TRAVEL INFORMATION

LOCATION

 

(Click on the maps to view in printable mode)

HOW TO ARRIVE

* BY PLANE

To reach Cartagena by plane you can fly either to Alicante-El Altet airport, some 100 km to the NE of Cartagena, or to Murcia-San Javier airport, some 30 km also to the NE. See more information (sorry, only Spanish) in www.aena.es.
 
Alicante-El Altet has plenty of international connections(1). Although it is connected with Cartagena by a fast highway (toll), there are not direct public transportation to Cartagena. Then, you can get to Cartagena through these  ways(*): 1) take a bus or a taxi to Alicante city (some 30 minutes) and there take a train to Cartagena city (some 1.5 hours); 2) take a bus to Murcia city (some 45 minutes) and there take another bus (some 45 minutes) or a train (some 60 minutes) to Cartagena; 3) if you plan to stay after the meeting (highly recommended), rent a car at the airport and drive (some 60 minutes) the beautiful A-37 highway (toll) ) south to Cartagena .

Murcia-San Javier is a small military airport by the beautiful Mar Menor coastal lake. It has international (and incredibly cheap) flight connections with London-Gatwick, London-Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, East Midlands, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and some other cities. National connections with Madrid, Valencia (daily) and Barcelona (seasonally) exist. Again, there are no direct buses to Cartagena city. To get here you can either: 1) pick a taxi to Cartagena (some 30 minutes and around 30 Euro); 2) rent a car in the airport and drive 20 minutes to the south. 

 

IMPORTANT:  If you plan to come by plane, either to Alicante-El Altet or to Murcia-San Javier, make us know your arrival schedule as soon as you now it.  We will arrange facilities to pick up as many of you as possible. 

(Click here to see the (provisional) bus schedule from Alicante-El Altet airport to Cartagena on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 May).
 

(1) The following site will help you to know the best way to come by flying:               http://www.travelxl.com/airlines/index.html

* BY CAR

If you plan to come by road from another Spanish city, Cartagena is well connected by highway (autopista) with Madrid (N-301), Barcelona, Alicante, Valencia, and NE Mediterranean coast (Autopista del Mediterráneo, A-7); Mar Menor, La Manga and also Alicante (Autopista A-37), Andalucía (Autovía de Andalucía, A-92),…See more information (only Spanish, sorry!) in http://www.dgt.es/index.html.

* BY BUS

The company Alsa-Enatcar travels from all major cities in Spain to Cartagena. Buses are new and very comfortable. The Bus Station is at a walking distance to the hotels and to the SWIM meeting place. See more information (English version available) in www.alsa.es.

* BY TRAIN

Cartagena is linked by train with Madrid, Murcia, Alicante, Valencia, and Barcelona. The train station is at a walking distance to the hotels and to the 18 SWIM meeting place. See more information (English version available) in www.renfe.es.  

LEAVING CARTAGENA

 The Organization will appoint a company to help getting transportation from Cartagena to Murcia airport (San Javier) and to Alicante airport (El Altet) at a reasonable cost by collective means. To organize that it is needed that the responsible company knows the date, the latest departure time from Cartagena and the hotel, at the registration moment. The schedules will be
posted by the registration desk.

ACCOMMODATION

 

Special hotel fares have been obtained for the 18 SWIM attendants. A limited number of rooms have pre-reserved at the hotels in the list below. Reservations have to be made directly by attendants to the selected hotel. Please, indicate "18-SWIM" to get the agreed prices.

 

HOTEL PRICES IN EURO(1)

Hotel

web

Comment

ROOMS

Single

Double

Three places

Four places

Alfonso XIII Hotel (4*)

http://www.hotelalfonsoxiii.com

Near the Alfonso XIII Campus

87,74

126,26

 

 

Cartagonova Hotel (4*)

http://www.hotelcartagonova.com

By the historic downtown

68

106

 

 

 NH Cartagena Hotel (4*)

http://www.nh-hotels.com

Just-opened new hotel in the historic downtown

 104,86

104,86

 

 

Sol Galúa Hotel (4*)

http://www.solmelia.com

In La Manga beach, 30 km to Cartagena

63,67

71,69

 

 

Carlos III Hotel (3*)

http://www.carlosiiihotel.com

 Back to  Alfonso XIII  hotel

68,48

87,74

123,03

 

Los Habaneros Hotel (3*)

http://www.hotelhabaneros.com

Small hotel just in the historic downtown

58,74

51,04

 

 

 Manolo   Hotel (3*)

http://www.hotelmanolo.com

Ideal for groups; a bit far to the meeting place

57

80

100

115

Cartagenera Hotel (2*)

Phone: 0034.968.502504

Fax: 0034.968.502500

Very simple but fully equiped and well placed  

 32.1 45

(1) ALL PRICES INCLUDE BREAKFAST AND IVA (7%) EXCEPT IN THOSE HOTELS: 

    - NH CARTAGENA: Breakfast is not included; it costs 10 Euro (+ 7% IVA)

    - CARTAGENERA: Breakfast is not served. Around the hotel however there are many coffee         shops and bars.

TOURIST INFORMATION

TOURIST WEB OF THE AUTONOMOUS "REGIÓN DE MURCIA". (English versión available)
http://www.murciaturistica.es


"CARTAGENA PUERTO DE CULTURAS" ASSOCIATION. (Only Spanish versión)
http://www.cocin-cartagena.es/puertodeculturas


TOURIST ASSOCIATION OF CARTAGENA. (Only Spanish versión)
http://www.cartagenacultural.org


TOURIST ASSOCIATION OF MAR MENOR. (English versión available)
http://www.marmenor.net


TURESPAÑA, SPANISH TOURIST INSTITUTE. (English versión available)
http://www.tourspain.es