Welcome reception
All participants will be invited to take part in the welcome reception on 10 September 2012.

Meals
During the Congress lunch and refreshments will be provided for congress participants. 

Farewell Banquet
The farewell banquet will be held on 13 September 2012.

Badges – Identity document
During the Congress (including the technical tours and the related social activities) participants must wear the Congress badge. Otherwise they will not be admitted.

Exhibition
During the congress there will be an exhibition.

Insurance
It is suggested that all participants contact the insurance company by themselves in order to ensure coverage. Neither ISOCARP nor the organisers will be responsible for injuries, loss of luggage and/or personal belongings.

Shuttles
It's 18 km from the airport to the city center. During the Congress shuttles will be provided to transport participants from the airport to the hotel. The Congress venue is in the city center, a 10-minutes walk from the main Congress hotel. It is also located in the cultural and business center of the city.

Climate in September
The temperature in Perm in September is +8, +11 on the average. Often with no precipitation, rarely rainy and windy. The weather is very soft, making you walk a lot enjoying autumn nature with its golden leaves, fresh air and warm sun. In September most of the citizens prefer visiting the embankment to walk along the beautiful Kama river.

Banks and Foreign Currency Exchange
There are more than 70 banks in Perm. Popular banks are Sberbank, VTB 24, Ural-FD, etc. You can change currency in any bank you wish. The most popular bank is Sberbank as it is the largest credit institution in Russia and CIS, accounting for 26% of the aggregate Russian banking assets and 30% of banking capital. It has more than 400 bank branches in the Perm region and ATMs all around the city: hotels, shopping  malls, administrative buildings, restaurants, cinemas, etc. 

Currency
Russian rubles – RUB
Regular rate: 1 USD = 29.36 RUB

Electricity
The power voltage in Perm is 220v

Shopping
Generally the shopping hours of operation are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mon-Sun. Most shopping malls and stores accept Visa and Mastercard.

Tips
Tips are welcome only in restaurants and cafes. The usual amount of tips is 10-15% of the receipt. They are not obligatory, at will of the client. Tips are not accepted in transport, fast-food restaurants and stores.

Communication
Telephone communication in Russia is convenient and efficient. Hotels will provide a service to make phone calls, but there will be an extra charge. Participants can buy local GPRS SIM cards for their mobile phones. The GPRS networks allow you to sms and call other networks within Russia and globally. The amount balance can be easily refilled via ATMs or self-service machines that usually take extra charge.