IMEKO 2024 XXIV World Congress

ACCOMMODATION

There are several hotels close to the Convention Center Hamburg in different price ranges.
In walking distance / under 1 km you can find (selection):

We strongly recommend to book early. Prices tend to go up closer to the event, especially in the summer.

ACCOMPANYING PERSONS' PROGRAM

There will be more information on possible tours for accompanying persons closer to the event.
For now we are pleased to invite accompanying persons to attend the social events on the Monday and Wednesday evenings. We kindly ask you to let us know (on your registration form) about your attendance.
You can find a few options on what to do in Hamburg under “sightseeing”.

ARRIVAL

Hamburg has an efficient network of trains, buses and ferries, making it easy to get around. Taxi and bus services are available from the CCH and the “Hamburg Dammtor” Railway Station is located only 100 meters away.

Arriving by airplane:

Hamburg Airport “Helmut Schmidt” (HAM) is located 10 kilometers to the north and it takes just over 30 minutes to reach the CCH via public transport to Dammtor Railway Station or Stephansplatz (Oper/CCH) Subway Station.

Arriving by train:

If you choose to take the train to Hamburg, you should try to book your ticket to the station “Hamburg Dammtor” which is just one station after “Hamburg Hauptbahnhof” (Central station) and 100 meters from the CCH.

Arriving by car:

From the A7, A24 or A1 motorways, follow signs to Innenstadt, Centrum or Congress Center Hamburg. Please check in advance with the hotel about parking availability.

CLIMATE

The climate here is mild, and generally warm and temperate. The rainfall in Hamburg is significant, with precipitation even during the driest month. During October, the temperature varies from 6 °C and 13 °C and it may rain.

Contact

Contact us

CREDIT CARDS

VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club and American Express are widely accepted at hotels, department stores, shops and restaurants but not at small retail outlets such as convenience stores or kiosks.

Can I pay the conference fee by credit card?
The PTB is a federal higher authority and unfortunately does not allow payments by credit card. You are asked to settle your payment by bank transfer. You will find all the necessary bank details on your invoice.

CURRENCY & BANKING

The currency is Euro (€). Cash points/machines are available throughout the city.

CONFERENCES FEES

Conference fees shall be paid within three weeks after receipt of the invoice. An invoice with all necessary information will be sent within one week after registration. The PTB is a federal authority and unfortunately does not accept card payments. Payment must therefore be made by bank transfer. Should you be spontaneous and want to join on-site, there is a possibility to do so at the CCH registration desk.

ELECTRICITY

The main supply voltage in Germany is 220/230 V (AC) - 50 Hz.

EMERGENCY SERVICES

112 for Emergency Services
Dial emergency telephone number 112 in case of acute medical or fire-related emergencies.
110 for Police Emergencies
Dial police hotline 110 (nation-wide) if you require immediate police assistance, for instance if you've been victim or witness to a crime or hazardous situation. Examples are house break-ins, traffic accidents or domestic violence.

HAMBURG: THE HANSEATIC PEARL

Hamburg's historic label, ‘The gateway to the world’, might be a bold claim, but Germany’s second-largest city and biggest port has never been shy. Hamburg has engaged in business with the world ever since it joined the Hanseatic League back in the Middle Ages. Its role as a centre of international trade in the late 19th and early 20th centuries brought it great wealth (and Unesco World Heritage recognition in 2015), a legacy that continues today: it's one of Germany's wealthiest cities. Hamburg’s maritime spirit infuses the entire city; from architecture to menus to the cry of gulls, you always know you're near the water. The city has given rise to vibrant neighbourhoods awash with multicultural eateries, as well as the gloriously seedy Reeperbahn red-light district. Hamburg nurtured the early promise of the Beatles, and today its distinctive live- and electronic-music scene thrives in unique harbourside venues. The city hides its allure—like a pearl in a shell. Not just another grey, seedy port, Hamburg is a bourgeois city with a rebel heart. It discreetly displays its wealth inside its mansions in the districts of Eppendorf and Blankenese. Life here flows slowly around the Alster lakes and along the mighty Elbe. From the lake to the river, the waves invite contemplation and sports like water-skiing, stand-up paddleboard, and sailing—all right inside the city centre. With HafenCity, Hamburg redraws its boundaries and makes the link between the port and the warehouses of Speicherstadt, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015. This new space, once completed, is expected to expand the city centre by 40%. Hamburg definitely has something non-conformist and trend-setting about it. Its music scene reflects this best, almost overshadowing Berlin's. The new Elbphilharmonie, which should open in 2017, constitutes further evidence. Moin Hamburg! In other words, ‘Hi!‘. Worth knowing Population: 1.8 million inhabitants
Size: 755.3 square kilometer
Commerce: More than 35,000 trading companies with over 125,000 employees make Hamburg the leading foreign trade centre in Germany.
Consulates: The city has the world’s second-largest concentration of consulates, with almost 100 consulates, coming second after New York.
More informationwww.hamburg.com
www.hamburg-travel.com/
www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attractions-g187331-Activities-Hamburg.html
www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/hamburg

INVOICE

Please don't worry, if you haven't received a payment request right after registration. Invoices are sent out once a week, so it might take up to one week before receiving your invoice. (Please be patient. 😉 )

LANGUAGES

The conference languages will be English.

