• By car from Brussels airport (Zaventem), it should take only 40 minutes to Gent, but due to the heavy traffic around Brussels, it is safer to take into account a journey of 60 up to 90 minutes. By train from Brussels airport: see train information.

• Coming from France, it is usually better to fly to Lille airport and rent a car there.
  From Lille airport to Gent (Gand) by car takes about 60 minutes.

• The airport of Antwerp is conveniently small but has only a limited number of direct connections. From Antwerp airport to Gent by car takes about 45 minutes.

Train information

The German Railway has an excellent site to search for train connections anywhere in Europe. There are frequent trains from Brussels airport to Gent (some of them directly, some with a change of trains in Brussels). It is advisable to double check your journey on the official web page of the Belgian Railway (NMBS).

Trains arrive at St-Pieters station in Gent. Usually, there are taxis available at the main exit of the station. Print out the address and the site map (pdf or png) so your taxi driver can drive immediately to the correct building.
Alternatively you can a bus from the list 49, 70, 71, 72. Take bus number 49 in the direction of "Geraardsbergen Station", bus 70 in the direction of "Zwijnaarde Vogelheide", bus 71 in the direction of "Nazareth Dorp" or bus 72 in the direction of "Merelbeke Molenhoek". Get off after approximately 10 minutes, at the stop "Zwijnaarde Technologiepark".. From this stop, you still have to walk 3 minutes to reach building number 904 ("Labo Magnel"). Print out the site map (pdf or png) and take it with you!

Street address, maps and driving instructions

The venue for the SID Spring meeting is:

Technologiepark 904 (Labo Magnel)
Grote Steenweg Noord
B-9052 Gent-Zwijnaarde
Belgium

You can of course use your GPS navigation system or a free service like www.map24.com or www.mappy.com to plan your route to this address, but be aware that exit number 15 of the E40 motorway is closed! Not all GPS systems know this.

Some maps of the neighbourhood can also be helpful:
- region map: here  (mappy screenshot) The circle indicates the location of the meeting.
- detailed map: here  (map24 screenshot). The red circle indicates the location of the meeting.
- the site map (pdf or png). Don't forget to print out this one; you might need it. Follow the red line on the map to reach building 904.

Simple Driving instructions if you don't have a GPS system and you are coming from:

Kortrijk (or Lille): On highway E17 (Antwerpen/Kortrijk), take exit 8 "De Pinte/Zevergem" and turn right in the direction of "Gent N60". Then skip to "On the N60"

Antwerp: On highway E17 (Antwerpen/Kortrijk), take exit 8 "De Pinte/Zevergem" and turn left in the direction of "Gent N60". Then skip to "On the N60"

Brussels: On highway E40 (Brussel/Oostende), when approaching Gent, there is a crossing between E17 and E40. Take the direction of E17 (Kortrijk). On highway E17 (Antwerpen/Kortrijk), take exit 8 "De Pinte/Zevergem" and turn left in the direction of "Gent N60". Then skip to "On the N60"

Brugge or Oostende: On highway E40 (Brussel/Oostende), when approaching Gent, there is a crossing between E17 and E40. Take the direction of E17 (Kortrijk). On highway E17 (Antwerpen/Kortrijk), take exit 8 "De Pinte/Zevergem" and turn left in the direction of "Gent N60". Then skip to "On the N60"

On the N60: Coming from the exit of the E17, after about 4 km in the direction of "Gent N60" you will encounter a big roundabout with an oblong shape. The roundabout starts just after the 4th traffic lights. Follow the roundabout and after 180 meters take a right turn onto the "Technologiepark". You are now on the campus. Then use the site map (pdf or png). Follow the red line on the map to reach building 904.

Parking your car

There is sufficient free parking space next to the building.

Arrived at the building

The meeting will be on the second floor. Look for "SID-ME/Club Visu" signs in the hall.

Hotels

The official web site of Gent suggests this list of Hotels. There is also a list of excellent Bed&Breakfast facilities. There are no hotels at walking distance from the meeting site (although there is a B&B at 2 km), so you will need to use a taxi, a rental car or the public transport to come to the meeting. The hotel staff can probably help you with the correct bus lines to "Technologiepark Zwijnaarde (campus Ardoyen)".

Important: after the lab tour on the first day, we will provide bus transport from the meeting site to the centre of Ghent. So, if you do not plan to rent a car, you might want to choose a hotel in the town centre. The restaurant for the conference diner is also in the town centre, at walking distance from the following hotels (see map below):

Ibis Gent Centrum Opera
Ibis Gent Centrum St. Baafs
Novotel
Sofitel
St. Jorishof (Cour St. Georges)
Gravensteenhotel

Tourist information 

Maybe you wonder if it is worthwhile booking a few extra days to visit Gent. It sure is! Gent is a cosy and interesting city with a long history and plenty of sightseeing and shopping opportunities. Gent is also famous for excellent and good-value dining opportunities and cafés with hundreds of different types of beer. For more tourist information, please refer to the offical web site of Gent.

Photograph © Herbert De Smet, 2003