Let's Meet where East Meets West!

Hotel

ASPLOS 2015 will be held in Dedeman Istanbul, located in the heart of the city, just minutes from major business and shopping centers, is the perfect choice for business or leisure travelers. Dedeman's webpage

Hotel Reservations

Please contact Ms. Yagmur Dasdemir for hotel reservations. We have arranged special discounted rates with the hotel. Reservations must be made through email. Your hotel confirmation will be available shortly.

These special rates are offered on a limited number of rooms, subject to availability, so book early.

Social Event (Tentative)

There will be a half day social event followed by a dinner.

Visa Information

As of April 17, 2013, electronic visa (e-Visa) replaces sticker visa which was issued at the border crossings. Applicants just need to log on to www.evisa.gov.tr , provide the requested information, (after the application is approved) make online payment and download their e-Visa. Please see details in the following link.

Visa Information For Foreigners

Getting to Istanbul

Many airlines have non-stop flights to Istanbul from places as far as Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Houston, Washington DC, Boston, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Johannesburg. Turkish Airlines has relatively new Airbus planes, good in-flight service, comfortable seating arrangements and is worth considering. For inexpensive airfares, you can also consult the many travel sites on the Internet, including Expedia and Orbitz.

Getting to the conference hotel from the Istanbul Ataturk airport

To get from the Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Dedeman Istanbul Hotel (and from the hotel to the airport), you can ask ASPLOS-XX's official travel agency DEKON to arrange transportation for you, tailored to your specific flight schedule. Please contact Nicolas Loeffler (Ph:+90 212 275 29 57, e-mail : nicolasloeffler@dekon.com.tr).

Otherwise, the most common transportation from and to the airport is by taxi. The taxi fare from the airport to Dedeman Istanbul is approximately $20 (50TL - 22 kilometers or 14 miles). You are advised to take the official airport taxis waiting in line outside the terminal.

If you prefer public transportation for a cheaper and potentially faster transportation, you can take M1A metro at the airport and make a connection at the 3rd stop (Atakoy-Sirinevler) to Metrobus going towards Zincirlikuyu direction. Hotel is located within 5 mins. walking distance to Zincirlikuyu Metrobus stop. You can see the public transportation map here. You need to purchase tickets using local currency so make sure you have some. Also, see the map of Zincirlikuyu Metrobus station and Dedeman Istanbul Hotel, they are within 5 minute walking distance.

It is recommended that visitors do not rent a car in Istanbul. Driving in Istanbul is, to say the least, difficult, due to the heavy traffic, hilly landscape, and many narrow and winding streets. Taxis are the preferred way to get from one place to another in Istanbul. Taxis are cheap, and can be found easily all over the city.

Currency Exchange

Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs), compatible with bank cards following international standards such as Cirrus, Maestro and Visa, are available throughout Istanbul and other cities in Turkey, and are the most convenient way to obtain local currency (Turkish Lira) at current exchange rates. For example, if you bring your bank debit card compatible with Cirrus from the US, you will be able to withdraw cash (in Turkish Liras) from your own bank account in the US, through an ATM machine in Istanbul. We recommend that you exchange a small amount of cash at one of the bank branches in the Istanbul Ataturk Airport when you arrive there (enough for paying for the taxi and other expenses for that day in Turkish Liras), and get the rest of your local currency later as needed, from ATM's in the city. Bank branches throughout the city also provide currency exchange without a commission fee.

The current exchange rates for the Turkish Lira can be found on the Internet, e.g., on the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey exchange rates web page.

Tips

Taxis: You do not need to tip the taxi driver, but it is customary to round up the fare.

Restaurants: It is customary to give a 10% tip to the waiter.

Electrical and Phone

Turkey uses a 220 Volt, 50 Herz AC power system, like most of Europe. The wall outlets take German or French style power plugs, with two or three round prongs. (Laptop power adapters are usually dual voltage, but you may need to get a travel adapter before you arrive.)

Cell phones are widely used over GSM. There are three main oeprators: Turkcell, Avea, and Vodafone.