Travel

The nearest airport is Mineralnye Vody. Though it's called "international" but in fact the list of destinations in other countries is quite short. It appears to be optimal to fly first to either Domodedovo or Sheremetyevo or Vnukovo airport in Moscow and then to Mineralnye Vody.

The LOC is planning to meet all participants in the airport of Mineralnye Vody and organize further transfer to Kislovodsk, so please let us know the time of your arrival as soon as you book the tickets. Of course it's possible to get to Kislovodsk by public transport or taxi. You can book a taxi on a desk in baggage claim area. The drive from airport to Kislovodsk costs appox. 650 rubles (22 USD).

Also it's possible to get from Moscow directly to the center of Kislovdosk by train which is traditional mode of transport for Russia. The ride will take about 25 hours and costs about 5000 rubles, train number is 4. This option may appear interesting for them who wants to look at central part of Russia from window of train. The train passes such cities as Ryazan, Voronezh, Rostov-on-Don, Mineralnye Vody and Pyatigorsk.

Place

Kislovodsk is located in the picturesque valley, surrounded with slopes of the main Caucasian ridge. The main riches and proud of the city is mineral springs, thereby Kislovodsk became a famous resort. The city represents great cultural value because in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Kislovodsk as a fashionable spa attracted many musicians, artists, and members of the Russian aristocracy. The weather in Kislovodsk in October is usually sunny and warm.

Here you can find a map of Kislovodsk with important objects.

Links: weather in Kislovodsk, Kislovodsk in wikipedia, information about region

Some photos are also available in our photo galery.

Accomodation

We will reserve a block of rooms after getting an idea on the number of participants. By now there are next options:

1. Double room with full pension (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - 2620 rubles per person per night. solnechniy
2. Double room for single occupation with full pension - 3880 rubles per person per night. solnechniy
3. Economic double room, meal excluded - 570, 681, 780 rubles per person per night depending on size of room. "Drujba-Rostov"
4. Economic single room, meal excluded - 680 - 1362 rubles per person per night depending on size of room. "Drujba-Rostov"

For your reference: the official exchange rate (USD CB RF and EUR CB RF) can be found at http://www.rbcnews.com/.

Obtaining Russian visa

Citizens of most countries need visa to enter the Russian Federation. If you want to obtain business visa we can prepare an official invitation for you. In this case please provide us with the following information:

1. Scanned significant pages (pages containing photo and personal data) of passport as .jpg or .gif
2. The expected date of your entering Russian Federation.
3. The expected date of your departure from Russian Federation.
4. Cities you are going to visit is Russian Federation (including e.g. Moscow and Mineralnye Vody).
5. The city where you will apply for your visa to a Russian consulate.
6. The country where you were born (if it's not obvious from passport scan).
7. Birth place.
8. Home address.
9. Affiliation (complete name of your institution).
10. Complete institutional address.
11. Your position at your affiliation.

Invitations for all paticipants which have submitted this information will be sent by express mail to participants in mid-September (for european citizens a little earlier). With this invitation you will be able to apply for a visa. But maybe you will need hardcopy of invitation only in moment of obtaining of visa while application could be made with scan of invitation. We recommend you to contact embassy/consulate where you will apply for visa and ask them about procedure. Please note that usually it takes about 5-7 days to obtain a visa with official invitation.

Starting from August, 24 LOC cannot guarantee success in obtaining official invitation for business visa. However you can still obtain a touristic visa through tourstic agency in your country. See for example Visadienst or visa to Russia.

List of Russian embassies.

If you have any problem with obtaining the visa please inform us site2010@sai.msu.ru.

Local organizing committee

• Victor Kornilov, Sternberg Astronomical Institute (chair)
• Petr Kortunov, Sternberg Astronomical Institute
• Boris Safonov, Sternberg Astronomical Institute (secretary)
• Nicolai Shatsky, Sternberg Astronomical Institute
• Olga Vozjakova, Sternberg Astronomical Institute
• Elena Glushkova, Sternberg Astronomical Institute

Contacts

• Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow State University. Universitetsky pr., 13, Moscow 119992, Russia
• local phone of LOC in time of conference: +7 928 293 8108
• phone: +7 495 939-2382
• fax: +7 495 932-8841
• email: site2010@sai.msu.ru