venue
2027 INFORMS Applied Probability Society Conference
Venue and Travel
Getting to Durham, finding the Waterside Building, and what to arrange before you travel.
Contents
Conference venue
INFORMS APS 2027 will be held at Durham University Business School, in the Waterside Building on the banks of the River Wear. Conference sessions will take place across the building, with catering and receptions on the ground floor.
Durham University Business School
Waterside Building
Millennium Place
Durham
DH1 1SL
United Kingdom
A look inside the Waterside Building
Getting to Durham
By air
Newcastle International is the closest airport and the simplest arrival point for most delegates. Manchester offers a wider range of long-haul connections but a longer onward journey.
| Airport | Distance | Onward journey |
|---|---|---|
| Newcastle International (NCL) | About 30 miles north | Tyne and Wear Metro from the terminal to Newcastle Central Station, then a direct train to Durham. Around an hour in total. Taxis take roughly 45 minutes. |
| Teesside International (MME) | About 25 miles south | Limited scheduled services. Taxi or rail via Darlington. |
| Manchester (MAN) | About 130 miles south west | Trains run from the airport station, usually changing at York or Newcastle. Allow around three hours. |
| London Heathrow (LHR) | About 270 miles south | Underground or rail to London King’s Cross, then a direct train to Durham. Allow around five hours. |
By train
Durham sits on the East Coast Main Line, which makes rail the easiest way to arrive from most of the UK. Direct services run from London King’s Cross in around three hours, from Edinburgh in around two, and from York, Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham throughout the day.
Timetables and tickets are available from National Rail Enquiries. Booking in advance is considerably cheaper than buying on the day.
By coach
Durham is served by National Express, FlixBus and Megabus from most major UK cities. Coaches stop at Durham bus station in the city centre, a short walk from the venue.
Getting to the Waterside Building
On foot
The Waterside Building is roughly a ten minute walk from Durham railway station, downhill for most of the route and following the river for the final stretch. It is a similar distance from the bus station and from the city centre.
By taxi
Licensed taxis wait outside Durham railway station. Ask for the Business School on Millennium Place rather than the university more generally, since Durham University is spread across the city and the colleges are some distance from the venue.
Parking
There is no delegate parking at the venue. Durham city centre has limited public parking and is best avoided by car. Delegates driving to the conference should use one of the city’s park and ride sites, which connect to the centre by frequent bus.
Accessibility. The Waterside Building is fully step free. Durham is a historic city built on a steep peninsula, and some routes between the station, the centre and the cathedral involve steep gradients and cobbles. Delegates with mobility requirements should contact [email protected] and the committee will advise on the most accessible routes.
Travel insurance
Delegates are strongly advised to arrange their own personal travel and health insurance. Neither the conference organisers nor Durham University accept responsibility for non-refundable payments in the event of cancellation before arrival, or for damage or injury to persons or property during the conference.
Visas and Electronic Travel Authorisation
All delegates should check their entry requirements well before travelling, even if they have visited the UK recently. Use the UK government’s online checker to find out whether you need a visa.
Visitors who do not need a visa will generally need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before they travel. Full guidance and the current fee are on the UK government website.
Please note, a number of websites and agencies offer to process ETA applications on your behalf for an additional fee. This is unnecessary. Apply directly through the UK government website, where the process takes a few minutes and costs considerably less.
Delegates transiting through another country should check whether a transit visa is required for that country as well.
If you require a letter of invitation to support a visa application, see the invitation letters section on the conference registration page.
Durham and local amenities
Eating and drinking
Tea, coffee and lunch are provided on each day of the conference. The Waterside Building sits beside Millennium Place, with cafes, restaurants and a supermarket within a few minutes’ walk, and the historic centre around the cathedral and castle is a short walk further.
Prayer and quiet spaces
A quiet room and a parents’ room will be available throughout the conference. Durham University has dedicated prayer and faith spaces, and details will be circulated to delegates before the conference.
Exploring Durham
Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, both within walking distance of the venue. Social events and optional activities will be announced closer to the conference.