LUNCHES AND REFRESHMENT BREAKS

Lunch will be served Monday through Thursday, with Lunch Boxes on Thursday (technical visits follow). Coffee breaks are scheduled Monday through Thursday, morning and afternoon.

MEETING DOCUMENTS / SESSION PAPERS

Delegates should please note that no paper documents will be available for the meeting; all the meeting documents will be made available for download via website www.imeko2024.org.

PASSPORTS & VISAS

A valid passport is generally required to enter Germany, though ID cards may be sufficient for most EU Nationals. Entry visa requirements vary from country to country and so it is strongly recommended that delegates contact their local Consulate or Embassy for further information prior to making travel arrangements. For more information also see separate page “visas”.

PAYMENT MODE

Can I pay by credit card?
The PTB is a federal higher authority and unfortunately does not allow payments by credit card. You can pay your invoice by bank transfer. You will find all the necessary details on your invoice.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Germany has great cars, yes, but you don’t need one to get around Hamburg. Apart from a lot of walkable urban space the city has a tight network of subway lines, trains and buses as well as several ferry services.
Website to the Hamburg transportation service (hvv): https://www.hvv.de/en and maps/fair zone plans: https://www.hvv.de/en/plans

QUESTIONS

Do you have questions? Please contact us at any time

REGISTRATION

Registration is only possible through the conference website www.imeko2024.org.
At the time of the conference, you will be able to check-in for the conference on 25/08/2024 (Sunday evening) and in the morning of the conference days. A registration desk will be set up in the CCH, ground floor.

SIGHTSEEING

A selection of few sights to see… see more on www.hamburg.com

Airbus

There are tours of the building site available during the week. Please check times and terms at https://werksfuehrung.de/en/aerospace/airbus-factory-tour/airbus-hamburg/single-guests-standard-tour

Elbphilharmonie (Philharmonic Orchestra Hall)

As the latest addition to Hamburg’s long line of must-see-sights, the Elbphilharmonie at the famous Hamburg habor not only impresses with their musical program but also offers tours of the building as well as a wonderful outlook over the harbor.
https://www.elbphilharmonie.de/en/

Miniaturwunderland

www.miniatur-wunderland.com

Rathaus (City Hall)

The historic City Hall is open Mon─ Sun from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with several guided tours available to visitors. The Rathausmarkt in front of the City Hall is a popular venue for fairs, markets and concerts. www.hamburg.com

St Pauli Elbtunnel

In 1911, the St. Pauli Elbtunnel (also called Alter Elbtunnel, lit. 'Old Elbe Tunnel') was built to provide a more direct route for dock workers over to the southern banks of the Elbe river from the Landungsbrücken piers in St. Pauli. A technical innovation at the time of its construction, the tunnel became a tourist attraction when the 'new' Elbtunnel and several bridges were built in the 1970s. Now pedestrians and bicyclists wishing to cross below the river can ride a free lift into the deep, and cars can use hydraulically driven cages for a small fee.

Speicherstadt (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

www.hamburg.com

SOCIAL EVENTS

There will be two receptions:
On Monday (26 Aug 2024) we ask you to join us for a Welcome Reception at the Hamburg’s City Hall. Snacks and drinks will be provided.
On Wednesday (28 Aug 2024) will be the Gala Dinner at the Conference Center CCH. Dinner will be served.
Dress code on both occasions is business formal.
There will also be a Get-together (casual) on Sunday evening at the CCH for all who are interested.

TAX

Hotels will ask for a tourism tax additional to the room price (Tourism Law for Hamburg, Hamburgisches Kultur- und Tourismustaxengesetz (HmbKTTG). Business travelers do NOT have to pay this tax if they provide a declaration by their employer that it is, in fact, a business trip. Most hotels will provide a form for this declaration on booking.

TIME ZONE

Hamburg time is UTC + 2 hours during daylight saving time (31 March – 27 October 2024).

TIPPING

Tipping is not mandatory in Germany. If you feel the level of service provided warrants a tip generally 10 % is the amount given as a tip for example to taxi drivers, hotel staff and waiters/waitresses.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Tourist Information at the Central Station
Central Station underground/suburban railway
Main exit Kirchenallee

Tourist Information at the harbor St. Pauli landing stages: between stages 4 and 5

Tourist Information Airport Office
Hamburg Fuhlsbüttel Airport/
at the new Airport Plaza (between Terminals 1 + 2)

Web site: https://www.hamburg-travel.com/

VENUE

The main meeting venue is the Confence Center Hamburg (CCH) in central Hamburg,
adress: Congressplatz 1, 20355 Hamburg.
The meetings will take place from Monday August 26th through Thursday August 29th.
You have the possibility to participate in technical visits on Thursday afternoon (Airbus, DESY or Calibration Directorate North) or Friday August 30th (additional day for site visit of PTB Braunschweig).

VISAS & PASSPORTS

A valid passport is generally required to enter Germany, though ID cards may be sufficient for most EU Nationals.
Participants from EU member states and many other countries, including US citizens, simply need a valid passport to enter the Federal Republic of Germany. There are only a few countries whose citizens need a visa. Please check with your local German Ambassy or Consulate for more information.