Invitation to hold the Human Proteome Project 2015 Workshop 23rd – 28th June 2015 in Milan, Italy (final date to be selected with the HPP steering committee) 1 LIST OF CONTENTS PRESENTATION o Motivation letter o Scientific outline o Letter of endorsement EXPO2015 3 4 5 HOST COUNTRY o o o o o o o o Milan, general information EXPO2015 in Milan Science in Milan Milan, its history and culture Milan, sites to visit How to get to Milan Access by air Access by rail Access by road Transportation within the city Hotel accommodation 7 10 13 14 17 20 21 23 23 24 26 2 Motivation letter The Italian Proteomics Association (ItPA) is proudly submitting this bid for hosting the HPP Workshop 2015 in Milan, Italy. We feel that the HPP Workshop in Milan would represent a unique opportunity for the overall Proteomics scientific community to communicate to the society the fundamental milestone of this important international project. In fact during the proposed dates our society will host the European Proteomics Association annual congress (EuPA2015) and we have a reserved space dedicated within the world exposition on 2015 (EXPO2015). The latest advancements and the actual products that this young scientific discipline has produced in 20 years of history will have an important mass-media window to be presented to the large public. Expo 2015 will be an extraordinary universal event displaying tradition, creativity and innovation with a special focus on food and health. This event will bring together many themes that have already been handled in the past, and set them out anew in light of new global possibilities whose common core is the idea that everyone on the planet should have access to food that is healthy, safe and sufficient. Key themes will cover • Improving food quality and security: the security of having enough food to live on, and an assurance that the food is healthy and the water drinkable; • Ensuring healthy and high-quality nutrition for all human beings, doing away with the hunger, drought, infantile mortality, and malnutrition that still afflict 850 million people on this planet, and extirpating famine and pandemic disease; • Preventing the new epidemics and diseases of our time, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, by championing practices that have proven to be effective; • Promoting innovation in research, technology, and business practices along the entire food supply chain to improve the nutritional value, conservation, and distribution of foods; • Enhancing the value of cultural and ethnic heritage as expressed in culinary traditions. We fell that Proteomics can and will contribute to the development of all these topics, therefore the possibility of hosting a Workshop of the Human Proteome Project consortium may provide the scientific framework for a long-needed social communication event within EXPO2015. This will allow not only to share knowledge between scientists but also to open to the large public the impact of our discipline in the challenges of this century. Prof. A. Urbani Prof. Luigi Bonizzi Dr. Paola Roncada ItPA President President ItPA Foundation -onlus 3 Coord. of the Congress Org. Comm. SCIENTIFIC OUTLINE ItPA, Italian proteomics Association, has been particularly focused in the last years in providing a common framework of exchange between the fast advancing challenges in the Human Proteomics field and the non-Human Proteome investigations. The interaction between these two different worlds has already produced the first actual Proteomics product for the health-care market, the MALDI-Biotyper and its twin products. We have started several initiatives in this light such as the Turin 2011 workshop “Proteomics in Health and Food” and the European Commission of Science and technologies workshop 2012 in Viterbo. We aim to explore the most recent developments of proteomics in the field of human health in relationship to nutrition, thus touching both clinical proteomics investigations and non-human proteome studies. This will be the leitmotiv of the EuPA scientific program which will be following the HPP workshop. Moreover the main focus of the Italian initiative to the HPP dedicate to Mitochondria perfectly fits with the themes of nutrition and energy for life topics which are the core of the EXPO2015. This unique condition will open to the proteomics community an unprecedented window to possibly communicate to the society the fundamental advancements of Proteomics research. ItPA -Italian Proteomics Association ItPA is the major scientific association in Italy which deals specifically with all the themes of Proteome research. We are, in fact, the result from a long waited merging process of the Italian section of the HUPO (I-HUPO) with the Italian Proteomics Society (IPSO). Such a fusion took place in the 2007. We have more than 200 active associates and a group of 500 scientist participating in our initiatives. It is our commitment to organise events for the diffusion and development of Proteomics in all research areas. Our yearly meeting counts on average between 100 and 200 delegates, moreover we promote several parallel initiatives toward to diffusion of Proteomics in different scientific and industrial fields, educational programs such as schools and training and mobility actions and mass-media communication. We actively promote several editorial initiatives on peerreviewed international journals in order to extend the communication of the latest scientific advancements to the international community. 