::LOCAL INFO::

· Currency: New Turkish Lira (YTL or TRY). The most convenient way for exchanging currency is to use “exchange offices” (there is no exchange office on the Sabanci University Campus). These offices usually offer a better rate than the banks and they are much faster. Please see Universal Currency Converter for up-to-date exchange rates. There are exchange offices at the airports (with possible a worse rate than the ones in the city) and you may want to have a small amount exchanged at the airport for your travel from the airport to the city.

· Weather: Weather Underground, Turkish State Meteorological Service

· Transportation

o Please see the important places of ICTAC 2008 around Taksim

o All taxis are yellow colored and equipped with a taxi-meter on which you can see the price (in YTL) accumulated during your travel. The night rate (between 24:00 and 06:00) is 50% more expensive than the day time rate.

o Between Ataturk International Airport and Taksim (where The Marmara and The Cartoon Hotels are):

The most convenient way is to use Havas Shuttle Services that operates between this airport and Taksim. Please see the transportation web site of Ataturk International Airport for more information (click on Taksim on the map to see the alternatives). We suggest that you take either Havas shuttle busses or a taxi since they are direct ways of transportation. The other alternatives may be complicated for a non-local since they require some transfers.

o Between Ataturk International Airport and Sabanci University Campus:

The best way would be to combine Ataturk International Airport/Taksim and Taksim/Sabanci University Campus transportations. A more expensive but faster way is of course to take a taxi which should cost around 100 YTL during the day.

o Between Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and Taksim (where The Marmara and The Cartoons Hotels are):

Again the most convenient way would be to use Havas Shuttles (scroll down and see Taksim part on their web site). Taking a taxi would cost around 100 YTL during the day.

o Between Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and Sabanci University Campus:

There are Sabanci University Shuttles but very infrequent (during the weekdays only, at 16:30 and 18:30 from Sabanci University Campus to Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, at 15:15 and 16:15 from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Sabanci University Campus). The best way would be to take a taxi which should cost around 20 YTL during the day.

o Between Taksim and Sabanci University Campus:

Please see the shuttle bus schedule of Sabanci University (see the Taksim table).

There will be an additional shuttle bus for the day of the tutorials. The details will be posted here.