XXII International Congress of the Transplantation Society

10 – 14 August 2008

Key Dates

6 May 2008
Notification of Acceptances

26 May 2008
Early Registration Cut-off Date

9 June 2008
Late breaking Abstract Submission Date

2 July 2008
Pre & Post Congress Tours

2 July 2008
Social Program Bookings

2 July 2008
Congress Day Tours

9 July 2008
Accommodation Bookings

9 July 2008
Accommodation Deposit deadline

Friday 1st August 2008
Online and hard copy registrations will close midday

9-10 August 2008
Postgraduate Weekend Courses

10-14 August 2008
Congress Opens

Banking/Currency

Decimal currency is used in Australia with the dollar as the basic unit (100 cents = $1). Notes come in $100, $50, $20, $10, and $5. Coins come in 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2 denominations.

Currency exchange facilities are available in most banks, hotels and airports and operate normal business hours. Credit cards are accepted at most restaurants and shops, the most widely used being Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club.

Business Hours

Banks generally open from 0930-1600 hours
Monday - Friday. General office hours are 0900-1700
Monday - Friday. Post Offices operate these hours, however stamps are often available from hotels.

Eating Out

Bistros, restaurants, cafes and coffee shops offer varied menus, prices and decor. Local specialties such as seafood and Australian wines are worth trying. At some restaurants you can keep the liquor bill down by taking your own wine or beer. These are called "BYO" restaurants, an abbreviation for "bring your own".

Electricity

Electrical current is 240/250V, AC 50Hz. The Australian three-pin power outlet is different from that in many countries, so you will need an adaptor. If your appliances are 110V, check if there is a 110/240V switch. If not, you will need a voltage converter. Universal outlets for 240V or 110V shavers are usually found in leading hotels.

Goods & Services Tax (GST)/Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS)

Since 1 July 2000, Australia has adopted a taxation system incorporating the Goods & Services Tax (GST). All prices quoted in this brochure are inclusive of GST, unless otherwise specified.

As part of this taxation system, the Australian Government introduced the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS). The scheme is administered by the Australian Customs Department and took effect on 1 July 2000. The TRS enables travellers departing Australia to claim a refund of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) paid on goods bought in Australia. The refund applies to goods over the value of A$300 when items are purchased in the same shop within 30 days of your departure from Australia. Should an item be too large to take onto the aircraft as hand luggage you will need to visit the TRS clearing office at the international airport with the item and receipt. The receipt will be stamped TRS sighted and at that point you can check the large item in with your luggage. Once you have cleared customs you can collect your refund from the TRS desk by showing your receipt or items purchased. It does not apply to services or goods consumed or partly consumed in Australia, however the goods can be used before departing Australia.

Language

The official language for the Congress is English.

Parking

Parking is available at the Congress venue at the rate of A$27.00 per day

Planning Your Travel

Because of time change and jet lag the Organising Committee suggests you consider arriving in Australia a day early. This will enable you to relax and familiarise yourself with your hotel and its surrounds before the start of the Congress. Sleep on the way over and have great time when you get here. If you are traveling from the East from or via America, don't forget the dateline. It means you lose a day on you way over (because we are ahead of America!) but gain it on the way back so you will arrive home the same day you leave.

Flying to Sydney from overseas

Here are a few tips to make your journey more comfortable.

• Get up and stretch regularly if possible, or at least circle your ankles once an hour.
  
• Wear loose fitting, slip on shoes. Feet swell, and if you take shoes off at any point in a flight, a shoe that just fits can be painful to put back on.
  
• In-flight dining and drinking may leave you feeling bloated so wear loose fitting clothes. Also, try to layer your clothes so that you are prepared for different levels of air-conditioning.
  
• Remember to drink plenty of water and juice to keep you hydrated. Avoid caffeinated soft drinks, tea and coffee.
  
• If you are concerned about deep vein thrombosis consider taking an aspirin before flying as it has blood thinning properties.
  
