Granada is a city
in Andalucía (Southern Spain), 430 km from Madrid, 125 km from Málaga
and 240 km from Sevilla, with a lot of history and tourist attractions. It is
one of the most beautiful cities in Spain and a well known travelling destination.
With a population of some 250,000, it has a very active university life. More
information about Granada and its surroundings can be found at:
Getting to Granada by plane
Granada l airport is about 12 km from the city center. There are several flights a day to Barcelona, Madrid and also flights to London, Liverpool, Milan (Bergamo) and Frankfurt (Hahn). The airport is connected with the city by a shuttle bus service (~3 Euro) or taxi (~20 Euro). In general, a bus departs after each flight arrival. The trip takes about 30 minutes. Ask the driver to drop you off near the Parque del Triunfo. From there it is 5 Minutes to the IRAM office.
Getting to Granada from Málaga
Málaga has a busy international airport with direct and cheap flight connection to many European cities. The best way to go from Málaga to Granada is by coach. Take a shuttle bus (number 19) from the airport to Málaga bus station, which are available every 30 minutes (~1 Euro). At the coach station, you can get a coach to Granada every hour from 7am until 9pm. (10 pm on Friday and Sunday) (~7,50 Euro). Tickets can be bought inside the bus station at the counter of the company "Alsina Graells". It takes about 1 and a half hours to Granada. Granada coach station is just outside of town so you will have to get a taxi (3 Euro) or a bus (line 3, bus stop: Triunfo). For your return trip to Malaga, our secretary can obtain you a bus ticket if she knows it at least two days in advance.
Getting to Granada from Madrid by ground transport
There is a daily
service of coaches to Granada from `Estacion Sur' (underground station `Méndez
Alvaro') at 7.30, 8.30, 11.30, 13.30, 15.30, 17.30, 19.30, 23.30, 01.30. The
price is around 12 Euro. There are only two trains covering daily the route
Madrid-Granada. The trains are more expensive and take longer than the buses.
The Granada train station is in walking distance from the IRAM office.
Getting to the IRAM Office
The "Jardin del Triunfo" is a well known place in Granada at one of the main roads, the Avenida de la Constitucion with public bus and taxi stops. The Avenida Divina Pastora is on the left hand side of the Jardin del Triunfo if you are coming from the Avenida de la Constitucion. IRAM is in the office and appartment block in Avenida Divina Pastora 7. Enter a patio through the gate situated at the left hand side of the Bar Triunfo. The office Number 20 is quite at the end of the patio at the right hand side. If you arrive after office hours, our secretary Esther Franzin tells you where to obtain a key.
Transport from the IRAM office to the telescope and vice versa
IRAM provides transport to and from the telescope. Access by taxi or rental car is restricted to the months June to September and has to be agreed in advance with the IRAM administration, since a special permit from the authorities of the Sierra Nevada Natural Park is required. Fill in your name on the white board in the IRAM entrance hall and be in the hall 10 minutes before the departure of the transport. The driver will not wait for late comers. There is no schedules transport on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. During the summer months an extra transport by taxi might be organized after consultation with Javier Lobato. As a rule, IRAM will reimburse the taxi to visitors who are entitled to a reimbursement of travel and lodging by IRAM and if the number of nights spent at the telescope or the IRAM residencia can be reduced by at least two nights; agreement by IRAM should be given (contact C. Thum). If it eases travel arrangements, visitors can use the remote observing station from our Granada offices (contact W. Brunswig or M. Munoz). The duration of the transport is typically 1 1/2 - 2 hours. From mid October till end of May transport may be delayed due to road conditions. During these months it is not 100% safe to assume that one can catch a flight that is leaving the same day as the transport down from the observatory.
Note: In winter, warm clothes and mountain shoes are required. If you do not have any, an anorak can be borrowed from the IRAM driver. Sun glasses may be useful.
Transport Schedule
SUMMER SCHEDULE (typically May-November)
DAY DEPARTURE
GRANADA DEPARTURE
TELESCOPE Monday 08:15 10:30 Tuesday 08:15 10:30 +
17:00 Wednesday - - Thursday 10:00 17:00 Friday 08:15 10:30 + 17:00
WINTER SCHEDULE (typically November-May)
DAY DEPARTURE
GRANADA DEPARTURE
TELESCOPE Monday 08:15 10:45 Tuesday 08:15 10:45 +
16:15 Wednesday - - Thursday 07:00 16:15 Friday 08:15 10:45 + 16:15
Board and lodging
IRAM Granada provides
accomodation in our residencia or a hotel provided we have received a completed
"Confirmation of Travel Dates" form. If you did not receive one, contact Esther
Franzin or Cathy Berjaud. If you
arrive after office hours (Mo-Fri 9:00 - 15:00) the guard at the entrance of
the garage next to the Bar Triunfo has a key for you, upon personal identification.
Visitors not supported by IRAM are charged 31 Euros per night for accomodation
in the residencia and 62.50 Euro for lodging and meals at the telescope (breakfast:
2.50 Euro, lunch: 14.50 Euro, dinner, 14.50 Euro, lodging: 31.00 Euro). Please
settle your bill at the IRAM administration before leaving.
All non-local, professional and private phone calls are billed. Note your calls in a book available at the observatory. In the Granada office there is a public phone (which also can receive calls). During office hours our secretary can connect your long distance calls.
Insurance
IRAM has no health insurance for visiting astronomers. You should be insured by your own or via your institute. Since the Spanish Social Security System offers only a very basic care we recommend a travel insurance even if you are in a European social security system. We also recommend to obtain a mission permit signed by your institute (even if IRAM is paying the travel). This may help to claim your rights in case of an accident during travel or while at the observatory.
created by R. Mauersberger, 3.11.2003, modified 19.9.2006