coach Station by bus. The bus departs for the coach station every 5 min from 06:00 to 23:00. Or, for approximately 75 Euros, you can take a 1 ½ hour taxi ride from Heraklion to MAICh in Chania.
3. From Athens, you can take one of the ships (overnight or fast) directly to Chania. Anek http://www.anek.gr/ , Minoan Lines http://www.minoan.gr/en/main.asp , and Blue Star Ferries http://www.bluestarferries.com/ENGLISH/defaultmain.htm are some of the most popular lines. After arriving at the Souda Port in Chania, it is approximately a 5 Euro taxi ride to MAICh.
4. From Athens, you can take one of the ships (overnight or fast) to Heraklion. From there, you can take a bus or taxi to Chania (information listed above in number 2). Or, you can take one of the ships (overnight or fast) to Rethymnon, which is about 45 minutes away from Chania by taxi (approximately 40 Euros)

How to get from Athens airport, bus station or train station to downtown Athens or Port of Pireus

The Eleftherios Venizelos Airport is situated outside Athens ( 33 km). Unless you travel to Crete by plane again, which means that you do not have to leave the airport, you will have to use either a public bus , metro or a taxi to get to Pireas, the port of Athens, in order to take a ship to Crete.  

By Metro

The Airport is accessible via Metro Line 3: " Athens International Airport - Monastiraki"

The journey time from Athens International Airport to Syntagma (downtown Athens) is 27 minutes and to Piraeus (the port) 60 minutes.  

By Taxi

The airport is accessible by taxi on a 24-hour basis. When leaving the airport, please make use of the taxi queue next to Door 3 of the Arrivals Level. The approximate cost of a taxi ride from the airport to downtown Athens is 20 Euros, and the approximate taxi cost from the airport to the port of Piraeus is 30 Euros (though this should be confirmed with taxi driver). There are also extra charges for luggage.

By Bus

Public transportation is provided by express airport bus connections with the Athens city center and the port of Piraeus on a 24 hour basis.

Arriving in Athens by train: International trains arrive at the Stathmós Laríssis in the northwest of the city center; the virtually adjacent Peloponnissou station handles traffic to and from the Peloponnese. Just outside the train station there is a Metro Station which you can use to get to Omonia (downtown Athens) and from there you change for Pireaus (the port). The yellow trolleybus (#1), which leaves from outside Laríssis, goes to Syntagma (also downtown Athens).

Arriving in Athens by bus : If you're coming into Athens by bus from northern Greece, you'll find yourself at Kifissoú 100, just a ten-minute ride from the middle of town by bus #051. Routes into the city from central Greece arrive rather closer to the centre at Liossíon 260, north of the train stations; from here you take the blue city bus #024 to Syntagma . Most international buses will take you to the train station or to Kifissoú 100; a few drop passengers right in the city centre.

If you want to go from the bus station to the Athens International Airport “El. Venizelos” you can use the bus (24 hour operation) X-93.

Public Transportation

The use of public transportation requires tickets that can be purchased at newsstands or at bus stops. The cost of a one-way ticket is 0, 45 Euro. After boarding a bus, tickets need to be stamped - look for little boxes. Riders on public transportation must have a pass or a validated ticket. Plain-clothed officers frequently ask riders to show their tickets or passes. Riders without a pass or ticket are subject to a fine of 17,6 Euro, which must be paid on the spot. If approached, be sure the officer displays proper identification.  

Distances :

• Port of Souda in Chania to MAICh 2 km
• Airport in Chania to MAICh 15 km

Transportation:

There is a bus that passes from Souda’s Avenue (MAICh) every 20 minutes and goes to the city of Chania. The ticket costs 0,80 Euro (normal) or 0,60 Euro (student fare). The last bus, No. 13, passes from MAICh for Chania at 22:20 and from the Market to MAICh at 22:40. The route is about 15 minutes.

The taxi route from MAICh to the city costs approximately 4,5 Euro together with the telephone call.

Radiotaxi at Chania (call a taxi from/to Maich)

Night transportation

Public transportation does not operate after midnight. You will have to use a taxi. Take note that taxi fares double after midnight. You should tell the taxi driver to use the meter.

 Housing

There will be two students assigned to each dorm room. Each room is air conditioned and has a private bathroom. Each room contains 2 single beds (usually bunk beds) and study areas. Towels and bed linens are provided, and there is maid service twice a week. There are also laundry facilities on campus.

The Fund for American Studies will assign your roommates upon registration. In order to promote cross-cultural exchange, roommates will be assigned so that students from the same country are not rooming together. If you smoke, please limit your smoking to areas outside your room unless your roommates give you permission to smoke in the room.

Telephone Calls, Internet Access, and Emergency Contact Information

It is not possible to call a room in the dormitory. However, there are pay phones throughout MAICh, which operate with calling cards that can be purchased at newsstands.

