Venue

The IGU CDES conference will take place at the Turku School of Economics in Turku, Finland, Rehtorinpellonkatu 3, Turku.

How to get to Turku

By Air: Turku can be accessed by a flight to Helsinki Airport and then by train/bus. Also, Turku airport can be directly accessed from Copenhagen and Stockholm (by SAS), from Riga (by Air Baltic), and from Gdansk (by Wizz Air).

By Train: Turku is easily reachable from Helsinki Airport or Helsinki station (see below).

By Ferry: There is also a ferry connection between Stockholm and Turku.

Arriving from Helsinki

Participants staying in Helsinki or arriving at Helsinki airport before the conference have several transportation options to reach Turku.

By Train: Direct trains operated by VR (https://www.vr.fi/en/train-tickets) depart from Helsinki Central Station every 1-2 hours, taking about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Tickets can be purchased online, at ticket machines, or at the station.

By Bus: Numerous bus services run between Helsinki and Turku, departing from the Helsinki Bus Terminal in Kamppi Centre. Buses typically operate every 1-2 hours, with a travel time of around 2.5 hours. Tickets can be bought preferably online (https://www.matkahuolto.fi/passengers), at bus terminals, or from the driver.

From Helsinki Airport: Express buses provide direct service from Helsinki Airport to Turku, typically taking around 2 hours. Check timetables and fares online (https://www.matkahuolto.fi/passengers). Tickets are available online, at airport kiosks or from the driver, and advance purchase is recommended for seat guarantees.

About the University and the Faculty

University of Turku
Established in 1920, the University of Turku is a highly international university, where education and research are closely intertwined. It has a compact campus and a cosy atmosphere. The University offers over 70 programmes and over 130 subjects in 8 faculties. Turku is the oldest genuine student city in Finland. Students of University of Turku are a visible part of the city life also in Rauma and Pori. The extensive, continuous campus of Turku, in the near vicinity of the city centre and the River Aura, is unique in all of Europe.

Turku School of Economics
Turku School of Economics – the most popular business school among Finnish applicants – is an internationally renowned educator in business and economics. We are listed among the best business schools in the world*. We offer our students high-quality education accompanied by analytical, teamwork and communication skills. Our education builds on versatile and high-quality research. TSE is the proud partner of more than 500 companies and other organisations in research, education and innovation.

The Economic Geography unit is part of the TSE’s Department of Marketing and International Business. Our research examines the spatial organisation of economic activities, the relationships between these activities and the interaction between economic agents and their environment. The scope of analysis ranges from local to global. At the Turku School of Economics, the focus areas in economic geography are: consumer behavior, strategic urban and regional development, globalisation, international trade, trade policy, Asian economies, Global South, retail geography and retail location planning, as well as business responsibility and sustainability.

Fieldtrip

A fieldtrip is organized on May 29 afternoon to the Port of Turku, located at ca. 6 km (20 min drive) from the Turku School of Economics. Port of Turku is Finland’s 2^nd biggest passenger traffic port and the biggest between Finland and Sweden, and it is part of the European TEN-T transport network and the core route system of the European cargo transports.

Its history dates back to early settlements and trading posts along the River Aura as early as the Iron Age, when ships sailed to the river from all over the Baltic Sea. Goods were traded with the Balts, Swedes and Novgorodians, and the port was known as far as the Mediterranean thanks to the Arab Al-Idris who drew the port “Abuwa” (Åbo for Swedish) in his map in 1154. Later, the port was part of the Hanseatic League, and by the 16^th century, most ships from Turku headed to Danzig, Stockholm, Lübeck or Tallinn. As Finland’s biggest city of the time, Turku was the leading port up to the early 19^th century, after which the role of Helsinki and other ports increased.

Today, the Port of Turku plays a central role in Finland’s logistics chain and national security of supply. Its significance rests on rapid and regular connections to the West, uninterrupted movement of critical goods, alternative routing capacity during Baltic Sea disruptions, robust and reliable infrastructure, and close co-operation with the authorities and industry. These capabilities are further reinforced by continuous development and investments in infrastructure, security, digitalization and sustainability.

The fieldtrip will include a bus tour (45 min) around the port hosted by harbour master Ville Alander. He will introduce the port’s core functions and present the new terminal construction project. Participation in the fieldtrip is covered by the registration fee. Duration: ca. 2-3 hours, including travel to and from the port.

Accommodation

Accommodation must be booked individually and is not covered by the registration fee. Below, please find some suggested hotels located in the city centre, within walking distance or with a good public transport connection to the conference venue. To check their availability and prices, please visit their websites.

(1) Original Sokos Hotel Kupittaa (distance 1 km): https://www.sokoshotels.fi/reservation/hotel/TURKUP

(2) Hotel Scandic Julia (distance 1.3 km): https://www.scandichotels.com/fi/hotellit/scandic-julia

(3) Centro Hotel Turku (distance 1.4 km): https://centrohotel.com/

(4) Holiday Club Turun Caribia (distance 1.4 km): https://www.holidayclubresorts.com/en/hotels-resorts/turun-caribia

(5) Bob W Turku City Center (distance 1.5 km): https://bobw.co/locations/turku

(6) Scandic Hamburger Börs (distance 1.6 km): https://www.scandichotels.com/en/hotels/scandic-hamburger-bors

Also, for more affordable accommodations:

(7) Forenom Aparthotel Turku (distance: 1.9 km): https://www.forenom.com/fi/majoitus/turku/

(8) Ineon Hotel (distance 1.7 km): https://ineon.fi/

(9) Tapulitalo Guest House (distance: 550m): https://tapulitalo.fi/

(10) Kotimaailma Aparthotel Villa Hortus (distance: 600m): https://www.kotimaailma.com/en/cities/kotimaailma-aparthotel-villa-hortus