4 Endorsement letter from EXPO2015 - ITALIA 5 HOST COUNTRY Milan, general information 7 EXPO2015 in Milan 10 Science in Milan 13 Milan, its history and culture 14 Milan, sites to visit 17 How to get to Milan 20 o Access by air 21 o Access by rail 23 o Access by road 23 Transportation within the city 24 Hotel accommodation 26 6 MILAN: GENERAL INFORMATION Climate: Milan has a typical continental climate. Generally winters are quite cold and foggy and summers warm and humid; autumn and spring are characterised by highly changeable weather conditions with more frequent precipitation in September and October. Opening hours: Offices usually open from 9am until 6pm, with an hour‘s lunch break. Shops open from 9:30 or 10am until 8pm. In the period leading up to Christmas the majority of shops are also open on Sundays. Safety: By western standards, Milan is a very safe city in which everyone can move around freely without fear of being molested. Time: Italy is in the South-European time zone (summertime from March to October =+1hour), which means that Milan is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time; five hours ahead of US Eastern Standard Time, and 10 hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time. Visas: EU nationals do not require a visa to enter Italy. Non-EU nationals need a ‘residence visa’ to enter Italy with a view to staying more than 90 days and may need one for a visit of a shorter duration. Applications should be made at an Italian consulate abroad well in advance of your planned departure date. Visas may be valid for a single entry only or for multiple entries within a limited period. http://www.esteri.it/MAE/EN/Ministero/Servizi/Stranieri/ServReteConsolare.htm?L ANG=EN Milan in June Average min. Temp. °C Average max. Temp. °C Monthly rainfall (mm) Average hours of daylight 11.2 21.9 96.5 14h 50’ 7 15.0 26.1 65.4 15h 40’ Economic situation in Italy According to GDP calculations, Italy was ranked as the seventh-largest economy in the world in 2011, behind the United States, Japan, Germany, China, the United Kingdom, and France, and the fourthlargest in Europe. This economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed agricultural south. In the Index of Economic Freedom 2008 it ranked 64th of 162 countries, or 29th of 41 European countries, the lowest rating in the EU-15 and behind many ex-communist European countries. Italy has often been called a sickman of Europe, with governments having problems in pursuing reform programs. Italy's economic performance has at times lagged behind that of its EU partners, and the current government has enacted numerous reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. It has moved slowly, however, on implementing certain structural reforms favoured by economists, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labour market and expensive social pension system, because of the economic slowdown and opposition from labour unions. Italy has a smaller number of world class multinational corporations than other economies of smalland medium-sized companies. Some of these companies manufacture products that are technologically moderately advanced and therefore face increasing competition from China and other emerging Asian economies which are able to undercut them on labour costs. These Italian companies are responding to the Asian competition by concentrating on products with a higher technological content, while moving lower-tech manufacturing to plants in countries where labour is less expensive. The small average size of Italian companies remains a limiting factor, and the government has been working to encourage integration and mergers and to reform the rigid regulations that have traditionally been an obstacle to the artistic patrimony. Italy's major exports are motor vehicles, chemicals, petrochemicals, electricity, home appliances, aerospace and defense tech, firearms; but the country's more famous exports are in the fields of fashion, food industry and luxury vehicles. Also Tourism is very important to the Italian economy: with over 43.7 million tourists a year, Italy is ranked as the fifth major tourist destination in the world. 