Arrival and Departure
Goa is India’s smallest state in terms of area and is located on the west coast of India, in the region known as the Konkan. Panaji (Panjim) is the state's capital, and Margao its largest town.
With its magnificent beaches, rich cultural heritage, delectable cuisine, and laidback vibe, Goa will provide an ideal location for a productive yet enjoyable conference. Moreover, it is well connected by domestic airlines, rail and road.
Access
By Air
The nearest international airport is Dabolim (GOI-Dabolim), which is about 25 km away from the conference venues and official accommodation facilities. Please provide your arrival and departure itinerary to the hotel reservations or local organizing committee (pages2013@ncaor.org). The organizing committee is also arranging free transport facilities from the airport to the official accommodations for OSM/YSM participants on 10 and 12 February. Participants are therefore requested to provide their itineraries to the local organizing committee. Participants arriving on other dates, or at inconvenient hours, are advised to approach the PREPAID TAXI counters just outside the arrival hall of Dabolim Airport. These taxi counters will charge you government approved rates to your destination. Note that this is a prepaid system, safe, and you do not have to pay any extra amount after you reach your destination. Please avoid taking cabs from outside the airport since they may charge more and are less reliable.
Dabolim Airport is well connected to all major cities in India. It is also connected to a few international hubs such as Doha, Dubai, and Sharjah for those travelling from/via the Middle East. International participants flying via other cities are therefore advised to fly through the major gateways – Mumbai and New Delhi – which are well connected to Goa. While Mumbai is preferable due to its proximity to Goa, New Delhi airport has a new integrated terminal with excellent passenger amenities.
Mumbai airport is currently undergoing modernization works and the domestic and international terminals are not integrated yet. You will need to TRANSFER between international and domestic terminals if you are landing in Mumbai. In Mumbai, after your baggage collection and custom clearance, please look out for inter-terminal transfer service booths. This is a courtesy coach service, which is the safest and most convenient means of transfer between terminals. Please let the transfer attendants know which domestic airline you have booked, and they will guide you to the right coache. Avoid taking any cabs, but if you must then please use PRE-PAID taxi services located inside the airport immediately after clearing Customs. They will charge you for the destination at standard rates and no payment is needed after you reach the destination.
By Rail
The nearest railway stations are:
- Karmali Railway Station (Old Goa) - Approximate driving time is 25 minutes & distance is 14 kms (9 miles) from the conference venue.
- Margao Railway Station - Approximate driving time is 45 minutes & distance is 35 kms (23 miles) from the conference venue.
The Konkan Railway (www.konkanrailway.com), the main train line running through Goa, connects Goa with Mumbai to the north, and with Mangalore to the south.
