Travel
From the Ben Gurion International Airport to Rehovot
The Weizmann Institute of Science is located in the city of Rehovot easily reachable (30-40mins) from the Ben Gurion International Airport by train, bus and taxi. An approximate cost of taxi ride is 160NIS ($45). Additional charges may apply depending on the time of the day and luggage.
From Rehovot to Eilat
On Saturday, June 1, the transportation will be organized for all workshop participants and accompanying persons from the Weizmann Institute to Eilat. The busses will leave from the Institute early in the morning making two stops on the way to Eilat and arriving at the King Solomon Hotel late in the evening. We will first go to the country capital and have an organized guided excursion to the Old City of Jerusalem. From there we will go to the Dead Sea, where we plan to spend about two hours at one of the public beaches. The transportation and excursions do not imply an additional cost. If you are not interested in the organized transportation and the excursion, please inform the organizers as soon as you know.
From Eilat
All participants will have to have their own arrangement for return travel from Eilat1. Eilat is a one-hour flight from Eilat airport to Ben Gurion Airport, or about 5 hour bus ride to Tel-Aviv or to Jerusalem. There are domestic flights to the Ben Gurion airport operated by Arkia, El AL and Israir. When planning your travel please take into account that public transportation to many destinations on Shabbat (Friday night - Saturday night) is not available.
Pre and Post Conference Travel
Israel offers a variety of choices for tourists. Historical, Cultural, Religious, Natural and Sport tourism are very popular in the country. The best way to explore Israel is by car, which can be rented from all major car rental companies, and some local renters. Most of the roads in the country are toll-free and of very high quality by European and American standards. Israel also has developed system of public transportation between the major cities. The workshop organization offers you several additional days of stay in Rehovot and in Eilat which you can book filling the Workshop Registration form. Further information can be obtained from various tour operators and from the Ministry of Tourism.
Visas
All visitors entering Israel are required to have a valid passport for at least six months from their arrival date, and for some countries a visa is required. Please, consult Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the visa issue.
Maps
Location: Weizmann Institute, Rehovot.
Please use newly constructed bridge over rail road to reach the Institute. Pedestrian walk under the bridge is closed.
View Low X WIS location in a larger map
Location: King Solomon Hotel, Eilat.
View Low X Eilat in a larger map
Electricity
Electrical equipment in Israel is 220 volt A.C., single phase, 50 cycles. Some appliances may require a plug adapter that can be purchased locally. Swiss two prong plag fits electrical sockets.
Smoking
Smoking is prohibited in public buildings, restaurants, cafes etc. in Israel.
ATM
There are several ATMs at the Weizmann Institute and in the hotel area of Eilat. Most ATMs accept all major credit cards such as Master Card, Visa, Diners, and American Express.
Currency
The currency in the State of Israel is the New Israel Shekel (NIS). We recommend to use the local currency although most expenses in Israel may be paid with major credit cards. The current (April 2013) exchange rate is 1 US dollar = 3.6 NIS.
Tipping
10% of your bill is a reasonable tip at restaurants. All hotel prices include a 15% service charge, so anything additional you wish to leave is totally voluntary, with exception of bell boys and concierge.
It is not necessary to tip taxi cab drivers unless they carry luggage for you.
Climate and Clothing
The time of conference falls at the end of mild season. Some averaged numbers are given in the table below. You can explore more at the Israeli Meteorological Service web site, or you favorite weather informer.
| Location | Rehovot | Jerusalem | Dead Sea | Eilat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raining days per month | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Humidity during day time % | ~65 | ~40 | 25-40 | 15-30 |
| Mean low temperature oC | 19 | 16 | 26 | 23 |
| Mean high temperature oC | 27 | 26 | 38 | 39 |
Clothing is informal on all occasions. We strongly suggest bringing bathing suits, sunglasses, hats and sunscreen. Staying outside during day time requires consuming large amount of liquid. We recommend drinking not less than 2 liters of water per day.
1 We received several inquiries about transportation back from Eilat. Based on experience of past conferences, we do not make it part of the Workshop because people book flight at different times, prefer to go to places of interest inside Israel, or stay longer in Eilat. If you need help on how to get to your place, please contact us in Eilat.
