Inhalt:
.Vienna International Model United Nations (VIMUN): Travel - Accomodation
Passport and Visa
Participants who not live in Austria need a travel document (passport or identity card) to enter Austria. Even though Austria has implemented the "Schengen Treaty" a driving licence is not recognized as valid travel document. For entering the United Nations building all participants (also Austrian residents) would need a passort or ID card.
Under certain circumstances participants wishing to enter Austria for a brief period of time are in need of a visa. The rules are varying depending on the participant's country of origin.
Each participant in need of a visa and deciding to attend VIMUN has to register for VIMUN not later than 01 June. Otherwise AFA is unable to provide any support for visa application processes. Participants have to send a scanned copy of passport to austria@afa.at.
If AFA accepts the VIMUN registration, detailed instructions as well as a formal so called "Letter of Invitation" will be sent to the participant confirming that he/she is going to visit Austria as tourist - also to particpate at VIMUN. AFA starts to issue the Letters of Invitation - after consultations with the Austrian Foreign Ministry - not before July. Particpants are strongly requested not to contact any embassy or consular section or to make appointments with the embassy staff before having obtained this letter. (Nervous phone callings by some delegates to embassies during the last years caused many troubles and let authorities not to issue the visa for them.)
Participants who reserved the official VIMUN Hotel will also get a confirmation of accomodation issued by AFA (not by the hotel!).
With these confirmation(s), the passport and a photo the participant can contact the Austrian embassy or European Union diplomatic representative mission (embassy or consulate) to make an appointment to apply for the visa in person. There the participant has to complete a standard tourist "Schengen" visa application form. Participants are kindly requested not to apply for a business/conference visa as in that case the process would be more complicated. AFA will not issue any formal Letters of Invitation for business/conference visa nor take over financial guarantees.
AFA is not allowed to give any information on the status of visa application processes by telephone or by social media. AFA also regrets that in some cases due to the general political situation and/or due to restricive immigration policy the visa application process has become very bureaucratic and complicated and kindly asks for being patient in all visa related issues. AFA of course will not support any attempt of illegal migration or any abuse of the VIMUN conference as pretext for illicid human trafficking.
Travel
Each participant has to take care of his/her travel arrangements individually. AFA is not able to provide financial or technical support. Unfortunately, it is also not possible for AFA to pick up the participants at the Vienna airport. Participats are requested to take a taxi, use public transport or a car.
The price for a taxi from the airport to the hotel is about 50,- EUR.
There is a bus transfer from the airport directly to UNO-City Vienna. The "Vienna Airport Lines" depart from the bus terminal outside the airport starting from 07:00. Participants have to take the bus line "VAL 3" (direction "Donauzentrum") until the stop "Julius-Payer-Gasse". The cost of the transfer is 9,50 EUR (one-way) and 16,- EUR (incl. the return ticket) - payment in cash on board.
Another possibiliy is to take the "S" train system with "S7 - direction "Floridsdorf" and to go out at station "Praterstern". Then participants can take the underground train system, with "U1" - direction "Leopoldau" and go out at station "Kaisermühlen - Vienna International Centre". The cost for this transfer is 4,80 EUR (one way) - ticket available at the ticket machines.
Partcipant who arrive at one of the railway stations should use the underground train system, finally taking the "U1" - direction "Leopoldau" and go out at station "Kaisermühlen - Vienna International Centre" - ticket available at the ticket machines.
By car participants should take the "A4" highway in direction of PRAHA/BRNO, then exit the highway at "Vienna International Centre/Austria Centre Vienna" - the official VIMUN hotel will be located near the Vienne International Centre/United Nations Office at Vienna.
The public transportation system ("Wiener Linien") is extremely developed in Vienna. You will be able to travel almost everywhere by the public transport. During the weekdays, the public transportation operates until roughly midnight. We urge you to get 7 days ticket (starting on Sunday) for 17,10 EUR at the ticket machines in the stations as you would need the ticket not only for the way from the airport to your accomodation but also to for the social events in the evenings.
Accomodation
Of course participants are free in organizing their individual accomodation (private, hostels etc.). Due to organizational reasons AFA can only recomend one accomodation possibility and will therefore, arrange a special package at a hotel near the United Nations Office at Vienna and near Vienna's largest recreation area, the "Donauinsel" (with lots of water sport facilities). This package will provide a substantial discount allowing participants to stay in a double room for four nights at the special price of TBC,- EUR per person. The price for a single room for four nights will be TBC,- EUR.
Meals
The Conference Fee includes meals and/or beverages at some social events in the evenings. All other meals/beverages have to be covered by the participants. For lunch AFA has arranged for participants the allowance to eat at the canteen of the United Nations Office at Vienna together with the "real" diplomats. The canteen offers international cuisine for almost all alimentary habits at reasonable prices. In the evenings in principal Austrian cuisine will be offered (meat and vegan). Due to the increasing variety on health or cultural and personal motivated nutritional needs in today's world the organizers cannot consider further meals. Participants with other special requirements are therefore, kindly requested to make their own individual arrangements with the gastronomy on the ground.