Useful information

Registration

You may register to the GFRD2015 by clickinghereRegistrations to the Forum are free of charge and open until May 22, 17.30. However, due to limited space available, please note that your registration will be reviewed by the GFRD2015 Organizing Team, and will follow an approval process according to the requirements available on the registration form. Within 48 hours, once your participation is confirmed, you may secure your accommodation accordingly.Expenses incurred by participants will not be covered or sponsored. Each participant will be responsible for arranging – and funding – his/her own accommodation, travel and visas. The Organizing Team will provide support throughout the process upon request within the limits set by the organizers. For speakers, special rules will apply and individually dealt with each speaker.

Due to EXPO Milano 2015 and many other concurring events taking place during the Forum days, the offer for accommodation is already limited. The GFRD2015 Organizing Team is securing a number of rooms in selected hotels until the end of March. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you secure your accommodation as soon as possible.

Accommodation

Hotels

Due to EXPO Milano 2015 and many other concurring events taking place during the Forum days, the offer for accommodation is already limited.

GFRD2015 official accommodation and rates

Hotel name	Distance from Stella Polare (by car)		Booking your room	Services included	Booking conditions
NH HOTEL	Walking distance		Please click here to book your room and send it to: [email protected]	Breakfast Free internet (Wi-fi)	First night charged on participant’s credit card, NON REFUNDABLE Please note that the room availability at fares indicated will be guaranteed until – and not later than – March 31st. The tourist tax, introduced by the City Council in June 2012, applies to all non-city residents staying at hotels and at all other accommodation facilities within Milan. The tax applied to each visitor in the Rho area is of 3,00 Euros per person per day, for Milano Suite Hotel is 5 Euro per day per person.
ATA HOTEL EXPO FIERA	4.7 km		Please click here to book your room and insert the PROMOCODE GFRD2015	Breakfast Free internet (Wi-fi) Shuttle service from/to Stella Polare
KLIMA HOTEL MILANO FIERE	2.8 km		Please click here to book your room and insert the PROMOCODE IFAD2015	Breakfast Free internet (Wi-fi) Shuttle service from/to Stella Polare Access to the gym
RADISSON BLU	5.9 km		In order to benefit from IFAD special rates, please send an email to: [email protected]	Breakfast Free internet (Wi-fi) Shuttle service from/to Stella Polare Access to the hotel fitness centre
ENTERPIRSE HOTEL	12 km		In order to benefit from IFAD special rates, please send an email to: [email protected]	Breakfast Free internet (Wi-fi) Shuttle service from/to Stella Polare Access to the hotel fitness centre Free accesso to the SPA
MILANO SUITE HOTEL	8 km		In order to benefit from IFAD special rates, please send an email to: [email protected] To obtain IFAD special rate, please specify in the object GFRD2015	Breakfast Free internet (Wi-fi) Shuttle service from/to Stella Polare Access to the hotel fitness centre Open Space Suite 45 mq

Visa requirements

The GFRD2015 Organizing Team will provide invitation letters if needed. More detailed information about VISA for international participants can be foundHere

Languages

The official language of the Forum – as well as the documentation provided during the Forum – is English only. The opening ceremony might include translation.

Media accreditation procedure

A Media Centre will be set up at the Centro Congressi Stella Polare. Accreditation will be granted to representatives of recognized media organizations that will be covering the Forum; accreditation cards can be obtained by registering to the GFRD, specifying evidence of membership to the News Organization.

Conference Badges

Official conference badges will be provided on Monday 15th from 14:30 to 17:30, and from Tuesday 16th to Thursday 18th morning at the Centro Congressi Stella Polare. Official conference badges will be provided on Monday 15th from 14:30 to 17:30, and from Tuesday 16th to Thursday 18th morning at the Centro Congressi Stella Polare. Please send your passport photo to:[email protected]

Transportation – Getting to the GFRD2015 Venue

The GFRD2015 will be held at the Centro Congressi Stella Polare, located in Rho (Milan) next to the EXPO2015 site. The convention centre is located within one of Europe’s largest exhibition centres and is connected to eight pavilions with a full 34,000 square metres free of columns, making it ideal for large exhibitions of congresses or large-scale events, including plenary gatherings of up to 17,000 people.How to reach the venue:
Further information will be available soon.

