Travel and Accommodation

León is a city in the north-west of Spain. It boasts a beautiful medieval old town and an outstanding example of gothic architecture: its cathedral. León lies on the pilgrimage way to Santiago de Compostela and therefore enjoys numerous visits from tourists from all over the world.

By train

Renfe operates a direct high-speed train service from Madrid (2hr). Trains leave from Chamartin (Madrid North station) to León several times a day. There are also direct train connections from other Spanish cities, including Valladolid (1hr), Oviedo (2hr30 min), and Barcelona (5hr40 min). For information on timetables, destinations and tickets, please visit www.renfe.es/en.

By coach

ALSA runs buses from Madrid several times a day (3½ hr). Buses leave from Estación Sur de Autobuses at the metro station Méndez Álvaro. There are also direct bus connections from Madrid Barajas International Airport. Bus services take longer but are more affordable than high-speed train connections. For information on timetables, destinations and tickets, please visit www.alsa.es/en.

By plane

León Airport (LEN) is rather small and there is only one daily connection with Barcelona during the time of the conference (November). Check for prices and availability in www.iberia.com. A taxi from the airport to the city centre is around 20-25€ Euros. There are also urban buses running. Nearby airports are Valladolid (VLL) (125 km) and Asturias (OVD) (170 km). ALSA operates direct services from Valladolid airport to León (www.alsa.es/en).

Getting around León

The city is not too big to see on foot, especially the main attractions, which are all quite close to one another. The campus lies in the outskirts and the best connection would be by urban bus lines (http://www.alesa-alsa.com/) or taxi (+987 261415). The city centre can also be reached on foot in about 25-30 minutes, so it lies within walking distance.