Talk:Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2016/Travel

Taxi or pick up

First the text says that the best way to leave the airport is by taxi, then it says that we get picked up by helpers with name tags. It's either one or the other... --Gereon K. (talk) 08:21, 20 May 2016 (UTC)

Hi Gereon K., I'm sorry for this confusing page, it's still a draft and very messy. We'll make it better and more informative very soon. The best way to leave the airport is by taxi. We'll also have volunteers who will meet you at the airport help you find the taxi and the hotel. --David Saroyan (talk) 11:11, 21 May 2016 (UTC)

Problems with early arrival times

From the schedule on the travel page I learn that we should arrive on the 25th of August for the tour and depart on the 30th of August. However, all affordable flights arrive very early. With affordable I mean flights for less than 500 € round trip. Examples:

• Austrian Airlines arrives in Yerevan at 03:35 in the middle of the night. I cannot imagine that volunteers will be there to meet participants at this time. Departure for Austrian Airlines is at 04:25, a rather akward time to go to the airport.
• Lot Polish Airlines arrives in Yerevan at 04:00 in the middle of the night and leaves Yerevan at 04:45.
• Atlas Global lands in Yerevan at 01:50 in the middle on the night. That would be a long wait in the airport until the day program begins... The departure is at 05:20, which would require to be in the airport at 3 in the morning.
• Aeroflot arrives in Yerevan at 04:45 in the morning and departs at 06:00. Day flights cost almost double.
• S7 Siberia Airlines arrives in Yerevan at 05:25 in the night. The more expensive flights at 20:15. But 20:15 is rather too late for the city tour. The affordable flights from S7 depart at 06:15.
• Air France arrives at 19:45, wich is rather late for the city tour.
• Aegean Airlines arrives at 03:20 in the middle of the night.

Maybe we should suggest attendants to fly to Tiflis and then take a bus to Yerevan from there? There are more flights to Tiflis from everywhere than to Yerevan, they are cheaper and the bus trip should not be more than 5 hours. What can you do in Yerevan airport at 3 in the morning? Best regards, --Gereon K. (talk) 06:32, 27 May 2016 (UTC)

Any suggestions? The longer I wait the more expensive the flights get... --Gereon K. (talk) 13:49, 30 May 2016 (UTC)

By car :D It's less than 500 € round trip and if we could group, say about 3 or 4 persons, it'll be somewhere around 150 € per person (round trip). Crazy idea, though. --Winter^eu 13:42, 3 June 2016 (UTC)

The idea is cool. :-) But according to Google Maps it is 3.839 km from where I live. A 45 hrs ride, but only when there are neither traffic jams nor breaks. I would be driving through Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey and Georgia. Round trip all in all about 9000 km. That is not less than 500 € if I consider what the roads behind Erzurum will do to my car and that maybe I have to sleep somewhere on the way. And I unfortunately don't have the time for an extra 5 days just for travelling. --Gereon K. (talk) 16:58, 3 June 2016 (UTC)

I admit that I considered the distance from my place, which is about 2.250 km. Not so much of a challenge, considering that almost every year I take a 1.650 km trip to south Germany, which takes about a day. But Turkey is (indeed) a different story :) I actually read the advice from U.S. Embassy regarding the driving in Turkey. --Winter^eu 17:40, 3 June 2016 (UTC)

A different option would be to fly to Tbilisi and take a car/train/bus to Dilijan from there. Flights to Tbilisi are usually cheaper and more frequent. Best, Philip Kopetzky (talk) 13:38, 13 June 2016 (UTC)

That's an aprox. 5 h trip and cost about 60 euros (according to forums). By train it seems to be cheaper, but not recommended ;) --Winter^eu 16:38, 18 June 2016 (UTC)

All booked now. Flying to Yerevan, arrival time Friday, 26th of August at 03:35h and departing from Yerevan on Tuesday, the 30th of August at 04:25h. --Gereon K. (talk) 11:16, 15 July 2016 (UTC)