Venue | MobileHCI 2023

Conference location

MobileHCI 2023 will be held in Athens, Greece. Athens is a privileged geographical location at the crossroads of three continents, and offers easy and affordable access via the Athens International Airport (AIA) “Eleftherios Venizelos” (IATA code - ATH). The airport is located 33km southeast of Athens.

Access to Athens is provided by express airport bus connections on a 24-hour basis to the city center (line X95 to Syntagma Square), while a direct Metro line (line 3) connects the airport to the city centre (Syntagma square) in just 40 minutes. Taxis between Athens city center and the airport operate at regulated prices of 35€ during the day and 55€ between 00:00 - 05:00.

About Athens

A bustling and cosmopolitan metropolis, Athens is central to the economic, financial, industrial, political and cultural life in Greece. Located at the crossroads of three continents, the capital of Greece with an overall population of close to 5 million people has often been the melting pot of many cultures. Characterised by a culture and people that are welcoming, every visitor is sure to receive a warm welcome. Athens is an ideal congress destination, combining state-of-the-art infrastructures, excellent congress facilities and easy access from all over the world with world-class cultural attractions, modern amenities and diverse entertainment.

Sightseeing
Athens is home to a large number of fantastic archaeological sights and museums. Tickets can be purchased on the spot at all locations, however, during high season, the queues can be intimidating, with long waiting times.

It is highly recommended that you pre-purchase your entry tickets online from either the official or of the many third-party providers.

The official Athens Combined Ticket provides access to seven of Athens' most important heritage sites, allowing you to skip the queues (especially important at the Acropolis) and make significant savings on the price of purchasing individual tickets.

When visiting museums and archaeological sites, please be aware of the opening and closing times - during the conference, the Acropolis is open until 19:00 (last entry 18:30) and the National Archaeological Museum is open until 20:00 (last admission 19:30).

Not included in the combined ticket but very highly recommended, are the Acropolis Museum (open until 20:00, last admission 19:30), the National Museum of Modern Art and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, which is right across from the conference venue (5 minute walk).

For a complete guide to visiting Athens, please consult the Athens Official Visitors Guide.

Complimentary Athens audio walking tour for all participants!
We are pleased to announce that all conference registrants will get a free audio walking tour of Athens, downloadable on their mobile device, courtesy of our sponsor Clio Muse. Details about the download and use of the audio tour will be provided on-site at the conference.

Acropolis VR tour for 40 lucky participants!
Further, we are pleased to announce that conference attendees intending to visit the Acropolis, will be able to experience a Virtual Tour while on-site, courtesy of our sponsor Moptil. The VR tour offers scientifically accurate virtual reconstructions of the entire archaeological site using a dedicated tablet device to be picked up on-site, or the user's own smartphone. We have limited places for this experience, which will be awarded via lottery. To enter the lottery, please fill in this form by Wednesday September 20th. Winners will be announced and notified by email on (or shortly after) Monday September 25th.
-- Update 23/9/2023 --
The lottery winners have been notified. We still have a few places and promo codes left for the VR-tour. If you are interested, please ask at the conference registration desk! Remaining places and promo codes will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis.

New! Simulator experience!
We are delighted to offer two lucky main conference participants the chance to win a free simulator experience at the Athens Pilot Center. These will be awarded after a lottery draw on Wednesday 27th (lunchtime).

One person will enjoy a virtual flight in the high-fidelity Airbus A320 cockpit, while another will race around a virtual track, in a full-motion Formula One car.

If you are interested in winning, please fill in this form by Tuesday 26 Sept, or let a student volunteer know at the registration desk, in the morning of Wednesday 26/9. The lottery draw, which will take place on Wednesday 27/9 at lunchtime. Winners will be announced at the conference live and via Discord.

In case you don't win, worry not! All MobileHCI'23 participants are entitled a 20% discount on any simulation experience they would like to try out the Pilot Center. The promotion is valid until 3 October 2023 and requires a phone booking at a time of your choice. Their high-fidelity simulation experiences include:

Airbus A320
F-16 Falcon
Formula 1
MotoGP motorbike
WRC car

Full details about these experiences can be viewed at the Athens Pilot Center website. This offer is open only to physical participants registered for the main conference. If you'd like to take advantage of the MobileHCI'23 20% discount, please contact the registration desk for more information and to make a telephone reservation.

Language
The native language of the population is Modern Greek. English is widely spoken as a second language by the majority of Greeks, while French and German are also spoken to a good extent.

Time
Greece is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and an hour ahead of Central European Time.

Currency
Greece is a full member of the European Union since 1981, and its currency is the Euro (€). All major credit cards are widely accepted in Greece.

Health
Emergency treatment is free to all visitors in public hospitals. EU nationals can benefit from full healthcare coverage with the European Health Insurance Card.

Climate
Athens enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate and ample sunshine (estimated to be over 3.000 hours per year). The average temperatures during the month of September in Athens range from 19°C (66°F) to 28°C (82°F).

-- Update 23/9/2023 --
We are expecting some mixed weather during the conference - please remember to pack an umbrella and a light jacket. For weather updates, the conference chairs recommend checking the Poseidon forecast system, developed by the Hellenic Center for Maritime Research, using your browser or through the downloadable mobile app.

Electricity and plugs
The power sockets used in Athens and the rest of the country are type C and F, like in most of Europe. The standard voltage is 220 V.

Transportation
Getting around Athens is easy, using the extensive public transport network, which includes bus, metro and tram services. Intermodal transportation planning is easily available through Google Maps. Taxis are also an affordable way to move around the city, with a minimum fare of €4.00 (enough for up to 2km approximately) and a charge of 0.90€ per km thereafter (1.25€ at night).

To use public transport around Athens, we recommend the 5-day pass, allowing access to all bus and metro services for the price of 8.20€, excluding transport to and from the airport. A 3-day pass allowing access to all bus, metro and airport transport services costs 20€. Tickets can be bought at the airport, or at any local metro station in Athens and do not require proof of ID (anonymous).

Students can benefit from a 50% discount on all travel, by issuing a personalised card. To get your personalised card issued, please follow the instructions here and select the QR code option. You will need your passport number to generate a QR, which you then print and bring with you to any ticket office (e.g. at the airport), along with supporting documents (passport, student ID). The clerk will then issue your card, and you will be able to top it up with the relevant credits.

For public transport pricing information, please visit the Transport for Athens website.