By air
• From Linate Airport take bus 73 to Piazza San Babila then Line 1 underground to Rho Fiera Milano.
• From Malpensa Airport take Malpensa Express train (departs every 30 minutes) to Cadorna Station (Milan) then Line 1 underground to Rho Fiera Milano.

By train
• From Stazione Centrale or Stazione Garibaldi take the green line underground in the direction of Abbiategrasso, get off at Cadorna-Triennale, transfer to Line 1 in the direction of Rho Fiera Milano.
• From Stazione Cadorna (Ferrovie Nord) take Line 1 underground in the direction of Rho Fiera Milano.

By car
• From A7 Genova and A1 Bologna motorway head north on Tangenziale Ovest bypass and follow signs for Fiera Milano.
• From Milan take A4 Torino-Venezia motorway and exit at Pero-Fiera Milano.
• From A8-A9 motorway in the direction of Milan, from Milano Nord barrier head in the direction of Venice and exit at Fiera Milano.
• From A8 motorway in the direction of Varese-Como take Fiera Milano exit.

EXPO2015

Having selected Milan as the city to host the Universal Exposition, Italy also chose Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life as its central theme. Expo Milano 2015 will talk about the problems of nutrition and the resources of our planet. The idea is to open up a dialogue between international players to exchange views on these major challenges which are relevant to everyone.

Further information on EXPO2015 can be found here

Getting around in Milan

For further information, please click here

ATM operates a public transport network which is pretty efficient (especially the underground lines and the trams (streetcars)). Single tickets cost €1.50 and are valid for 90 minutes; they are available from news-stands, tabaccherie (tobacconist – look for large T sign), bars and automatic ticket machines in metro stations.

By Metro

The metro lines are: MM1, red (rossa); MM2, green (verde); MM3, yellow (gialla). Lines MM4 and MM5 are under construction to be completed by 2015, as many other extension of existing lines. The subway network is rather extended (lines split into different sections and its 72 stations cover most areas of town). Trains run every 1-3 min, 06:00-23:59 (02:00 on Saturday nights).

By tram

One of the city’s easily recognisable orange tramcars. (Streetcars) run above-ground on rail lines running through the streets. Milan is par excellence the city of trams, and it’s the second city in the world for tramway lines extension. They’re everywhere, and they are a true symbol of Milan, just like red double decker bus is for London.

By bus

Buses should probably be your third public transport option. Equally comfortable, rather punctual and clean with many routes to choose from. ATM tram and bus services stop around 02:00. However, some lines end their service earlier and some do not have a night service at all. In any case check your route and timetable in advance if you want to travel late at night. Several buses connect suburban cities and towns surrounding Milan. Some are managed by ATM. You can travel on most of them with an inter-urban ticket (biglietto interurbano) which are sold in two forms: including travel in Milan or without.

By train

The Suburban Railway System or S-lines (the logo is a big green S on a blue background) includes a special line known as Passante ferroviario (railway link), considered Milan’s fourth subway line (although trains run every 6-15 mins), and has eight more lines, each identified by a number (S1, S2, S5, S6, S10 trough Passante Ferroviario and S3, S4, S8, S9, S11 trough other railways), connecting metro area towns with Milan. Suburban trains run less often than Metro trains (depending on the line, they range from 1 to 4 per hour) but, as some lines share tracks and stations, you can expect as many as 10 trains per hour in central Milan between Lancetti and Porta Vittoria stations. Suburban Railway ‘S’ Lines are usually marked in blue on subway maps. The Passante is not heavily used by the Milanese and in non-peak hours stations can be deserted so would not be recommended for lone (and particularly female) travellers.

