The meeting will be held in "Residencia E. San Jose" in El Escorial, about 56 kilometers (35 miles) Northwest from downtown Madrid, on the borderline of two twin towns: El Escorial (on the lower grouns) and San Lorenzo de El Escorial (on the higher grounds), the old capital of the Spanish Empire that features the impressive Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo. (You will see from the road signs that there is no clear separation line between the two towns.) The Residence Hall "Casa E. San José" is within the limits of the town of El Escorial but right on the borderline between the two places, located at the crossing of two avenues: Avenida de los Reyes Católicos and  Avenida de Felipe II (pron. "Segundo" in Spanish).

The exact address of "Casa E. San José" is: Avenida de los Reyes Católicos, 12 (that's a wide street that runs downhill from the area of the Royal Monastery towards El Escorial; part of the way it's covered by cobblestone). The huge park "La Casita del Príncipe", enclosed by a stone wall, is almost next door. For a printable map of the area, including the exact location and the bus and train stations, go back to the Accommodation page.

If you arrive to El Escorial by train, in order to get to "Casa E. San José" you should either get a cab or simply walk uphill from the train station (the walk should not even take 10 minutes), starting from the roundabout (a square with circular traffic movements) in front of the station, walking uphill and leaving on your right a children's playground, and then making a right turn into the uphill Avenida de los Reyes Católicos (see map on the Accommodation page).

If you arrive by bus (661 from Moncloa Station in downtown Madrid), it should first enter the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial - you will surely notice the Monastery from the distance. The bus will run through a good part of this town, continuing after the Main Bus Station (a modern grey building on your right), leaving on the left a classy yellow older building (Hotel "Victoria Palace"), both in Juan de Toledo Street. After possibly making one more stop, it will approach the Monastery and then make a sharp turn downhill and to the left into Avenida de los Reyes Católicos. You will get a glimpse on your right of the big park "La Casita del Principe" surrounded by a stone wall. The bus will then soon make a stop; this is where you should get off and walk about 50-100 meters downhill and cross to the left-hand side of the street - that is where "Casa San José" is!

What means of transportation should you choose?

If you are willing to pay a higher price, you may want to take a cab. Otherwise, the train and the bus are rather inexpensive. (In any case, you should have some cash ready with you. The only acceptable currency in Spain is the EURO. There are two exchange offices at Barajas Airport at Terminal 1 (International Flights), both near the waiting lounges 1 and 2.)

• A taxi from Barajas Airport may cost you roughly between 60 and 80 Euro, depending on the time of the day. The ride should last about 50-70 minutes, depending on the traffic and the driver. (There are special supplements for Sundays and holidays, for the night and early morning rides, for the luggage, and for leaving from the airports or train stations.) The exact amounts of fares per kilometer and all supplements - both in Spanish and in English - should be posted on a label located in the back windows; the cab should  also have a mandatory meter close to the dashboard and to the right of the driver; this meter should be turned on as soon as you have entered the vehicle and given your instructions to the driver. We recommend that you avoid taking cabs that do not have stickers posted in the back windows and meters in the front (such cabs can typically only be encountered at late night hours and may suppose a higher price).
  
• The local trains (colored in white and red, marked by - the symbols of "cercanias") are modern, comfortable, and run on time. The  entrance into each station is also marked by a pole which carries the same symbol. You may safely take such a train at any of the following stations: Atocha, Recoletos, Nuevos Ministerios, or Chamartín, only make sure your train is running towards El Escorial (see plans of each line at any station). You may switch trains at any one of them should you need to. It will take you about 55 minutes to get to El Escorial from Chamartin, about 65 from Recoletos, and about 68 from Atocha).

• Now, there is no direct train or bus from the airport to El Escorial, but there are three reasonable options: 
1. Take a cab from the airport to Chamartin train station in the North part of Madrid (this should cost about 16-18 Euro with the luggage and airport supplement included, if the traffic is not too heavy).  From there take a local train ("tren de cercanias"), line C-8a to El Escorial. Link to the train schedule (in English) for a typical train which runs through the following stations in Madrid: Atocha-Recoletos-Nuevos Ministerios-Chamartín, all the way to El Escorial.
   
2. Take the subway ("metro") from the airport to "Nuevos Ministerios" station in Madrid, where you can easily switch to any local train that runs to Chamartin and/or further North (every half an hour, there is a C-8a train from "Nuevos Ministerios" to El Escorial). Here is the Madrid subway map.
   
3. Take a shuttle bus from the airport to the Intercambiador de Avenida de América, then take the subway (line 6 - CIRCULAR) up to Moncloa. The Moncloa subway station is located within the Intercambiador de Moncloa, where you can take a bus to El Escorial. DEFINITION: "intercambiador" = Spanish word for a station where you change your means of transportation (e.g., you get off a bus and switch to the subway, or switch from subway to a train). (IMPORTANT NOTE: the shuttle buses from the airport no longer stop at the Columbus Square ("Plaza de Colon") in downtown Madrid as they used to until earlier this year.) Here is the bus schedule link.
   

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