SWERC 2009 Location
Contest Site
The South Western European Regional Contest 2009 will be held at the Complutense University, School of Computer Science (Facultad de Informática), in Madrid, Spain.
Postal address:
Facultad de Informática
Universidad Complutense
C/ Profesor José García Santesmases s/n
28040 Madrid
Spain
The School of Computer Science is located on the Moncloa Campus of the Complutense University. This campus is called "Ciudad Universitaria" and it is in the northwest of Madrid.
How to get there
There will be a shuttle service between the hotels and the school, but in case you need to get to the School of Computer Science on your own, keep reading.
Madrid has a very good transport system. The underground, or metro, takes you almost everywhere. The nearest metro station to the school is "Ciudad Universitaria" (line 6, the grey one). From that station there is a 15-20 minutes walk to the school. Or take there the 82 bus that leaves you 5 minutes from the school.
You can also head to "Moncloa" metro station (lines 3 and 6), and then take the 82 bus from its starting point.
Useful links:
- Madrid underground
- Empresa Municipal de Transportes (buses)
Travel Information
You can arrive in (and depart from) Madrid either by air, train, bus or car.
By air
All flights arrive at Madrid-Barajas International airport.
How to get to the city center from the airport ...
- By underground: Look for a red diamond with the word "Metro" in white! The metro station is on line 8. Go to "Mar de Cristal" station (same line), where you can take line 4 (the brown one) which provides a fast route into the centre of Madrid. Or go to "Nuevos Ministerios" station (the end of line 8), which is in the heart of Madrid's financial district (journey time: 12 minutes). In "Nuevos Ministerios" station you can connect with lines 6 (the grey one) and 10 (the dark blue one).
See underground map
Underground trains run daily from 6:00 am to 1:30 am. - By taxi: Taxis from the airport to the centre of Madrid cost about 30-35 EUR (including airport supplements) and the journey takes 25-30 minutes, depending on traffic. Official taxi stands are located outside each Terminal Arrival area.
By train
Trains from abroad arrive at Atocha railway station, which is situated in the centre of the city. Once you get to the arrival area of the railway station, turn right and walk until you reach a round hall. The access to the underground ("Atocha Renfe" station; line 1, the light blue one) is located just in front of you. Look for a red diamond with the word "Metro" in white!
See underground map
Underground trains run daily from 6:00 am to 1:30 am.
If you want to take a taxi, go upstairs when you reach the round hall (official taxi stands are located on the street).
By bus
The main bus station for international travel and long distance travel in Spain is the Estación Sur de Autobuses, which is located south of the city center.
From the arrival area you can directly reach the access to the underground ("Mendez Alvaro" station; line 6, the grey one). The access is on Floor -2. Underground trains run daily from 6:00 am to 1:30 am.
See underground map
Underground trains run daily from 6:00 am to 1:30 am.
By car
Driving from Portugal or France is easy, as the major highways in Spain feed into Madrid:
- A1 Highway or Burgos Highway: it connects Madrid to France via Irún.
- A2 Highway or Barcelona Highway: it connects Madrid to France via Portbou.
- A5 Highway or Extremadura Highway: it connects Madrid to Lisbon and southern Portugal.
- A6 Highway or A Coruña Highway: it connects Madrid to northern Portugal.
Tourist Information
Click on the images!
Madrid, the capital of Spain since 1561, is a cosmopolitan city with more than 3 million inhabitants located in the geographic centre of Spain.
Madrid has an intensive cultural and artistic activity, as demonstrated by its numerous museums, monuments and culture centers. Madrid also has a large number of popular pubs, enjoyable restaurants, countless cafés and bars with live music, and -in the summer months- outdoor cafés and clubs.
In the picture above you can see some pictures of the most representative places in Madrid. Please click on the small pictures. More information about Madrid in:
- Ayuntamiento de Madrid - Tourist Information
- Turismo Madrid
- TourSpain
- The above pictures and more can be found in Madrid Pictures
Weather information
Madrid's weather in late October-early November is generally mild. Warm sunny days with temperatures in the low 20s ºC and evenings/nights generally ranging from 10 to 14 ºC. Click here for the current 15-day weather forecast for Madrid.
Getting around
The underground (called Metro) is the quickest, cheapest and easiest way to get around the city, with bus lines and local or commuter trains (cercanías) filling in the gaps.
You can consult the Transport System Page for more detailed information (fares, timetables, etc.) about public transport in Madrid.
Taxis are inexpensive and well regulated. All official taxis are painted white with a red diagonal stripe across the front doors.
Walking is the best way to get around the compact center of Madrid.