PTOLEMY General Meeting in Princeton
Jadwin Hall
Princeton University
PTOLEMY General Meeting at Princeton
AI-generated image with prompt: "greek philosopher overlooking princeton university in autumn with stars" (StableDiffusion)
6-8 November 2023, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
We are happy to host the next PTOLEMY collaboration general meeting at Princeton University! Autumn is a lovely time to visit Princeton and we look forward to fruitful discussions and exchange of ideas.
The physics department building is Jadwin Hall. A map is provided below and it also shows up on Google/Apple maps. We will meet on the 4th floor in the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science (PCTS) seminar space, room 407.
NYU Morning Session on 11/8 (Wednesday)
A special morning session (10:30am-12:30pm, NYU Physics Dept, 726 Broadway, New York) will be held at NYU on the last day! We will close out the conference here. Please make travel arrangements accordingly.
Logistics
ESTA Visa Waiver Program
What you need to know:
- Approved ESTAs are valid for 2 years, so if you have a previous one that is not yet expired, no need to do it again
- Takes up to 72 hours to process, but do it early!!!
- Total fee is 21 USD.
- You need to put in the info of a contact person. Please check your email for the information to use.
Flights
There are 4 airports in the area which may be used, with approximate travel time to Princeton noted:
Recommended: EWR - Newark, New Jersey (sometimes called Newark-New York)
- Train from EWR to Princeton (~45 min)
- Train from EWR to NYC Penn Station (~20 min)
JFK - New York (~2 hr drive, ~2 hr public transport)
LGA - New York (~2hr drive, ~2hr public transport)
PHL - Philadelphia (~1hr drive, ~3hr public transport)
Public Transport
EWR to Princeton
NJ Transit is the commuter rail train in the state of New Jersey. Follow the signs at the airport to the train platform, tickets can be purchased at any ticket machine like the one pictured below. Ticket machines are also available directly on the platform before boarding the train. Make sure you get on the south-bound train!
Trains depart every ~30 min. See train schedules here: https://www.njtransit.com/train-to?origin=EWR%20Newark%20Airport%20Station&destination=Princeton%20Station&date=11%2F05%2F2023
Option 1 (Train to Princeton campus [$21.75 one way] + ~1km walk to hotel)
Select "PRINCETON" as your destination, not "Princeton Junction." You will need to transfer at "Princeton Junction" to the so-called Princeton "Dinky", a small shuttle train that goes directly to the Princeton campus. See the images below. The ticket you purchase to "Princeton" includes the Dinky. (If you purchase to "Princeton Junction" only, you need to purchase a separate ticket from "Princeton Junction" to "Princeton").
It is about a ~1km walk on a very slight uphill slope from Princeton station to the downtown area where the hotels are.
Option 2 (Train to "Princeton Junction" [$20.00 one way] + Uber to hotel [~$10-15])
Select "PRINCETON JUNCTION" as your destination. Proceed to the car pick-up area and order an Uber directly to your hotel (around $10-15).
JFK to Princeton
Recommended route:
- AirTrain from JFK to Jamaica Station (there will be signs to direct you to the AirTrain after arriving)
- Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Jamaica to Penn Station
- NJ Transit from Penn Station to Princeton Junction
- Dinky or Uber to Princeton
We do not recommend taking the subway from JFK to Penn Station.
For the LIRR from Jamaica to Penn Station, both are major transit hubs so several lines service them and trains are frequent.
At this point we recommend using Google Maps with transit directions to get the next departing train. Ticket machines should be near the platforms.
At Penn Station, the LIRR platform numbers are generally ~13-28 and are next to the NJ transit platforms which are numbers 1~13. The NJ transit line to take is the "Northeast Corridor", which is the red line on the status monitors, and is the same line that runs through Newark Airport to Princeton Junction. Purchase from the ticket booth following the guide above to either Princeton Junction or Princeton, then take an Uber or the Dinky to Princeton.
Option: Taxi from JFK to Penn Station
~$80. If you opt for a taxi for this leg of the trip, we recommend getting a yellow taxi at JFK (instead of an Uber) since the prices are fixed. Check the info at this link to ensure your taxi driver is complaint.: https://www.nyc.gov/site/tlc/passengers/taxi-fare.page
You will be charged for tolls separately, so make sure to ask your driver to go on the bridges into Manhattan, not the tunnels. On the east side of Manhattan, bridges have no tolls, but tunnels do (~$20).
Hotels
We have arranged for a limited number of rooms in downtown Princeton (the only hotels within walking distance to campus).
- The historical inn in downtown Princeton
- Limited number of rooms still available at above rate, please email organizers if you want this
- Additional housing for conferences and events, owned by the Princeton Theological Seminary
- Please book directly using the link above
Addresses:
Erdman Center: 20 Library Pl, Princeton, NJ 08540
Nassau Inn: 10 Palmer Square W, Princeton, NJ 08542
Palmer House: 1 Bayard Ln, Princeton, NJ 08542
For late arrivals:
Erdman Center: After 9:30pm, call the university Public Safety department by either pressing the call button in the column in the entrance vestibule, or by calling 609-497-7777.
Nassau Inn: The front lobby should be open 24/7.
Palmer House: After 10pm, call Public Safety at 609-497-7777.
Lunch
Lunch can be procured at campus dining halls or in town for ~15 USD. A list of options will be posted here closer to the conference.
Social Dinner at Mediterra Restaurant, Tuesday 11/7
Cost: $40 USD per person
