International Wittgenstein Symposium – Conference Center: View on Google Maps
Conference Center: Elementary school Kirchberg, Markt 300, 2880 Kirchberg am Wechsel
Registration at the Conference Center
In Kirchberg, please go directly to the conference center where the conference office is located. The conference office will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 10th, 2024, and from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 11th, 2024. You will receive an information folder and the address of your accommodation once you register at our office.
Shuttle Service and Accommodation
A free shuttle service will be available throughout the week for those accommodated outside Kirchberg. (Due to the increase in attendance, the symposium has outgrown the small town.) Please note that hotels and guest-houses are cheap and clean, but simple. The average room has neither Radio nor TV, and you should bring your own cosmetics, including soap and shampoo.
Travel to Kirchberg am Wechsel by train
(1) When you have arrived in Vienna, take a bus or taxi to “Wien Hauptbahnhof” (Vienna’s main railway station) and there
(2) take a train to Gloggnitz, a town about 70 kilometers (45 miles) south of Vienna. Trains in the direction of Gloggnitz depart almost every hour, but you may have to change trains at Wiener Neustadt.
(3) From Gloggnitz, you can reach Kirchberg, which lies at a 13 kilometers (8 miles) distance, by bus (40 minutes) or taxi (15 minutes). We suggest that you take a taxi from Gloggnitz to Kirchberg. You might like to share a taxi with other participants, to cut costs. On Sunday 11th of August 2024, – the official arrival day, – a member of the Wittgenstein Symposium Crew will be waiting at Gloggnitz railway station between 12 a.m. and 6 p.m. to help you with your luggage and answer your questions. During this time, the ride to Kirchberg will be free of charge.
Eating and Drinking
Although vegetarianism (let alone veganism …) is less popular in Austria than in the UK or in the USA, some restaurants offer vegetarian food during the symposium week. If the menu has no special vegetarian/vegan section, consult the starters or the desserts section. The starters (“Vorspeisen”) section should contain salads, and the desserts (“Nachspeisen”) usually include pancakes filled with jam, cream cheese or ice cream, or perhaps a “Kaiserschmarren” (sweet pancakes cut up and served with stewed fruit). August is a good month for mushrooms, and the “Eierschwammerl” (chanterelles) are a special treat.
In Austria the most popular drinks are beer, wine and “Most” (Austrian cider), made from apples and pears. Most, at its best, is both tastier and healthier than the average wine, but there are variations in production, so start with a small glass, to try it.
There is ample choice of non-alcoholic lemonades and fruit-juices. In hot weather, a refreshing “gespritzter Apfelsaft” (apple-juice mixed with soda) can be recommended.
It is customary to give a tip of 5 to 10 percent of the bill, provided that you are satisfied with service, food and drink.
Money
In a small town like Kirchberg, most people prefer cash to cheque or credit card. So please be prepared to pay your bills in cash, using Euros. There are two banks in Kirchberg, where you can change money (from Monday to Friday), if necessary. In addition, one of these banks, the Raiffeisenbank at Markt 235, operates an Automatic Telling Machine, which accepts most internationally recognised credit cards.
Dress
Dress has always been casual at the Wittgenstein Symposia. There are only three possible exceptions: the opening ceremony; the dinner for the symposium participants; the optional concert. For these events more formal dress is suggested, but is of course not obligatory.
Weather
August is normally hot and dry, but there may be rain showers and thunderstorms, and late evenings and early mornings can be very fresh.
Links
Online timetable of the Austrian Railways (covers important international connections as well)
Public transport network in Eastern Austria (railways, buses, Vienna City transport etc.)