I. General

Welcome to Hangzhou, China for United Nations World Data Forum 2023 (UNWDF 2023)! The Forum will be held as a hybrid event allowing both in-person and virtual participation. This note provides useful information for the convenience of in-person participants, and for use at discretion. Please also refer to the UNWDF Webpage for updates.

II. Sustainability Concept

To support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UNWDF 2023 will be held following the concept of “greenness, sharing, efficiency and security”. The host is ready to join hands with partners and stakeholders across the world to deliver a fruitful and excellent Forum that enhances global partnership.

III. Venue

• Hangzhou International Expo Center

• Address: 353 Benjing Ave, Qianjiang Century City, Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou,
• Zhejiang Province, China
• Zip Code: 311215
• Tel: +86 (571) 82908888
• Email address: sales@hiechangzhou.com

IV. Registration and Badge Collection

• A. Registration Process

• To attend the UNWDF 2023 in person, participants are required to register. Please go to the registration page for more information. Please fill in and submit personal information as prompted. After getting approval, an official notice will be sent to the participants.



• B. Badge Collection

• Personalized security badge can be collected at the venue with registration information. Details on time and place of collection will be available on the UNWDF Webpage. Please wear your badge throughout the Forum.

V. Visa and Entry Requirements

• A. Visa Process

• The host will send an invitation letter if a visa is needed. The following documents are necessary for visa application.
1. Passport: original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and a blank visa page, and a photocopy of the passport's data page and the photo page if it is separate.
2. Visa application form and photo: a copy of the “Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China” with a recent color passport photo affixed (full face, front view, bareheaded and against a plain light-colored background).
3. Proof of legal stay or residence status (applicable to those not applying for the visa in their country of citizenship): If the visa is not applied in the country of the applicant's citizenship, the applicant is required to provide the original and photocopy of the valid visa of stay, residence, employment or student status, or other valid certificates of legal stay provided by the relevant authorities of the country where the applicant is currently staying.
4. Previous Chinese passports or previous Chinese visas (applicable to those who were Chinese citizens and have obtained citizenship of another country): If the Chinese visa is applied for the first time, the applicant should provide the original previous Chinese passport and a photocopy of its data page. If the applicant has obtained Chinese visas before and wants to apply for a Chinese visa with a renewed foreign passport that does not contain any Chinese visa, the applicant should present the photocopy of the previous passport's data page and the photo page if it is separate, as well as a photocopy of the previous Chinese visa page (If the name on the current passport differs from that on the previous passport, the applicant should provide an official document of name change issued by relevant authorities).



Special Note: Visa application process and duration may differ from country to country, therefore please consult the local Chinese embassy or consulate before applying. Please apply and submit complete and accurate documents to the local embassy or consulate as early as possible.

For visa exemption matters, please refer to the China Consular Service website, and consult the local Chinese embassy or consulate.




• B. Entry Requirement

• According to the Announcement of National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China dated December 26, 2022, travelers to China are required to take a nucleic acid test 48 hours before departure, and those with negative results (nucleic acid detection Ct value ≥ 35) can enter China with no need to apply for a green health code from Chinese embassies and consulates, and only need to fill in the results in the customs health declaration forms. If the test result is positive, traveling to China should be made after the result turns negative. Please consult the local Chinese embassy or consulate for specific policies and latest changes.

VI. COVID-19 Protocol

A. Upon arrival at the hotel, please stay and rest in the room if you have symptoms such as fever, dry cough, weakness, loss of smell/taste, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, conjunctivitis, muscle pain and diarrhea.

B. It is strongly recommended that participants wear the mask properly during their stay at the conference venue and comply with the on-site pandemic prevention and management requirements. Medical services will be available at the conference venue with thermometers, disinfectant, antigen testing kits and emergency medicines. Please contact the staff on the site immediately if not feeling well.

C. The host will provide free nucleic acid testing service for in-person participants.

VII. Travel Information

• A. Transportation Guide

• Arrival in Hangzhou
• The host will provide shuttle service from Hangzhou International Airport to recommended hotels.


• Arrival in Shanghai
1. Route 1 (Hongqiao Airport - Hongqiao Railway Station - Hangzhoudong Railway Station): Upon arrival at Hongqiao Airport, take the city metro Line 10 (to Hongqiao Railway Station, 5 minutes) to Hongqiao Railway Station (High-speed Railway Station). Reach Hangzhoudong Railway Station by high-speed train and then take the shuttle service we provide to the recommended hotels.
2. Route 2 (Hongqiao Airport - Shanghai South Railway Station - Hangzhou Station): Upon arrival at Hongqiao Airport, take the city metro Line 10 (to Jilong Road) to the station Hongqiao Road and change to Line 3 (to Shanghai South Railway Station) to reach Shanghai South Railway Station. Reach Hangzhou Station by bullet train and then take the shuttle service we provide to the recommended hotels.
3. Route 3 (Pudong Airport - Hongqiao Railway Station - Hangzhoudong Railway Station): Upon arrival at Pudong Airport, take the maglev (to Longyang Road, 6 minutes) to the station Longyang Road and change to the city metro Line 2 (to Xujingdong, 47 minutes) to reach Hongqiao Railway Station. Reach Hangzhoudong Railway Station by high-speed train and then take the shuttle service we provide to the recommended hotels.
4. Route 4 (Pudong Airport - Shanghai South Railway Station - Hangzhoudong Railway Station): Upon arrival at Pudong Airport, take the airport bus Line 7 to Shanghai South Railway Station (50 minutes). Reach Hangzhoudong Railway Station by high-speed train and then take the shuttle service we provide to the recommended hotels.

