Amsterdam-New Amsterdam Workshop

on Soft Condensed Matter Physics

9-11 November 2006

Organized by the Center for Soft Matter Research
of the Physics Department
at New York University

Directions

Location of meeting: New York Academy of Sciences

• 250 Greenwich Street, 40th Floor
  New York (Manhattan), NY 10007-2157
• Nearest subway stop: Chambers Street (1,2,3,A,C lines).
• You can walk from Club Quarters to NYAS. Directions
• Map of area.

NYU Physics Department & Center for Soft Matter Research

• Meyer Hall of Physics
  4 Washington Place
  New York, NY 10003
• 4th floor: Physics Department
  6th floor: Center for Soft Matter Research faculty offices
  8th floor: Center for Soft Matter Research laboratories
  
• Nearby subway stops: West 4th Street (A,B,C,D,E,F,V lines), 8th Street (R,W lines), Astor Place (6 line), Christopher St-Sheridan Square (1,2,3 lines)
  Subway map (Adobe Acrobat – scalable)
• Map of area

Club Quarters Downtown

• 52 William Street
  (between Wall & Pine Streets)
  New York, NY 10005
• Telephone: 212-269-6400
• Nearby subway stops: Wall Street (4,5 lines: goes to Union Square near NYU), Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall (6 line: goes to Astor Place near Physics Department), Rector Street (R,W lines: goes to 8th Street near Physics Department), Rector Street (1 line: goes to Christopher St-Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village and also to 34th Street Penn Station), World Trade Center (E line: goes to West 4th Street near NYU and also to 34th Street Penn Station)
  Subway map (Adobe Acrobat – scalable)
• Map of area
• You can walk from Club Quarters to NYAS. Directions

New York subway system

• Click here for a scalable map of the New York City subway system in Adobe Acrobat format.
• You can purchase subway cards at machines located in most subway stations in New York. The machines accept US currency, major credit cards, and debit cards. It's $2/ride but if you purchase $10 on a card, you get 6 rides (i.e. one "free"). A $20 purchase gets you two "free" rides, etc. Alternatively, you can purchase a card for $7 that is good for unlimited rides for the 24-hour period after you purchase the card.

Getting to Manhattan from the airports

• Taxi from JFK: This is the most convenient but one of the more expensive ways to get into town from JFK. From JFK to Manhattan, it's a flat rate of $45. If the taxi takes the midtown tunnel, you get charged an additional $4 (for the toll to use the tunnel). Tell the cab driver to take the Williamsburg (or other) bridge and you'll save the $4 toll. To get a cab, get in line for the yellow cabs outside the arrival terminals. Do not take an independent cab — someone who solicits you inside the airport terminal — these are more expensive. It is customary to tip taxi drivers about 10% of the fare.
• Train/subway from JFK: Alternatively, you can take a train/subway into Manhattan (~45 minutes). To do this, you follow the "AirTrain" signs at JFK to the Jamaica subway station, and then take the E subway line from the Jamaica station into Manhattan. When you get off the AirTrain, buy a subway card for at least $7 (splurge and buy $10 or more because you'll probably use it eventually anyway). Your subway card will be charged $5 when you leave the AirTrain station and another $2 when you catch the E (subway) train into Manhattan. If you are going to the Club Quarters Downtown or directly to the New York Academy of Sciences, take the E train to World Trade Center, which is the last stop on this line.
• Taxi from Newark Airport: This is the most convenient but one of the more expensive ways to get into town from Newark. It will cost you about $50 (maybe a bit more) to get into town (no flat rate and you get charged the toll for the tunnel into Manhattan). To get a cab, get in line for the yellow cabs outside the arrival terminals. Do not take an independent cab — someone who solicits you inside the airport terminal — these are more expensive. It is customary to tip taxi drivers about 10% of the fare.
• Train/PATH train from Newark Airport: Getting into lower Manhattan is cheap and easy using the PATH train. To do this, follow the "AirTrain" signs at Newark Airport to the Amtrak station, and then take a train to Newark Penn Station, which is the first stop (and different from New York Penn Station). You can buy a train ticket (from a machine) to Newark Penn Station ($7.50) just before you go up the escalator at Newark Airport to get on the AirTrain or you can buy it at the end of your AirTrain ride. The AirTrain is free at Newark. Newark Penn Station is the first stop on the same train that goes to New York Penn Station. At Newark Penn Station, transfer to the PATH train to New York City. You will have to buy a subway card. The fare for a one-way trip is $1.50. Take the PATH train to the end of the line, which is the World Trade Center and near Club Quarters Downtown and the meeting site. Click here for a map of the PATH train system.
• Train/subway from Newark Airport: Alternatively, you can take a train/subway. To do this, you follow the "AirTrain" signs at Newark Airport to the Amtrak station, and then take a train to Penn Station New York (do NOT get off at Penn Station Newark, which is usually the first stop). You can buy a train ticket (from a machine) into Manhattan ($14) just before you go up the escalator at Newark Airport to get on the AirTrain or you can buy it at the end of your AirTrain ride. The AirTrain is free at Newark. When you get into Penn Station New York, take the subway (the A, E, 1, 2, or 3 train depending on where you are going) to your final destination. If you are going to the Club Quarters Downtown or directly to the New York Academy of Sciences, take the E train from Penn Station (New York) to the World Trade Center stop, which is the last stop on this line.
• Shuttle bus from JFK and Newark: A shuttle bus can be taken from either airport to Manhattan. Just proceed to the Ground Transportation Desk and ask them where to catch a Super Shuttle bus ($19/first person, $11 each additional person) or Air Link, ($17/person) bus. Reservations are not required, but you might have to check with Airlink to make sure they are making stops to lower Manhattan at the time of your arrival. Supershuttle buses stop every 20 minutes and Airlink buses arrive twenty minutes from when you put in the call.
• Helicopters into Manhattan: If you're in a hurry and swimming in money from that big grant that just came through, try a helicopter — only 8 minutes from JFK to midtown Manhattan. Also offers "to die for" views of the city. One option is provided by US Helicopter, which charges $159+"security fees" (about $13) per person. Alternatively, you and your friends (or that "special someone") can have a helicopter all to yourselves for a flat rate of $1250 (1-4 persons with luggage). See Helicopter Flight Services, Inc. It really makes a statement and, more importantly, is the kind of thing you just can't do in Amsterdam! Another reason we love the New World.

Getting to Manhattan from points south

• Train/subway from Princeton or Philadelphia: Take Amtrak or New Jersey Transit to either Penn Station Newark or Penn Station New York. If you get get off at Penn Station Newark (a bit more direct and cheaper), take the PATH train to the World Trade Center in Manhattan (buy a $1.50 PATH fare card or a subway card — both work). If you get off at Penn Station New York, buy a subway card (at least $2.00, more if you plan more than a single subway ride) and take the subway line E to the World Trade Center stop, which is the last stop on this line. Alternatively, you can take the 1, 2, 3, A, or C lines to Chambers Street.
• Driving from Princeton or Philadelphia: Enter Manhattan via the Holland Tunnel (Use MapQuest or some other service to get directions). Click here for a map showing the location of the workshop.

Contacts

• Jessica Ong
  Electronic mail: jo234@nyu.edu
  Telephone: 212-998-3579
  Please contact Jessica Ong about lodging, travel arrangements, and other administrative matters as she is the most knowledgeable person.
• David Pine
  Electronic mail: pine@nyu.edu
  Telephone: 212-998-7744
  Contact David Pine about the scientific program or if you are desperate for inaction on some administrative matter.

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Sponsored by the Center for Soft Matter Research at New York University and by the New York Academy of Sciences.

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