The Tenth IASTED International Conference on

Computer Graphics and Imaging

CGIM 2008

February 13 – 15, 2008
Innsbruck, Austria

Weather/Climate

On average, Innsbruck's February temperatures range from –6.0C (24F) to 6.0C (40F). The area receives approximately 41.4 millimetres of precipitation in February.

Language

Innsbruck's official language is German, although English is also widely spoken.

Time Zone

Innsbruck is in the Central European Time zone, which is normally one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The country of Austria does not observe Daylight Savings Time.

Shopping

Innsbruck is the home of Austrian crystal. The world famous Swarovski Crystal is made here. In the centre of Innsbruck you will find the Swarovski Crystal Gallery where you can buy almost anything you can think of made out of crystal. Innsbruck has many shops that sell authentic Tyrolean dress complete with lederhosen.

Innsbruck also has a wide array of artisan stores where you can purchase handcrafted Tyrolean items such as sculpture, pewter, textiles, woollen goods, hand-knit sweaters, and lace. Also for sale are carved chests, mirror frames, and furniture. The stores' elegant decor includes ancient stone columns and vaulted ceilings.

The best shops are along the arcaded Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse in the heart of the Old City; along its extension, Maria-Theresien-Strasse; and along the cross-street Maximilianstrasse in the newer part of town.

Business and Banking Hours

Banking hours in Innsbruck are generally 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Exchange offices at airports and major city rail terminals are open seven days a week and ATMs are widely available.

The majority of the shops are open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Most shops are closed Sundays, although many of the tourist shops will be open.

Currency and Exchange

Austria uses the Euro. To change your currency into Euros, you can visit most major banks, several independent currency exchange bureaus, and major hotels. Typically, however, the best rates of exchange are available through major banks. An alternative to exchanging money is to use Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), which are located at most banks. Most are linked to international banking networks and are a convenient way to withdraw cash, as long as users are prepared to pay service fees.

For the latest rates on foreign currency, please visit http://www.x-rates.com, which updates daily with information gathered from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the International Monetary Fund.

Taxes

Austria applies the VAT (value-added tax), to all purchases except food, at a rate of 20%. Many tourist stores have tax redemption cards that to complete so that you can be reimbursed the VAT paid on vacation.

Tipping

At all restaurants the tip is included in the bill but it is customary to round up the tab. Hotel porters and room service should be given 1 to 2 Euros gratuity. As always, all tipping is up to each person's discretion.