8 Milan is one of the major financial and business centres of the world. The city is the seat of the Italian Stock Exchange (the Borsa Italiana) "Piazza Affari" and its hinterland is an avant-garde industrial area. Milan is seat of manufacturing of textiles and garments, car manufactory, chemistry, mechanical tools and heavy machinery, it is the centre of a large book and music publishing industry and well-known as the seat of the Alfa Romeo motorcar company, for its silk production, and as one of the world's capitals for fashion and a world leader for design. Milan also provides directional functions for the whole of Lombardy, as its industrial base has been externalized throughout the region in the 1960s-70s. 9 EXPO 2015 The Expo is a non-commercial Universal Exposition (not a trade fair) organized by the nation which wins the candidature, with other countries participating through the diplomatic channels of the hosting nation. The first Expo was held in London in 1851 and was such a success that other nations were encouraged to organize similar events like the Paris Expo in 1889 for which the Eiffel Tower was designed and built. Each Expo has a universal theme and is held in an area which has been masterminded as a place of exchange and encounter to promote a unique experience for participants and visitors who discover and experiment with the theme. More than displaying major technological novelties the Expo’s role is oriented towards interpreting the collective challenges to which mankind is asked to respond. The international organization which regulates the frequency, quality and progress of the event is the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) set up under an international convention which was signed in Paris in 1928. Currently some 157 nations are BIE members. 10 Theme Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life On show at Expo 2015: the great issues of sustainable development. Expo 2015 will be an extraordinary universal event displaying tradition, creativity and innovation in the business of food. It will bring together many themes that have already been handled by this event in the past, and set them out anew in light of new global possibilities whose common core is the idea that everyone on the planet should have access to food that is healthy, safe and sufficient. Workshop and debate themes include: Improving food quality and security: the security of having enough food to live on, and an assurance that the food is healthy and the water drinkable; Ensuring healthy and high-quality nutrition for all human beings, doing away with the hunger, drought, infantile mortality, and malnutrition that still afflict 850 million people on this planet, and extirpating famine and pandemic disease; Preventing the new epidemics and diseases of our time, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, by championing practices that have proven to be effective; Promoting innovation in research, technology, and business practices along the entire food supply chain to improve the nutritional value, conservation, and distribution of foods; Providing education in proper nutrition and encouraging more healthy lifestyles, especially among children, adolescents, the disabled, and the elderly; Enhancing the value of cultural and ethnic heritage as expressed in culinary traditions. Food is vital for the sustainable development of good quality, reliably available nutrition, respect for the fundamental life needs of every human being, and health. The genuine quality and availability of agricultural foodstuffs is, first and foremost, one of society’s fundamental needs. It is also a valuable economic market. Territory plays a central role here because the farming and livestock-raising traditions of local peoples and communities developed over the course of thousands of years of experimentation and experience are part and parcel of genuine, high quality food. Today these traditions benefit from the wise application of scientific and technological innovations. 11 Acting at different points along the entire food supply chain from farm to table, public institutions, private firms, charitable associations, NGOs, and consumer and producer representatives all play a role in promoting the development of the world’s food-related economic and social systems. Expo 2015: the frontiers of science and technology: the preservation of biodiversity, protecting the environment as agriculture’s ecosystem, safeguarding food quality, safety, and reliability, and educating people in nutrition for health and personal well-being; identifying the best tools for monitoring, control, and innovation so as to ensure the availability of healthy and sustainable lives; securing new dependable sources of food in parts of the world afflicted by famines, where agriculture is under-developed or threatened by deforestation, desertification, or drought, or where inland and marine fish stocks are dwindling. Expo 2015: a world of opportunities for promotion and communication Expo 2015 offers a great communication and promotion venue: to make the most of innovation and production technologies that generate a wise relationship between food and healthcare; to do business in healthcare improving the communication between innovators and the consumer; to guarantee new vision to improve the quality and the activeness of life . 