Frequently Asked Questions

A1: Please take specific care when you travel to Schwarzenberg via Zurich.

Austria is a member of the European Union, Switzerland is not.

Citizens of EU member states won't need visas for either country. The same applies to citizens of Argentina, Australia, Brasil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Korea (South), Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela.

If you are from one of the following countries you need a visa for both Switzerland and Austria:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegowina, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, China, Columbia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordania, Kambodscha, Kasachstan, Kenia, Kirgisistan, Kongo (Brazzaville), Kongo (Democratic Republic), Korea (North), Kuwait, Laos, Libanon, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Morokko, Macedonia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Montenegro, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippina, Russian Federation, Saudi-Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swasiland, Syria, Taiwan (ROC), Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunesia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam.

In case your country is not listed above please inquire at the nearest Embassies and/or Consulates of Switzerland and Austria or look up their web sites:
Switzerland: www.bfm.admin.ch (topics-entry-ID+Visum)
Austria: www.aussenministerium.at (quicklinks – Konsularischer Ratgeber – Pass und Visum, Visa Merkblatt ..... German only)

A2: St. Gallen/Altenrhein is served from Duesseldorf Moenchengladbach and Wien/Vienna.
Friedrichshafen is served from Reykjavik, London Stansted, Berlin, Frankfurt, Koeln/Cologne, Wien/Vienna and Graz.
Zurich and Munich are international hubs, you can get there from virtually everywhere.
The Munich airport web site has an own page informing about the many (European) low cost carriers which connect to this airport: www.munich-airport.de

A3: Considerably less expensive transfers are offered from a local taxi company:
Zuendel Transporte, Schwarzenberg, T: +43 (0)5512 2979 (sorry, no web site, no English, German spoken only).
The cab ride would cost you around EUR 140 from Zurich airport, EUR 70 from Friedrichshafen, EUR 25 from Dornbirn railway station and EUR 35 from Bregenz railway station.

Hint:
In case you arrive at Zurich airport it might be advisable to take the train for Bregenz, to get off at the Swiss border station St.Margrethen and to arrange beforehand to be fetched from there by Zuendel taxi. The subsequent ride to Schwarzenberg would cost you around EUR 35.

Indicated prices as on 2007-02-25.

A4: Travelling on to Schwarzenberg is easy. In case you don't want to rent a car public transport is an option.

These are the approx. public transport travelling times to Schwarzenberg:
- From St. Gallen/Altenrhein: 1.5 to 2 hours.
- from Friedrichshafen: 2 to 3 hours
- from Zurich via Bregenz: 2.5 to 4 hours; via Feldkirch: 3.5 to 5 hours
- from Muenchen/Munich: 5 hours

For rough budgeting:
A one-way train ride from Zurich airport to Dornbirn or Bregenz (nearest express train stations to Schwarzenberg) will cost you approx. EUR 32 to 34, from Munich airport this would be approx. EUR 46. Exchange rate (2007-02-25): roughly 1 EUR = 1.32 USD = 0.67 GBP

To get integrated information on all connections (trains and buses) and travelling times between St. Gallen/Altenrhein, Friedrichshafen, Munich and Schwarzenberg please visit the Austrian Postbus web site. The Postbus is a subsidiary of OeBB (Austrian Railways).

For information from Zurich to Schwarzenberg you have options: via Feldkirch or via Bregenz. You need to check out both. See their geographic location on the map under "Travel Information".

www.postbus.at gets you to "Connection - Query Page". You are recommended to click on "Timetable Booklet" which you find in the yellow bar. From there you can order detailed information on all connections. Type in "Altenrhein Flughafen" resp. "Friedrichshafen Flughafen" resp. "Zuerich Flughafen" resp. "Muenchen Flughafen" in the "From:" box resp. "Schwarzenberg in Vlbg Dorfplatz" in the "To:" box.
Box "Via": you only need it in case you travel from Zurich. Klick and type in "Feldkirch" resp. "Bregenz". You are strongly recommended to subsequently klick the "Via2" box.

Should "Your input is ambiguous" turn up, just scroll through the provided place names and confirm. Finally scroll down and klick the black rectangle with "Create" in white letters. Another window will open, indicating a web site which will provide a personalized time table within three minutes. Click on it and another window will indicate the provided pdf which you may open or download.