In case of an emergency, family or friends can contact The Fund for American Studies in Washington, DC. Representatives at The Fund will immediately inform Institute staff in Greece. The Fund for American Studies can be contacted by phone at 001-202-986-0384 or by fax at 001-202-986-0390.

At the dormitory, all students will have access to a computer lab with internet access (though there are a limited number of computers).

Meals

Meals will be provided to all Institute participants at the dining facilities of MAICh. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served each day unless scheduled otherwise (Sunday lunches are not served). For anyone with special dietary requirements (kosher, vegetarian, etc.), you must contact us via email at iipes@tfas.org no later than June 21 st.

What to Bring

In class, you may dress casually. There will be one or two occasions where you will need to wear professional clothing (suits and ties for men, dresses or suits for women). Make sure you have a pair of comfortable walking shoes for tours and sightseeing. You may want to bring a bathing suit and beach towels if you plan on taking any trips to the beach. Although the weather in Crete will be very warm, all dorm rooms and classrooms are air conditioned (so you might want to bring a sweater with you for class).

 For the Country Presentations Evening, you may want to bring traditional music, dress or other props for the show. Prior to arriving, a completed list of students from each country will be sent by email (if requested) to all students based on citizenship. The list will contain email addresses, and students can coordinate with each other as to what to bring for the Country Presentations Evening.

Please bring your university identity card or the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). It may allow discounts for museums, travel and other activities.

Students should bring notebooks, paper and writing instruments for classes. Reading materials will be provided prior to arrival via CD-Rom. Hard copies of the readings will be provided at registration.

Medical Insurance

Some countries have bilateral agreements with Greece for recognition of medical insurance. Check with your health insurer to see what their policy is for international travel; insurance may be limited to emergency room coverage only. ISIC holders are offered a helpful travel insurance policy (see International Student Identity Card below ). Have your local insurance agency (or Social Security depending upon the case) provide you with the appropriate forms you should carry with you in case you need medical care.

 Changing Money

Please plan to bring enough money to cover entertainment and local transportation costs, incidental expenses and whatever souvenir shopping you might want to do. There is a wide range of restaurants where you can expect to pay $3 (i.e. for a “cheese pie”) or $15-$20 for a sit-down meal in a nicer restaurant.

Students can exchange money at banks located in the airport(s). You can also use bank machines (ATM’s) located in Chania. Credit cards are frequently accepted at restaurants, bars and shops – but different prices might apply for credit card purchases.

Institute Staff

Throughout the Institute, there will be several Institute staff members living on campus who will be available to assist you: Ms. Michelle Jeffress, Director of International Programs, can assist you with questions pertaining to the academic program. Ms. Cynthia Ramirez, International Programs Assistant, will also be available during the Institute to provide any necessary assistance. There will also be a program assistant (PA) to assist you with any issues with the dormitory, public transportation, etc. The PA will serve as the Greek liaison for IIPES. The PA will know both Greek and English, so he or she can also assist you in bridging any language barriers that you encounter.

 International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

The International Student Travel Confederation (a service of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) issues the ISIC for students to help in their travels around the world. ISIC holders can receive travel related benefits and services throughout the world, including health insurance. Many travel agencies, airlines, museums and other entertainment and travel related organizations recognize the ISIC and offer significant discounts. The ISIC costs approximately $20. To obtain an ISIC, you must have a passport, a passport-sized photograph and proof that you are a full-time student. There are over 5000 organizations worldwide that issue the ISIC. For more information, visit the ISTC website on the Internet at www.istc.org, or you can call collect the ISIC Help Line anywhere in the world at 44-181-666-9205.

Questions

If you have additional questions before arriving, please contact Ms. Cynthia Ramirez at The Fund for American Studies at telephone number 001-202-986-0384, fax number 001-202-986-8930, or email at iipes@tfas.org or cramirez@tfas.org or Ms. Julie Lutran at The Greek Association for Atlantic & European Cooperation at telephone number 0030-210-865 5979, fax number 0030-210-865 4742, or email at iipes@gaaec.org.

International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

The International Student Travel Confederation (a service of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) issues the ISIC for students to help in their travels around the world. ISIC holders can receive travel related benefits and services throughout the world, including health insurance. Many travel agencies, airlines, museums and other entertainment and travel related organizations recognize the ISIC and offer significant discounts. The ISIC costs approximately $20. To obtain an ISIC, you must have a passport, a passport-sized photograph and proof that you are a full-time student. There are over 5000 organizations worldwide that issue the ISIC. For more information, visit the ISTC website on the Internet at www.istc.org, or you can call collect the ISIC Help Line anywhere in the world at 44-181-666-9205.

Questions

If you have additional questions before arriving, please contact Ms. Michelle Jeffress at The Fund for American Studies at telephone number 001-202-986-0384, fax number 001-202-986-8930, or email at iipes@tfas.org or mjeffress@tfas.org or Ms. Julie Lutran at The Greek Association for Atlantic & European Cooperation at telephone number 0030-210-865 5979, fax number 0030-210-865 4742, or email at iipes@gaaec.org.

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