Travel/accomodation

Full information

Full information is available in the document: VisitorGuide-UAH

Venue of the conference

Venue: Polytechnic building of University of Alcalá (Escuela Politécnica Superior – UAH)

Campus Universitario. Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km. 33,600. 28805 Alcalá de Henares (Madrid)

Located in Alcalá de Henares, a city in the region of Madrid: 32km away from Madrid capital city and with an historical center, one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

Local map showing location of venue and distance to city center     Entrance to polytechnic school

Google maps location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ax6SdM7umRd6SpG19

GPS location. 40.51375464695496, -3.3486451778240496

Room: “Sala de Grados”. Inside the building, you will find 4 colours. This room is located in the green one (este-east), first floor (primera planta). You will find indications inside the building.

Travel and accommodation guide

The reference airport is MAD, Madrid Barajas. Adolfo Suarez (big, international and only one in the region): https://www.aena.es/es/adolfo-suarez-madrid-barajas.html  that it is in between Alcalá de Henares (20 km from the airport) and Madrid Capital city (10 km from Airport).

ICODSIP recommends accommodation in Alcalá de Henares: best in the city center.

Transportation from/to airport

There are several possibilities:

  • Taxi or private transfer. Normally it takes around 25 minutes at a cost around 35€ if booked (Uber, Cabify, Bolt are available), you can also take a direct Taxi from the Airport but they will be more expensive (around 45€ or more).
  • Low-cost option: There is a direct line of buses from airport to Alcala: line 824 (“interurban buses (green colour)”), departs approx. each 30 min from terminal 2 (departures entrance) and terminal 1 and arrives to Alcala in 40 minutes (with some intermediate stops in other city, Torrejón de Ardoz). You can directly purchase the ticket (aprox. 3,6€) paying to the driver (just be sure you have small currency, maximum 5€). Depending on your accommodation, you should get off the bus at “Vía Complutense”, 2 stops: first one for Evenia Hotel, and second for El Bedel, Parador and others”. The last stop of the bus is close to the conference venue at the University campus (this option only available at specific hours)..
  • There is also a chance of taking a commuter train from airport to Alcala, but it takes much longer, includes normally a train change in Madrid and then going to the railway station at Alcalá de Henares. You would need taking commuter train from Airport to Atocha Station (Madrid) and then changing to train to Alcalá de Henares. It takes 1hour and 25 minutes and it is only possible from terminal 4 of the Airport. Arriving to Terminal 1 or 2, requires either going to Terminal 4 or taking Metro to Madrid (Nuevos Ministerios station) and then taking train to Alcalá (possibly longer time).
  • In the Madrid airport you have free bus service departing each 10 minutes from each terminal to the others.

Special offers for accommodation

To be able to reserve this option of accommodation, you need to provide the following details:

  • Residencia San Ildefonso, inside the rectorate building of Universidad de Alcalá (Pza San Diego s/n) Single room 35€, double 45€ (only available from 13th to 15th November), with breakfast and VAT included
  • Evenia Alcalá Boutique Hotel, C/Cardenal Cisneros, 22. Rooms blocked until 31 October, Single with breakfast 80€/night, Double with breakfast 90€/night. This is a bit farther than others from the bus line (around 5-10 minutes walk) but located in a historical old house with modern design.
  • El Bedel (Pza San Diego s/n), Rooms blocked until 31 October, Single without breakfast 82€/nigth, Double with single use without breakfast 94€/nigth, supplements +12€ person/night, second person +14€ person/night. . It is located directly in the square of the old university building, a nice place, very close to the start of bus line as well as the historical city center

As Alcalá de Henares is a touristic city, it offers a good variety of additional accomodation options. We recommend city center for accomodation for touristic and logistics reasons (better connection to the airport): you can also check options from expensive and sophisticated ones (e.g., Parador de Alcalá de Henares) to other popular ones (e.g., Ciudad de Alcalá or Cuatro Caños); all of them not far from stops of the bus line number 2.

Transportation in the city center of Alcalá to the venue

The bus number 2 of the network of buses around Alcalá de Henares goes from city center to the venue of the conference.

Information on the line and time schedules is available in English at https://www.crtm.es/tu-transporte-publico/otros-autobuses-urbanos/lineas/9__2__005_.aspx?lang=en. Ticket can be purchased directly to the driver with coins or max 5€: cost around 1.3€. Last two stops of this line will leave you very close to the venue building (“Escuela Politécnica”).

Important: Google Maps is not offering indications for this line, it shows other options instead, as interurban buses usually going to populations outside Alcalá de Henares, like Meco. These are not good options for your case. You can try Moovit app instead to get the most updated information.

Of course, local taxis and the usual cab services (Uber, Cabify, Bolt) are available at moderate prices given the short local direct trip from the center to the venue.