Edinburgh & Logistics

The conference will be held in the King's Buildings campus of the University of Edinburgh. Information on travelling to the King's Buildings is available here.

The conference will make use of the following buildings:

Michael Swann Building (Swann)

• Main Lecture Theatre: This room will be used for tutorials and plenary talks. The entrance is on the ground floor of the Swann building, immediately to the right after the main entrance.

James Clerk Maxwell Building (JCMB)

• Lecture Theatres A, B, C: These rooms will be used for special sessions and contributed talks. The entrance is from level 2 (ground floor) or level 3 of JCMB, immediately to the left at the main entrance (level 2) or the Magnet Café (level 3).

• Rooms 5326, 5327, 5238: These rooms will be used for special sessions and contributed talks. The entrance is from level 5 of JCMB, behind the main lifts.

• Room 6206: This room will be used for special sessions and contributed talks. The entrance is from level 6 of JCMB, down the 62 corridor to the left from the main lifts.

• Rooms 3211, 3217: These rooms can be used for working space or meetings by participants. The entrance is from level 3 of JCMB, close to the Magnet Café.

• Rooms 5205: This room can be used for working space or meetings by participants. The entrance is from level 5 of JCMB, down the 52 corridor to the left from the main lifts.

• Magnet Café: This space will be used for all coffee and lunch breaks during the conference. It is located on level 3 of JCMB. To reach this space, go one floor up from the main entrance.

Nucleus Building

• Second Floor Foyer and Balcony: This space will be used for the drinks reception on Monday evening. To reach this space, go one floor up from the main entrance.

The James Clerk Maxwell (JCMB) building, the main conference venue, is not always easy to navigate. We will put up signs to guide you, and advise you to follow these so as not to get lost. In particular, please note:

• The main entrance to JCMB takes you to level 2 of the building. There is also a level 1, and some of the other entrances will take you there, but the layout of level 1 is not straightforward. We encourage you to use the main entrance to the building, which can be accessed from the west (coming from bus service 9) or the east (coming from any other bus service). 

The conference dinner on Wednesday evening will be at the National Museum of Scotland. 

The conference will be held in the King's Buildings campus of the University of Edinburgh. Information on travelling to the King's Buildings is available here.

The campus is easily accessible by bus from around the city: services 9 (stop King’s Buildings, final stop), 12 and 24 (stop Rankin Drive), 38 (stop West Mains Road), and 3, 7, 8, 29, 31, 37 and 47 (stop Lady Road) all stop within a 5-10 minute walk of the conference venue.

You can download the Lothian bus and tram app to plan your bus travel and view live departure times. Google maps is also accurate for planning bus travel and viewing live departure times in Edinburgh.

You can pay by contactless on all Lothian buses in Edinburgh. You just need to tap on when you get on the bus - a suitable single fare per journey will be deducted (automatically updated to daily/weekly fares at the end of the day/week if this is cheaper). There is no need to tap off. You can also pay cash on board (exact change required) or buy tickets in the app. More information on: contactless payments and tickets/fares.

The AirLink bus connects the airport with the city centre and runs frequently around the clock. Contactless payments are accepted, and you can purchase a single fare or return fare (open-ended, no expiry date).

Alternatively, you can travel by taxi for example with City Cabs (app available to download).

Some suggestions for things to do near the King's Buildings campus:

Craigmillar Castle

This ruined medieval castle is best known for its association with Mary, Queen of Scots. It's a 45 minute walk from the conference venue. You can pay a small fee to enter the ruins, but it is free (and open all day) to walk around the surrounding park and view the ruins.

Blackford Hill

One of the seven hills of Edinburgh, this offers fantastic views of the city and the summit is a 25 minute walk from the conference venue. The Royal Observatory of Edinburgh is located near the top.

Braid Hills 

The southernmost of the seven hills of Edinburgh, this offers fantastic views of the city. The hills can be reached in about 30 minutes by foot from the conference venue.

Rosslyn chapel

Bus service 37 (destination Penicuik) goes to Rosslyn chapel from the conference venue, and the total journey time is about 45 minutes. The chapel is known for its ornate stonework and its role in the Da Vinci Code, and is well worth a visit.

National Mining Museum Scotland

The National Mining Museum Scotland was created in 1984, to preserve the physical surface remains of Lady Victoria Colliery. The museum also includes several exhibitions. Bus service 29 (destination Gorebridge) takes you there from the conference venue, and the total journey time is about 35 minutes.

Walkhighlands is a great website if you are looking for some walks to do.

From April 2025, all visitors to the UK who do not need a visa for short stays and who do not already have a UK immigration status must obtain an ETA. Guidance can be found here. If have a visa to enter the UK already, you do not need to apply for ETA.