Travel Information

OCEAN OPTICS XIX MEETING LOCATION

BUSES TO AND FROM THE SITE

Please note that persons wishing to acquire transportation at the below-mentioned times are required to fill out the Transportation Request Form (which will be posted as soon as it becomes available) and send it to the IlCiocco Hotel via fax. Regretfully, requests outside the below-mentioned times can not be accommodated. However, alternate travel arrangements are available;  please see below for details.

Il Ciocco provides a complimentary bus for Ocean Optics Conference attendees at the Pisa Airport on the first day of the Conference (Sunday, October 5th). The bus departs from the Pisa Airport at 11:00 am, 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm (it will stop at the Pisa Train Station approximately 15 minutes later for pick ups). The trip takes approximately 1.5 hours.

When you exit the baggage pick up area at the airport in Pisa there will be doors directly in front of you to the parking area. The bus will be parked right outside. There will also be greeters from Il Ciocco in the terminal with Ocean Optics signs to direct you to the bus.

Complimentary buses for Ocean Optics Conference attendees after the conference to the Pisa Airport and the Pisa Train Station will be provided on October 11th - departure times will be as follows: 4:30 am; 8:30 am and 12:30 pm.

Please note that there will be limited transportation on the 4th and 10th: times to be determined and will be posted as soon as they become available.

TRAIN

The web site for train information in Italy is www.trenitalia.com. Catch the train from either Pisa Areoporto, or Pisa Centrale. Pisa Centrale is a 5 minute (3km) cab ride from the airport, so it is often easier to do this (as trains are more regular from the Pisa Centrale). There is also another station after Pisa Centrale called Pisa S. Rossore. The train route you need is "Pisa - (Lucca) - Barga-Gallicano".

Barga-Gallicano is the station most convenient to Il Ciocco. When searching for this station using trenitalia, type it exactly as written here. Barga-Gallicano is about 5km from Il Ciocco. When you reach the station, you can call the hotel (0583 7191) from the bar next to the station and ask them to send a taxi for you. A taxi to the hotel is approximately €10.00 - €20.00.

The total journey time varies but is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. After Lucca, the train is a small slow valley train. To assist you, the station before Barga-Gallicano is Fornaci di Barga. A word of warning regarding your ticket: once purchased, you must stamp it using the small yellow machines which are located on the platforms. This puts a date stamp on your ticket and validates it. You can be fined if your ticket is not validated!

AUTOMOBILE

From Firenze: take the A11 direction Lucca / Mare (then see detailed instructions below)

From Roma: take the A1 north to Firenze, join the A11 direction Lucca / Mare (then see detailed instructions below)

From Bologna: take the A1 south direction Firenze then join the A11 direction Lucca / Mare (then see detailed instructions below)

From Genova: take the A12 south direction La Spezia / Livorno, at Viareggio, join the A11 direction Firenze, to Lucca (then see detailed instructions below)

From Pisa: take the A12 north, direction Viareggio / Genova, join the A11 direction Firenze / Lucca (then see detailed instructions below)

Basic driving directions from Lucca:

Follow signs to Castelnuovo Garfagana. At Ponte di Campia turn right over the river and then take the immediate left towards Castelvecchio Pascoli. In Castelvecchio Pascoli turn left to Il Ciocco.

Detailed instructions from Lucca:

Exit the A11 at Lucca Est (this is the first Lucca junction you reach from Firenze and the second from Pisa, Genova). Pay at the toll booth - as you come off the slip road you will see McDonalds ahead of you. Follow the slip road, keeping McDonalds to your right but then you must move over to the right hand lane otherwise you will head back in a loop towards the motorway / autostrada junctions.

Continue straight ahead. You will come to a small roundabout, stay in the left lane (the right lane filters off) and continue straight on. The Lucca city walls will now be on your right. Continue around the city on this road travelling clockwise following signs Castelnuovo Garfangnana (on some signs you will see this written Castelnuovo G.NA or just Castelnuovo G.)

Exiting Lucca, you will travel along a long straight road passing a couple of garages and car dealerships. Continue until you reach a junction and large roundabout. Continue to follow signs to Castelnuovo (& Garfagana - brown tourist sign here). Continue through four tunnels. After the tunnels, the road splits. Stay right and follow the SS445 to Castelnuovo G. (the road takes you across the valley on a new bridge).

You are now on the SS2. With the river on your right, continue to follow signs for Castelnuovo. In approximately 3km, you will reach Diecimo. Further on at approximately 8km, you will come to Borgo a Mozzano. Continue towards Castelnuovo G. On the same road (in approximately 23km), you will reach Gallicano. Carry along the same road (in appoximately 26km), you will reach Ponte di Campia. You will come to a stop junction. Turn right here towards Castelvecchio Pascoli. At the other side of the bridge, turn left immediately and you will drive into Castelvecchio Pascoli, which is a small village.

You will pass a small market shop on your right and a small bar on your left, then further up at the end of the village, a bank and bicycle shop on the right. Just past the bicycle shop, make a left turn to Il Ciocco (look for the big red/white sign on the right hand side of the road pointing out the turn). There is also a light suspended above the junction.

Pass the guard at the bottom of the hill, then follow the road ahead (and up!). In approximately 2km, you will find the main car park and hotel.

CAR RENTALS

Avis  (Phone: 800-831-8000)
Avis offers discounted rates for the Gordon Research Conferences on auto rentals. For reservations call 1-800-831-8000 in the U.S. and in Canada call 1-800-879-2847. For International reservations calling from within the U.S., call 1-800-331-1084. For attendees calling from outside the U.S. or Canada you should contact your travel consultant or your local Avis reservation office.

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