Travel and Accommodation during the American Voices Seminar, October 11-12, 2024

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The seminar will take place on a Friday and Saturday, with the program starting with lunch noonish on Friday October 11 (estimated 11:45) and lasting until afternoon on Saturday October 12. The program will end at the latest in order for you to catch a 15:30 train/bus on Saturday.

Travel for out-of-towners

If you travel to the orientation from outside Turku, please read the following:

• Plan to arrive in Turku on Friday, October 11 by 11:00.
• Grantees traveling to the orientation from outside the Turku will have their travel expenses reimbursed by the Fulbright Finland Foundation. Travel arrangements should be made by the least expensive means available (train or bus). For reimbursement, we need you to send the original receipts and tickets by the deadline (October 27).
• If you are planning to travel to Turku by plane, please contact the Foundation in advance to discuss the ticket fares before booking your flights.
• Please note that the Fulbright Finland Foundation does not reimburse grantees' family members travel expenses.
• It is important you purchase your tickets early. If you travel by train, please note that tickets become more expensive depending on how in demand the particular trip is, and how close to the journey you purchase your ticket. We will be able to reimburse a maximum of total 150 € for your travel to and from Turku. You can read more about the pricing of train tickets from this YLE News article: https://yle.fi/a/74-20034198

Please note that local taxi/bus/tram/metro rides within your departure city or the city of the event are not reimbursed.

NOTE! Important information about railway line interruption in Turku

Those of you who travel to Turku by train, please note that there is track work between the Turku central railway station and the Turku Kupittaa station. Our hotel is located right next to the Turku Kupittaa station.

• If you travel to Turku from/via Helsinki (e.g. those living in Lappeeranta or Kuopio), please search for connections to Turku Kupittaa.
• If you travel to Turku from/via Tampere (e.g. those living in Jyväskylä, Oulu, Vaasa, Rovaniemi), please search connections to Turku (central railway station). The distance between the two stations is about 3 kilometers. Check Föli (Turku region traffic) journey planner for bus schedules from the railway station to the hotel (Joukahaisenkatu 6). 
• FFF team member will be at Turku Main Railway Station on Friday at 10:50, so if you arrive then, you can take a taxi with them to the hotel. Let Heidi know at the latest on Tuesday, October 8 if you want to join the taxi ride by sending her an email to [email protected] (cc. Maija). We need to know the exact number of people so we’ll order enough taxis.

After the American Voices seminar, keep the receipts and tickets for personal record-keeping and send us the digital copies together with your account number using this SurveyMonkey latest by Sunday, October 27.

It is advisable that you make your travel reservations to Turku (and back) early. The national railway company is VR (www.vr.fi/en/) and available bus lines include Matkahuolto (www.matkahuolto.fi/en/), and Onnibus (www.onnibus.com/home). Please note that your travel costs are reimbursed only if you attend the entire American Voices program ending on Saturday afternoon.

Also, please know that we, unfortunately, cannot reimburse any costs which may occur from changing your tickets, purchasing cancellation insurance, or buying extra services e.g. the seat next to you or a cabin.

Please note that if you decide to travel to Turku earlier or stay in Turku after the seminar, we'll still cover your return ticket (train/bus) to your host city.

Travel reimbursements for grantees with a Finnish bank account

Grantees with Finnish bank account will be reimbursed after the event.

Travel reimbursements for grantees without a Finnish bank account

The reimbursements for all Fulbright Finland Foundation events will be paid to your U.S. account at the same time in one lump sum after your grant term (payments are made in December and in June).

Please note that regardless of the date of the final payment you are required to send your travel tickets and receipts by the deadline after each event. This is because Fulbright Finland Foundation needs the receipts in order to close the accounting for each of the events.

The reimbursement amounts in euros will be converted to U.S. dollars based on the bank’s exchange rate on the date of payment. While the Foundation will cover its own bank’s fees for the international transfer, your own bank’s fees will be covered by you (these fees will vary between banks). However, an extra USD 30 will be added to the total to help to mitigate the international transfer fees.

Accommodation (Sokos Hotel Kupittaa)

The Fulbright Finland Foundation will arrange and cover accommodation during the American Voices seminar for one night from October 11 to October 12 (check-out on Saturday, October 12) for those grantees spending their Fulbright period outside Turku i.e. grantees who do not have an apartment in Turku.

• Fulbright Scholar Program grantees will be accommodated in one-person rooms. If you have family members accompanying you, please note that only one room per family will be covered (up to 4 people in one room). If additional rooms are needed, they will be at your own expense.
• Fulbright Student Program grantees will be accommodated in two-person rooms, shared with another student Fulbrighter. If you want to have a single room or if additional rooms are needed (for family members), extra costs will be at your own expenses. In these cases, you will pay the bill at the hotel, and the Fulbright Finland Foundation will reimburse half of two persons room's cost against the original hotel receipt. Please let Heidi (heidi.tiainen(a)fulbright.fi) know if you have any questions or concerns about this. 

You will be accommodated at Original Sokos Hotel Kupittaa (Joukahaisenkatu 6). The hotel is located 200 metres from the Kupittaa train station and 1,2 km from the University of Turku. 

If you would like to reserve additional rooms or extend your stay, you can send your inquiry directly to [email protected] after September 16. 

Please note that any possible extra reimbursements (e.g. extra night in a hotel if otherwise you wouldn't make it to the mandatory parts of the event) should be agreed before the seminar with the Foundation.