By taxi

Taxis can be expensive and drivers are allowed to pick passengers up from designated taxi ranks, through phone bookings and directly from the street. The main taxi companies can be reached at 02.40.40, 02.69.69 or 02.80.80, or alternatively, from a land line dial 848.814.781 to be connected to the nearest taxi stand. If you book a taxi by phone you’ll start paying from the moment the driver accepts the call and comes to pick you up. Local law define some fixed fee trips: Milan to Malpensa Airport €70, Malpensa Airport-Rho Fair €55, Malpensa Airport-Linate Airport €85, Linate Airport-Milan Fair €40. All fees are intended for a one-way, non-stop trip; taxi waiting time and booking are extras. A surcharge will apply in the evenings so don’t be surprised if the meter has €6+ on it when you enter, even if at a taxi-stand.

By bike

Bikes are available through the BikeMI bike sharing service. If you register for a temporary subscription (weekly or daily), a user code, along with your password, will be sent to the e-mail address, chosen during your registration, with immediate activation. BikeDistrict is a website that offers cycling directions to get around safely in the city.

Discover Italy

For further information, please click here

• Language: The majority of the population speaks Italian and/or one of its regional dialects. While Italian is the official language of Italian, as a result of its cosmopolitan capital city and established tourism infrastructure, English is spoken and understood throughout most of the country.
• Currency: The currency of Italy is the Euro, both in coin and in banknote form.
• Climate: The region of Italy (lying between the 35° and 47° North latitude) lies almost at the centre of the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. Climatically speaking, Italy is further favoured by the great mass of water of the Mediterranean sea, which surround it on almost every side.
• Time zone: Italy is part of the central European time zone (GMT +1). It goes over to Daylight Saving Time (GMT+2) from the end of March up until the end of October, to make optimum use of sunlight and thus save energy.
• Typical mealtimes in Italy: Italians usually have breakfast from 7.00 a.m. onwards. Hotels generally set a time (around 10.00 a.m.) after which breakfast may no longer be ordered. In restaurants, lunch is served from 12.30 to 2.30 p.m, and dinner between 19.30 and 23.00. These times are merely indicative, and may vary significantly, depending on the area of the country you are visiting: in the north they tend to be earlier, becoming later the further south you travel.
• Opening hours: Shops are generally open from Monday to Saturday, from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 and from 3.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m., although shopping centres and department stores often stay open all day, from 10.00 a.m. to 9.00 or 10.00 p.m. Shopping centres and stores are also open on several Sundays throughout the year. Pharmacies have the same opening hours as shops, from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 and from 3.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.; in the larger cities, some pharmacies are open 24 hours. For emergencies during the night, or when the pharmacies are normally closed, a number of them remain open, on a rotational basis. A calendar listing the nearest one open can be found on the doors of all local pharmacies.
• Weighs & Measures: Italy uses the metric system for all weights and measurements.
• Making calls to Italy: To call an Italian telephone number from outside Italy, either from a landline or a mobile phone, you will need to add the international dialling code for Italy, which is 0039 (+39), followed by the telephone number you require. To call another country from Italy, you will need to add the international dialling code for the country you are calling, followed by the telephone number you require. To make calls within Italy, dial the number you require without adding the international country dialling code. To make calls from public telephones (which you can find on the street, in some bars, restaurants, etc and in shopping centres), you may use coins or phone cards, which can be purchased from tobacconists, news kiosks and telephone shops. Mobile phone reception in Italy is based on GSM technology, which is not compatible with that of a number of countries (including the USA and Japan), unless you have a three-band mobile phone. Before travelling to Italy you should contact your telephone services provider to activate the international roaming service (if it is not already activated automatically). Making international calls from a mobile phone may be very expensive, and it is often ad visable to purchase a phone card to call home from a public telephone.
• Internet and e-mail usage: There are numerous internet points and cafés offering internet access. In many hotels (especially higher-category ones) a direct internet connection is provided in the rooms. In addition, in Italy you will find Wi-Fi access available in many airports, hotels, train stations and other public places where travellers pass through or stop off.
• Electricity: In Italy the electrical current is 220 volts AC (50 Hz). Electrical sockets comply with European regulations. In most hotels you will find adaptors for different types of plugs.