Sepharad as Imagined Community
Language, Culture and Religion from the Early Modern Period to the 21st Century
September 2-3, 2014, Room 210 Illini Union
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
ACCOMMODATIONS
A set of rooms is being held for conference participants at a special conference rate at the Illini Union Hotel.
http://union.illinois.edu/stay/illini-union-hotel
This is our recommended hotel, but here are several other options for lodging nearby.
TRANSPORTATION:
Travel alert: International visitors to the U.S. from Visa Waiver Program countries are now required to apply for travel authorization online:
Electronic System for Travel Authorization - http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/
Click for a list of countries and more information - http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#vwp (good for travel to the US within a 2 year period)
New ESTA Fee: Effective September 8, 2010, all Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) registration applications or renewals on or after that date will require a $14.00 fee payment by credit or debit card. Existing ESTA registrations remain valid through their expiration date.
Air Service to Champaign-Urbana: The Champaign (Willard) Airport (code CMI) offers daily flights to and from Chicago O'Hare and Dallas (by American Eagle). Please, take into account that American Airlines, which serves the Willard Airport, has discontinued the sale of their flights through Orbitz.com and Expedia.com.
Champaign-Urbana is located on Interstates 72, 74, and 57. It is 135 miles south of Chicago and 120 miles west of Indianapolis.
Getting to Illini Union Hotel
Travel time from Willard Airport to the hotel is approximately 15 minutes. Taxis are also available from the airport; cost is around $15.00 one way.
Travel between Chicago and Champaign:
It is about a 2.5 hour trip between Champaign and Chicago.
Bus Service from Chicago
Megabus from downtown Chicago Union Station to Champaign
Illini Shuttle from Chicago O’Hare International Airport and downtown Chicago
Express Air Coach from Chicago O’Hare International Airport and downtown Chicago
AMTRAK train service – Between Chicago Union Station (downtown) and Champaign-Urbana. It takes just under 3 hours each way. There are usually 3 trains a day: www.amtrak.com
For more detailed travel information to Urbana-Champaign, visit the directions to campus provided by the University of Illinois.