Note: We provide consulting services at the airports (Hongqiao, Pudong and Hangzhou International Airport) and Hangzhoudong Railway Station, where you can also find our volunteers for consulting or transfer directions.



• Transportation in Hangzhou

From April 23 to 28, the host will provide free shuttle service for in-person participants between Hangzhou International Airport, Hangzhou East Railway Station, Hangzhou South Railway Station, Hangzhou Railway Station, the conference venue and designated hotels. The staff on the site will be available to assist if needed.

If public transportation is chosen, the following information is for reference.

1. Hangzhou International Airport - Hangzhou International Expo Center.
1. By subway: take Line 19 from Exit C of International Airport to [Hangzhou East Railway Station (East Square)], transfer to Line 6 to [Expo Center], and exit at Exit A1.
2. By taxi: about 24 kilometers.
2. Hangzhou East Railway Station, Hangzhou South Railway Station or Hangzhou Railway Station - Hangzhou International Expo Center.
1. By subway:
   • From [Hangzhou East Railway Station]: take Line 6 to [Expo Center], and exit at Exit A1.
   • From [Hangzhou South Railway Station]: take Line 5 to [Changhe], transfer to Line 6 to [Expo Center], and exit at Exit A1.
   • From [Hangzhou Railway Station]: take Line 1 to [Jiangling Road], transfer to Line 6 to [Expo Center], and exit at Exit A1.
2. By taxi:
   • From Hangzhou East Railway Station: about 9.5 km.
   • From Hangzhou South Railway Station: about 13 km.
   • From Hangzhou Railway Station: about 8 km.



• B. Hotel Accommodation (updated 31 March 2023)

(new)Approved in-person INDICO registrants are now able to reserve hotel room through the platform designed and managed by the National Bureau of Statistics of China. For recommended hotel booking, please go to the “PERSONAL CENTER” on the online event platform: https://oep.unwdf2023.org.cn/en. Information from the INDICO registration has been synced to the online event platform. Please use the same email address submitted in INDICO to log in to the event platform. If you have any questions or are experiencing technical problems using this platform, please email: help@unwdf2023.org.cn.

Hotel (distance to the Conference Venue)	Price (room/night)
Sofitel Hangzhou Yingguan (3.6km)	Approx. 120 US dollars
Sorl Hotel Hangzhou (7.2km)	Approx. 70 US dollars

Sofitel Hangzhou Yingguan

Address: 485 Mingxing Road, Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou

Location:

• 21 km, or a drive of 28 minutes, away from Hangzhou International Airport
• 13 km, or a drive of 30 minutes, away from Hangzhoudong Railway Station



Overview: Sofitel Hangzhou Yingguan is a masterwork of Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), an international award winner dedicated to hotel interiors design for more than half a century. The hotel itself looks perfectly like a blend of the French art with the cultural specialties of Hangzhou. The interiors feature the city’s renowned silk, embroidery and seal carving, and are full of symbols that stand for legends and folk tales about the West Lake. Its well-chosen art collections and coloring also create an aura of comfort and a local flavor.


Sorl Hotel Hangzhou

Address: 1299 Zhijiang Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou

Location:

• 25 km, or a drive of 32 minutes, away from Hangzhou International Airport
• 6.6 km, or a drive of 15 minutes, away from Hangzhoudong Railway Station



Overview: Sorl Hotel Hangzhou on Zhijiang Road, a luxury hotel in the city’s new CBD, sits at a location overlooking both the splendid Qiantang River, the Grand Canal and the urban landscape. All rooms are equipped with high-speed Internet access, shower, mini-bar, refrigerator, self-owned laundry, children’s items and, importantly, 24-hour butler service.




• C. Internet Service

• Free WIFI is available at the conference venue and designated hotels.



• D. Foreign Currency Declaration and Exchange

1. In accordance with the Interim Measures for Administration of Exit and Entry with Foreign Currencies in Cash in China, travelers bringing in foreign currency notes exceeding the equivalent of USD 5,000 shall make a written declaration to Chinese customs.
2. Foreign currencies can be exchanged at Hangzhou International Airport, banks in Hangzhou and designated hotels. In addition, cash in USD, EUR, JPY, GBP and HKD can be converted to RMB cash at the reception of Beichen Hotel on the seventh floor, Hangzhou International Expo Center, with a limit of RMB 5,000 per room.



• E. Weather & Recommended Dress

• The average temperature in Hangzhou in April varies from 12°C to 21°C (53.6℉-69.8℉). With the average daytime temperature at 21°C (53.6℉), clothes such as short suits made of single-layer cotton or linen, T-shirts, thin denim shirts and pants, sportswear and business suits are recommended. With the average nighttime temperature at 12°C (69.8℉), clothes such as suits, windbreakers, sportswear, jackets, blazers and thin sweaters are recommended to keep warm.



• F. First-aid and Emergency Service

• Police: 110
• Ambulance: 120
• Fire: 119

Infirmaries at Forum venue and designated hotels are staffed with doctors and nurses and supplied with standing medicines. Ambulances will stay on-call at the venue for quick access to medical treatment in case of emergency.

VIII. Catering Service at the Venue

During the Forum, lunch and dinner will be provided at the Hangzhou International Expo Center, while no breakfast will be served. Coffee break also will be provided in the morning and in the afternoon, with pastries and beverages.

IX. Inquiries

If there are any questions, please inquire the host via email unwdf2023@163.com. It will be replied as soon as possible.

Wish you a pleasant stay in Hangzhou!