12 Science in Milan Milan is home to numerous universities and other institutions of higher learning Milan and the Lombardia region constitute a unique area of science and research. The university system is in continual expansion, and the possibility offered are more and more varied: Milan's four historic Universities (Statale, Politecnico, Bocconi & Cattolica) New ones: Milano-Bicocca, Vita-Salute St. Rafael Hospital, IULM. Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory, Faculty of Theology & NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti), Istituto Europeo di Design, etc. 80% of the national research in biotechnologies is located in Lombardia. MILANO & LOMBARDIA MEDICAL SCHOOLS 3 Medical Faculties in Milano (Statale, Bicocca, Vita e Salute) 3 Medical Faculties in Lombardia (Brescia, Pavia, Varese) Catholic University of the Sacred Heart 13 MILAN, ITS HISTORY AND CULTURE According to the Roman historian Livy, a Celtic village was first founded in this area in the 6th century BC. Conquered by Roman legions in 222 BC, "Mediolanum" (this was the Roman name for Milan) attempted to rebel, becoming an ally of Carthage, Rome's enemy. But the Romans won and, towards the end of the 1st century BC, Milan became a part of the state of the Caesars. CAPITAL OF THE WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE Only a few traces of the Roman period remain in the city. The Columns of San Lorenzo, the ruins in Via Circo and under the Stock Exchange, and those in the Monastero Maggiore are, nevertheless, evidence of the fact that the public buildings were those of a large city. With the subdivision of the Roman Empire, Milan became the capital of its Western part, in 286 AD. It was a very important center for the consolidation of the new Christian religion. Many Milanese churches (e.g. Sant'Ambrogio, Sant'Eustorgio and San Lorenzo) have Early Christian origins. SACKING AND DECLINE One of the causes of the fall of the Roman Empire was the barbaric invasions from Northern Europe and Asia. Milan was sacked in 539 AD and its role of capital was lost. The capital of the dynamic Roman-Barbaric kingdom of the Longobards (569-774) from whom Lombardy, the region surrounding Milan takes its name - was instead Pavia. A NEW ROLE AS AN AUTONOMOUS CITY A remarkable independence movement - called the Comuni - developed in many towns of 12th century Northern Italy. The Comuni fought against the hegemony of the German emperors. Milan had regained its economic predominance in the region, and played a major role in the Comuni movement. During this period the city was governed by democratic laws, and built the Palazzo della Ragione as a seat for its political self-rule. THE VISCONTI AND SFORZA FAMILIES The period of democratic government came to an end when power was seized by the old Milanese Visconti family, who were to be 'lords' of Milan from 1277 to 1447. The Viscontis gave the city a political and cultural supremacy which brought international renown, and it is under their rule that the construction of the Duomo and of the Castle began. After 1447 there were three brief years of republican rule. Then in 1450, Francesco Sforza, son-in-law of the last Visconti duke and captain of the Milanese army, took over the Duomo as it was during the 18th century, command of the city. The Sforza family's rule coincided with its façade still unfinished the Renaissance years in Italy and with one of Milan's moments of major artistic creativity. Among others, Donato Bramante and Leonardo da Vinci came to work for the city. It was during this period that the Duomo and the Castle were being built, along with the hospital which is today's the State University, and with the 14 church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. THE SPANISH DOMINATION In the last years of Sforza rule, in the early 16th century, Northern Italy became one of the territories contested by the French and the Spanish monarchies. The Spanish prevailed, and the city was governed by them for nearly two centuries (1535-1706). This was not a time of development. The city was oppressed by the scourge of the plague in 1630; but it was at least enlivened by the cultural initiatives of the Borromeo