In case you travel to Friedrichshafen by Intersky www.intersky.biz and take the Intsersky airport bus to Bregenz and Dornbirn, this might speed up your journey. Regrettably the link on their web site to "Airportbus Friedrichshafen", which you might like to klick for further information, is dead (2007-02-25).

There is also an airport bus from Friedrichshafen to Bregenz and Dornbirn operated by Postbus: www.postbus.at

A5: The following rough figures should facilitate budgeting.
1 night/bed in a double room with WC and shower, breakfast included, would cost (if you stay three nights):
in B&B: from EUR 27
in *** hotel: from EUR 40
in **** hotel: EUR 60 to 100.

If you stay a week you may alternatively rent an appartment e.g. accommodating 4 persons (you possibly can get it already for three nights but never below three nights), without breakfast: approx. EUR 70/night.

Exchange rate (2007-02-25): roughly 1 EUR = 1.32 USD = 0.67 GBP

For bookings please turn to Bregenzerwald Tourismus, 6863 Egg, www.bregenzerwald.at, scrolling down the home page for "Symposium Vision Plus 2007".

Bregenzerwald Tourismus should only be too pleased to answer individual requests. Please address to info@bregenzerwald.at, T: +43 (0)5512 2365.

A6: Schwarzenberg is a wonderful place indeed, centrally located in Europe but very remote at the same time. It is situated in the Bregenzerwald (= Bregenz woods) which indicates that it is near Bregenz, the pleasant capital of Vorarlberg which is the most westerly member state of the Federal Republic of Austria.

Schwarzenberg's altitude is 700m (2310 ft). Very good for your health! But you might need a sweater; evenings can be cool. Just in case, also take an umbrella with you: There are good reasons why the Bregenzerwald region is so nice and refreshingly green.

A7: We suggest you visit www.viamichelin.com and type in your depature address and the address of the Angelika Kauffmann Hall which is Hof 765, 6867 Schwarzenberg.

If you stay in a remote place and have no car:
Please inquire about the next bus stop and timetable. There are frequent busses to the center of Schwarzenberg which all participants may use free of charge with their "Bregenzerwald Gaeste-Card" which they get from their hotel/pension/b&b provided they spend at least 3 nights in the Bregenzerwald region. In case buses run at inconvenient times: Please ask the proprietor of your accommodation whether he/she would give you a lift.
Third possibility: Let IIID know of your needs. We then will try to find another participant who has a car and would be able to pick you up on the way to the venue.

A8: Everyone who spends 3 nights or more in the Bregenzerwald region can get a "Bregenzerwald Gaeste-Card" free of charge. This card enables its owner to use all public transport, cable railways and open air swimming pools of the region. On top of this IIID expects the Schwarzenberg tourist office to offer a tailored program for accompaning persons interested in a side program of excursions to regional points of interest. If you have ticked the appropriate box on the registration form you will get informed about this.

A9: Born in Chur, Switzerland, to parents who originated from Schwarzenberg Angelika Kauffmann stepped into her father's shoes and became a painter. Some of the works she created at the age of 16 you can admire at Schwarzenberg's parish church. Her unparalleled talent matched with passion brought her to Italy and later to London where she closely collaborated with Joshua Reynolds. She became the only female founding member of the Royal Academy in 1768. Via Belgium and Schwarzenberg Angelika Kauffmann moved to Italy again where she became honorary member of the Academia di Bologna. Later in Rome she formed friendship with Goethe, Herder and Winckelmann.

Angelika Kauffmann, admittedly one of the most important female painters of the 18th century, died in Rome on 5 November 1807.

This year (2007) Schwarzenberg commemorates the 200th anniversary of her death.

A10: In case you encounter transport or accommodation problems please address to Bregenzerwald Tourismus, 6863 Egg, Mo-Fr 9:00-17:00, Sat, Sun, holidays 8:00-13:00, T: +43 (0)5512 2365, info@bregenzerwald.at

Questions which you think should be answered by someone living on the spot (in Schwarzenberg) may be addressed to: Sabrina Feurstein, Tourismusbuero, 6867 Schwarzenberg, Mo-Fr 9:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00, T: +43 (0)5512 2948-0, info@schwarzenberg.cnv.at.