Cosmology with the CMB and LSS                       TRAVEL AND LOCAL INFORMATION                                             FORMS   Please fill up the 'Arrival-Departure' form here.     During alternate weekends a few local treks will be arranged.                Booking can be done in advance by filling up the 'Excursion/Trek' form. The details of the trips can be found here. Please note that trekking during the ‘monsoon’ season in Pune is enjoyable with adequate rain gear. It is advisable for people interested in the treks to arrange for such equipment beforehand.                                        LOCAL INFORMATION  About Pune:   Pune is a city located in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. Capital of Pune district and the 8th largest urban conglomeration in India with a population of 5 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Maharashtra. It is located roughly 150 kilometers east of Mumbai at an altitude of 560 meters above sea level. It is situated at the eastern edge of the Western Ghats on the Deccan plateau.   For more details, visit this Wikipedia site A short list of places to visit in and around Pune can be found here.    Pune Climate: The picture of Indian summer that one conjures up in mind cannot be matched with the climate of Pune during the months of July  and August. The hottest of the summer months, in Pune, is the month of April. Monsoon winds from the Arabian sea starts blowing in June. The weather is very pleasant in the city even during and after the monsoons with temperature ranging from 10 to 28 °C (50 to 82 °F) and cool pleasant winds blowing in from the west. Fore current weather conditions in Pune, check here.                                 GETTING   VISA  (For Foreign Participants only) Please note that a visa is necessary for Foreign nationals before arrival in India and this can be obtained from the Indian embassy/consulate near their place of residence. The organizers cannot arrange a visa for the participants. Please use the invitation letter sent to selected participants, if needed, while applying for the visa. As per Government of India policy, we have also to get clearances from our Ministries in Delhi for the visit of foreigners. The Ministries, after processing this information, will send the approval for visa to the respective Indian Missions abroad on the basis of which the visa will be granted. The whole process will take about 2-3 months. Foreign participants are required to fill in a visa information form. This form does not have any bearing on your visa application; the Conference Secretariat would require these details to get approval from the Ministry in India.   The VISA form can be found here. If you have accompanying person(s), please use the same form. Please use your Registration ID for the accompanying person(s) too.                                                       GETTING THERE    The City of Pune is approximately 150 km east of Mumbai and is well connected by Air, Rail & Road. By Air: The nearest airport to Pune is situated at Lohegaon, 15 km away from the city centre. Although it is a small airport, yet it is a very busy one. Besides regular domestic flights to Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and many other Indian cities, there are also some recently implemented international flights to Singapore and other destinations. However, almost all the participants from abroad coming to Pune have to take the flights to Mumbai and then from Mumbai to Pune. Mumbai International Airport is the busiest one in the country with flight destinations leading to the major ports of the world or their connecting hubs. Mumbai to Pune is less than half an hour by flight. Reaching Pune airport, one can avail Pre-paid Taxi/Auto-rickshaw services at the airport premises. The landmark is 'Pune University's Khadki-Aundh Road gate'. By Road from Mumbai Airport: A better choice to reach IUCAA from the Mumbai International Airport is to rent a taxi from the airport itself, and arrive in Pune within 4 hours via the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Once in Pune, the landmark is Pune University campus, where, IUCAA is located (Please use the map below to locate the IUCAA campus from the main gate of Pune University campus. Approximate fare to book a taxi from the Mumbai International airport is Rs 1800/-. There are also some air-conditioned Bus services available at the Mumbai Airport. The coaches of M/s K.K.Travels can drop you at the doorsteps of IUCAA. Their fare is Rs 550/- per person. The daytime road journey via the Mumbai-Pune Expressway is a real feast for the eyes and the gorgeous Western Ghats will mesmerize you all the way. By Train: Pune Railway station is 8 km away from the IUCAA campus. Pune is connected to Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) (originally known as VT -> Victoria Terminus) by a number of Express trains. Connection to other parts of the country via the rail route is also fairly good, covering places like Delhi, Kolkata, Nagpur, Raipur, Allahabad, Bhubaneshwar, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, etc. For a detailed list of the availability of train services to any part of the country please have a look at the Indian Railways' own site, where you can book your e-tickets. Coming to the Pune Station, one can avail the Auto-Rickshaw or the Taxi service. Approximate fare for auto-rickshaw is Rs. 70/- and for the Taxi is Rs 150/-. To reach IUCAA one should tell the driver 'IUCAA, Pune University Campus'. Pune University Main gate to IUCAA is 2.5 km, and direction to IUCAA sign boards are visible at every crossing inside the University campus. Arival - Departure Form:             In case you want IUCAA to make your local travel arrangements (pickup-drop off), please fill up the arrival departure FORM. Map of the Pune University Campus (and IUCAA) Click the map above to get an enlarged view. Follow the green coloured path to reach IUCAA from the Pune University main gate.