family, especially cardinals Carlo and Federico. The Ambrosiana was founded in this period, and seminaries and the palazzo of the Jesuit order (today's Brera) were built. THE HAPSBURGS The great European wars of the late 17th and early 18th centuries brought Milan under the domination of the Austrian Imperial dynasty of the Hapsburgs. The period when Maria Theresa held sway, during the second half of the 18th century, was characterized by a strong revival operated by lay forces in all sectors of society. The city experienced a recovery which encompassed its economy, the functioning of its public administration, arts and culture, education and scientific development. The Brera Academy was founded in this period and the Scala Opera theater, the Palazzo Reale, and the Villa Reale were built, as well as many other private palazzi, in the neo-classical style which was to continue throughout. THE NAPOLEONIC ERA In the course of the wars that followed the French Revolution of 1789, Milan came under French control. At first it became capital of the Cisalpine Republic and, thereafter, of the so-called 'Regno Italico', which was governed by relatives of Napoleon and comprised nearly the whole of Northern Italy. This was a brief period characterized by great artistic and ideological zeal, which bequeathed the city with its first town-planning schemes, together with major public works such as the Arena and some of the new 'Porte' (city gates). THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN PERIOD The Austrians returned to Milan after Napoleon's defeat in 1815, but they were no longer enlightened reformers. Their minister Metternich described Italy as 'a mere geographic expression' when, in fact, Milan had been introduced, during the Napoleonic era, to the ideas of Italy's national unification. In 1848 the city rebelled against the Austro-Hungarians, and in 1859 it became part of the Savoy Kingdom, which was to become, in 1861, THE KINGDOM OF ITALY With the unification of Italy, Milan could broaden its reach for new markets and it rapidly became a financial and industrial center. The city attracted workers from other Italian regions, but its growth also sowed the seeds of social tensions which did erupt in 1898 and were fiercely repressed by cannon fire. Milan's city center was soon taken over by banks and insurance companies, causing great changes in the urban landscape. Elegant residential districts were built, along with a model prison (San Vittore) and the Cimitero Monumentale. 15 FASCISM The Fascist party was founded in Milan in 1919. With the exception of industrial workers and a few groups of intellectuals, the city itself did not oppose the birth of the dictatorship. It was during Fascism that a series of pompous works such as the Stazione Centrale were built, but there were also some examples of innovative architecture; the Triennale was one of them. THE POST-WAR PERIOD Milan headed the national reconstruction, since it had been devastated by Allied bombardments (it had, in fact, been on the front line of the partisan war against the Nazis who had occupied Italy in 1943.) The city has emerged as Italy's major center for commerce, finance, publishing and, recently, as the Italian capital of the media, design, fashion and advanced service sectors 16 MILAN, SITES TO VISIT FACT & FIGURES 36 museums 42 historic monuments22 churches of artistic interest4 million tourists a year5 art exhibition venues Milan is one of the major artistic centres of northern Italy. Its chief landmarks include: The Duomo, the world's largest collection of marble statues with the widely visible golden Madonna statue on top of the spire, la Madunina (little Madonna), the symbol of Milan. The Duomo is the cathedral church of Milan. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan. Teatro alla Scala. Milan is also one of the most important centres in the world for Opera lirica, with its famous Teatro alla Scala (La Scala). Castello Sforzesco is a castle in the city, that now houses several of the city's museum and art gallery collections. The best known of the current civic museums is the Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco, with an art collection which includes Michelangelo's last sculpture, the Rondanini Pietà, Andrea Mantegna's Trivulzio Madonna and Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Trivulzianus manuscript. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a covered double arcade formed of two glass-vaulted arcades at right angles intersecting in an octagon; it is prominently sited on the northern side of the Piazza del Duomo and connects to the Piazza della Scala. The Galleria is the site for many luxury goods' shops, like Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton. 17 The church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which houses one of the most famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper (L'ultima cena or Il cenacolo). A cultural hearth Milan has a unique artistic heritage: Leonardo’s Last Supper is simply the best-known of the numerous masterpieces to be seen here. Its over 2.400 years of history have left a rich legacy: archaeological remains, Roman basilicas, early-Christian mosaics, Gothic cathedrals, Art Noeveau monuments, worldclass museums where artworks span from the sculpture of Michelangelo to paintings by Picasso. Even visitors with little time to spend in Milan are amazed at how many must-see sites are within an easy walking distance in the compact historic centre. Stroll down its paved, narrow old streets and you will find surprises at very corner. 18 La Dolce Vita In Milan it is possible to find a large selection of international restaurants as well as lots of marvellous “trattorie” or “osterie” specializing in local dishes. When it comes to nightlife Milan has plenty to offer. Not even the most experienced local viveur could possibly know all the city’s hot spots: clubs, pubs, cafes, bistrots, live music bars and lots more besides. A unique shopping experience In Milan you can buy the best of everything and shop till you drop. The trendiest and most sophisticated boutiques are located in beautiful old buildings and many of the main shopping streets are within walking distance of each other. You can venture inside top designer boutiques in the worldrenowned Quadrilatero or vintage boutiques in the quaint streets around Brera. Do not forget to visit the Navigli Districts. The 3 Kilometres stretch of Corso Buoneos Aires hosts hundred of shops, to suit every pocket, and just outside the city is Europe’s largest outlet village. Sports Football is the most popular sport in Italy, and Milan is home to two world-famous football teams: A.C. Milan and Internazionale. The former is normally referred to as "Mìlan" (notice the stress on the first syllable, unlike the English and Milanese name of the city), the latter as "Inter". Media Milan is the base of operations for many local and nationwide communication services and businesses, such as newspapers, magazines, and TV and radio stations. 19 HOW TO GET TO MILAN Milan is easy to reach by all means of transport, but is one of the most accessible cities in Europe in terms of air links: 3 international airports 87 direct destinations (72 from European Cities) 92 airlines 680 flights per day 20 Access by air Milan’s three airports, Malpensa, Linate and Orio al Serio, have flight connections to all gateways in the world. Malpensa airport lies in the north-west, about 40 minutes from the city centre. All the international and most domestic flights take off and land here. Linate airport, just 15 minutes from the centre, is the city airport. It is used by smaller aircraft, flying domestic and European routes. Orio al Serio airport is located on the northeast border of the city, about 60 minutes form the city centre. It is Italy's first low-cost airport with many flights for Italian and European destinations. Flights: time, number and fares 54 direct destinations 41 direct destinations with low cost airlines 21 Intercontinental Flights Airports-city connections Connections to/from the airports are very convenient: Malpensa: 40 min by Malpensa Express train to the downtown (11 €) Linate: just 15 min from the Duomo (city bus 1 €) Orio al Serio: 50 min by shuttle bus (6 €) 22 Access by rail Milan has the major railway system in Northern Italy, at the center of important national and international lines. The main station is Milano Centrale, which is found very near to the center of the city. From here trains leave for all parts of Italy and so do international connections to France, Switzerland, and Germany. The station of Milano Cadorna serves the Malpensa Express for the airport and the FNM regional direct trains to the north of Milan. Access by road Milan has the biggest Italian highway system. Milan's ring road is the end point of highway coming from Turin, of the A4 from Venice and Verona; of A1 connecting Milan and Bologna, Florence and Rome; the A7 coming from Genoa and Liguria; and the A8/A9 that go to Switzerland and to Lakes Como and Maggiore. The ring road is divided in Tangenziale Est and Tangenziale Ovest. Road distances to/from Milan Amsterdam Barcelona Berlin Brussels Copenhagen London Luxemburg Madrid Paris Prague Vienna Warsaw Zurich In Kilometers 1029 1045 1174 935 1387 1167 620 1723 887 873 860 1594 289 23 In Miles 639 649 729 581 861 725 385 1070 551 542 534 990 179 TRANSPORT WITHIN THE CITY Milan’s efficient and far-reaching public transport system makes moving around the city fast and easy: • 4 subway lines (70 km of subway network) • 2 subway lines under construction • 1,300 km