• To help adjust your body clock, set your watch to Sydney time as soon as you are on board.

Getting to the city from Sydney Airport

Sydney Airport is located just 8 km (5 miles) from central Sydney.

• Take a taxi. Each terminal has its own sheltered taxi rank with supervisors on hand in peak hours to ensure a smooth flow of taxis for travellers. It costs about A$25-$30 and takes about 20 minutes for a taxi from the airport to the heart of the city. Remember passengers pay for any bridge or road tolls on top of the fare. An airport toll of $2.50 also applies. Catch a taxi directly outside the airport doors at any terminal. As throughout Australia, tipping is appreciated but is not required.
  
• Take the train. There is a railway link from the airport to Central station. The single adult fare from Sydney International Airport to Sydney Central station is A$13.80. The trip to Central takes 10-15 minutes.
  
• Take the airport shuttle bus. Sydney Airporter charges A$12 from Sydney International Airport to central Sydney and will drop off at hotels in the city, Darling Harbour and Kings Cross.

 

Transport in Sydney

Buses

Sydney Buses
Buses are a great way to travel around Sydney for visitors.

Sydney Explorer
This is your passport to the city, offering unlimited travel in air-conditioned buses to Sydney's biggest and best tourist attractions. Hop on and off anywhere along the Sydney Explorer route.

Rail

Monorail
Sydney's Metro Monorail of the few above-ground rail systems in the world. The circular route winds its way through the city centre and around Darling Harbour.

Light Rail
Light Rail is the environmentally friendly way to travel from Sydney Central with stops at Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Star City, Sydney Fish Markets, Glebe, Leichhardt and Lilyfield.

Ferries

Ferries are the most sublime form of public transport on Sydney Harbour. There are regular Sydney Ferry services to Manly, Parramatta, Balmain, Watsons Bay, Taronga Zoo and other locations.

Weather

Sydney enjoys a temperate climate with a mild winter, and has more than 340 sunny days a year. The average minimum temperature in the winter months of June through to August is around 9 degrees Celsius (47-48 degrees Farenheit).

Privacy

Australia introduced the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 in 2001. The Congress Managers comply with such legislation which is designed to protect the right of the individual to privacy of their information. Information collected in respect of proposed participation in any aspect of the Congress will be only used for the purposes of planning and conduct of the Congress and may also be provided to the organising body or to organisers of future events. It is also usual to produce a 'Delegate List' of attendees at the Congress and to include the individual's details in such a list. Consent for publication of the individual's information may be withheld when completing the Registration Form for the Congress. Individuals are also entitled to access the information held by written application to the Congress Managers.

Quarantine

Australia is free from many plant and animal diseases prevalent in other countries. Very strict quarantine rules apply to the import of animals and plants, which cannot be brought into the country without prior application. Animal and plant products are also restricted. Please be aware that all food and items made from animal or plant material are subject to disclosure and possible confiscation. Items declared from rare and endangered species will be removed. Leave the decaff tea bags behind - we have it all here. For more information see the 'Information for International Travelers' on the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) website, which you can access by visiting http://www.affa.gov.au.

Shopping

Shops open from 0900 to 1730 hours during the week with late night shopping on Thursday. On Saturday, most shops open from 0900 to 1600. On Sunday Darling Harbour shops are open from 1000 to 1800 and major department stores in the centre of the city are open from 1000 to 1600.

Time

Sydney is 10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time in August

Tipping

Tipping is not as widespread or regulated in Australia as it is in other parts of the world. Tipping is your choice as a reward for good service. It is customary to tip hotel porters and a gratuity of about 10 per cent is usual in restaurants if good service is received. Tips for taxis are regarded as optional.

Vaccinations

A current valid international certificate of inoculation against yellow fever is required if passengers come from, or travel through, infected areas. Please check this carefully with your airline or travel agent.

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