Conference ESGCO 2022

Location

The conference will be held on the shore of glacial mountain lake Štrbské Pleso, overlooking the majestic panorama of the High Tatras – the highest mountain range in the whole Carpathian mountains system. It enjoys a great location and is suitable as the starting point for hiking trips – including one-day trip to Slovak national peak Kriváň (2494m) – as well as trips to other parts of the High Tatras and the surrounding area. The National park High Tatras offers something for everyone from easy walks or cable car trips up to hiking for experienced. The destination provides exceptionally clean air, dark sky at night, autumn colour leaves and traditional Slovak cuisine and folk culture.

The conference venue will be hotel Patria, located directly on the Štrbské pleso shore. Hotel is a dominant building of Štrbské Pleso and it is named after nearby peak Patria (meaning native country). Owing to its unique view, excellent accommodation services, gastronomy and modern wellness centre it has been one of the most sough-after destinations among inland and foreign guests from its opening.

Accommodation

We have reserved rooms for participants of ESGCO 2022 in hotel Patria**** for special prices (~40% discount compared to common prices).

Standard Single-room: 78 €/night
Standard Double-room: 88 €/night
Lux Single-room: 98 /night
Lux Double-room: 108 /night

Breakfast included. Unlimited access to the Wellness Patria Aqua Paradise throughout your stay included.

The tourism tax 1.5 €/person/night is not included.

For reservations of your stay, please contact the hotel directly at recepcia@hotelpatria.sk. Use the password „ESGCO2022“ for the communication.

More info: https://www.hotelpatria.sk/en/front

Accommodation is not included in the registration fee.

For information about accommodation options other than hotel Patria you can contact us on: accommodation@esgco2022.sk

Getting to Štrbské Pleso

All ways of air transport are finished by railway transport presented below.

By air

USING KOŠICE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Košice international airport (KSC) serving for eastern part of Slovakia is the closest airport (150 km from Štrbské Pleso) with daily regular flight connections to major airport. For flight schedule see www.airportkosice.sk

We recommend to use Austrian Airlines flight from Vienna International Airport arriving to KSC – according to current schedule at 14:25 (departing from VIE at 13:30).

Transfer from KSC airport to railway station (bus stop Staničné námestie, journey duration 15 min) is cheap, fast and easy using public transport with bus no. 23 departing from airport at 14:37, 15:09, 15:39, 16:09. Tickets are available at the machine (preferred way, 0.90 Eur) or directly at bus driver (1.50 Eur). Next step – see using railway below.

USING POPRAD AIRPORT

The closest airport – just 25 kilometres from venue – is Poprad International Airport. Unfortunately, currently it has only one regular connection (two times weekly) from London Luton by Wizzair. It is only 4 km away from Poprad-Tatry railway station.

Using Bratislava Airport

This airport is located ~300 km from venue. There are regular flights from several European cities served by low-cost airlines (WizzAir, Ryanair). For more information see: www.bts.aero

The next step after arrival is to take bus no. 61 (approximately every 20 min, price ~1 Eur, journey duration 25 min) to Bratislava, hlavná stanica (main railway station).

Using Vienna International Airport

It is possible to travel from Vienna International Airport by bus to Bratislava bus station (50 km, departures each 30 min – 1 hr; journey duration ~50 min – 1 hr) then using public transport (trolleybus no. 210) to railway station – it means 2 interchanges are needed to get on train.

Using Krakow International Aiport

Getting from relatively close airport of Krakow Balice (KRK, 165 km from Štrbské Pleso) is not easy by public transport, but still possible. We recommend to rent a car on airport or – for more details on public transport possibilities – to contact organizers…

By train

By railway

Once being in Košice or Bratislava, getting to Štrbské Pleso is the easiest by train. One interconnection on your journey from Košice or Bratislava to Štrbské Pleso should be taken – either in Poprad-Tatry or Štrba station. When changing trains on Poprad-Tatry station, you will exploit special tram-like train for the second part of your journey. If you change a train in Štrba, popular cog (rack) railway is used for the final part. For planning of your trip, see whole-Slovakia integrated website for ground transport (bus, train, public transports in towns and cities; (including international connections from abroad): cp.hnonline.sk

The costs of train ticket from Košice to Štrbské Pleso is ~7 Eur (2nd class), ~10 Eur (1st class), journey duration ~2 – 2.5 hour. The costs of train ticket from Bratislava to Štrbské Pleso is ~15 Eur (2nd class), ~20 Eur (1st class), journey duration ~4 – 5 hour.

Hotel Patria (GPS: 49.1242971504491, 20.06225249512364) is 800m walk from Štrbské Pleso railway station.

The transport information is regularly updated on our website. If more information is needed please contact us by e-mail.