of public transport network • 6,000 taxis Convention Centre MIC Located just 3.5 km from the downtown, the MIC is easy to reach both by subway, less than 400 m away, and by bus. Special Convention Tickets for delegates and their accompanying persons: • Unlimited use of public transport for the duration of the Convention • Price per ticket for 3 days: 7.50 € • Price for ticket for 3 days including Malpensa Express: 17.00 € The Suburban Railway Service ( "S" Lines, a service similar to the French RER and German S-Bahn), composed of eight suburban lines with ten more scheduled for 2008, connects "Greater Milan" to cities such as Como and Varese. The Regional Railway Service ("R"), on the other hand, links Milan with the rest of Lombardy and the national railway system. The Passante ferroviario is an underground railway serving a couple of "S" lines and functions essentially like another subway line (and is even marked as such on subway maps), except that it is connected to LeNord and Trenitalia suburban networks. Milan has three subway lines (M1 – red, M2 – green, M3 – yellow) in a system called Milan Metro – La Metrò or sometimes Il Metrò, with a network size of more than 80 km. There is also a light metro line, "Metrò S. Raffaele", connecting the San Raffaele Hospital with Cascina Gobba station (M2). Extensions of lines 1, 2 and 3 are under construction, which will create more than 15 km of track with 10 new stations. Line 5, linking San Siro sports stadium (in the west) with Viale Fulvio Testi (in the northeast), through the new City Life complex, is also under construction, and is expected to be finished during the second half of 2012. Line 4, merged with a proposed line 6, linking San Cristoforo railway station (southwest) with Linate Airport is in the planning stage. T h e c l a s s i c trams from the 1920s are still in use. 24 The "Passante" is a railway tunnel under the city centre used by suburban trains, allowing passengers coming from the suburbs to change directly to the three (soon to be four) metro lines at Garibaldi, Repubblica, Porta Venezia and Rogoredo stations. Greater Milan also has one of the most extensive tramway systems in the world, with more than 286 km of track and 20 lines. Milan also has four trolleybus routes; included in the fleet are ten air-conditioned Cristalis trolleybuses. Ninety-three bus lines cover over 1,070 km. The local transportation authority (ATM) transported more than 600 million passengers in 2003 . Milan has a taxi service operated by private companies and licensed by the City of Milan (Comune di Milano). All taxis are the same color, white. Prices are based on a set fare at the beginning and an additional fare based on time elapsed and distance traveled. As the number of licences is kept low by lobbying of present taxi drivers and finding a taxi may be difficult in rush hours or rainy days, and almost impossible during public transportation strikes, which occur often. Map of the M (subway) + S (regional metropolitan railway) Network 25 HOTEL ACCOMMODATION Milan boasts some of the finest hotels in Europe: some are housed in elegant palazzi, others designed by celebrated architects. And of course the best known international chains There are 375 hotels with over 21,000 guest rooms in the city alone, plus another 10,000 in the province of Milan: 31,000 guest rooms within a radius of 30 kilometres. Hotels from the Venue 2.000 rooms walking distance 14.500 rooms within 15 minutes by taxi 10.000 rooms within 20 minutes by Metro LOW COST ACCOMMODATION Milan also offers ideal accommodation facilities for delegates with a lower budget. Young scientists and students have an excellent choice: all kind of rooms – dorm, multi-bed and private rooms – are available for reasonable prices. Special low-cost accommodation • • • • • 2 stars 3,447 hotel beds 1 star 3,091 hotel beds Camping 1,332 places Youth hotels 544 beds Others 1,415 beds TOTAL 9,829 BEDS 26 Average Cost For A Delegate In Milan (Prices are based on 2012 and are subject to change) According to a statistic conducted by Economist Intelligence Unit, Milan is one of the cheapest and more convenient city in Europe, as far concerning the congress tourism. Accommodation in 4* category 3-course menu, drinks excluded Cup of coffee Single ticket for public transport Day ticket for public transport Taxi from Linate Airport to hotels in the city east Taxi from Linate Airport to hotels in the city west Tip for waiters, taxi drivers, etc. CITY Frankfurt Barcelona Geneve London Oslo Luxemburg Rome Brussels Paris Prague Madrid Zurich Wien Milan Copenhagen Amsterdam € 165,00 /single room per night € 35,00 € 1,00 € 1,50 € 4,50 € 15,00 € 25,00 none DAILY AVARAGE COST 749,10 547,30 523,49 509,77 472,91 471,75 466,20 463,30 434,50 432,98 427,50 419,52 416,40 415,75 414,05 407,65 27