Hi Wiki-Yorkers,

You are invited to join a specially discounted train trip from New York City to Montreal for the international Wikimania conference, departing on Tuesday August 8.  There will be a return trip on Monday August 14.

https://wikimania2017.wikimedia.org

The cost for travel is $30 each way, which does not include accommodation or conference registration costs.  (Conference registration is ~$164 USD, and accommodation ~$40 per night for cheaper options - if you want to book at the Sheraton, do so by June 30.)

https://bit.ly/wiki-train

The Wiki-train gets you to Montreal in time to participate in the two days of pre-conference, as part of WikiConference North America, which is still accepting submissions for presentations.

==Wiki-train trip==

It is a day-long train trip mostly through the beautiful Upstate New York countryside (8:15 am - 7:11pm), and we can probably get exclusive car seating for Wikimedians (this involves a US-Canada border crossing).

We are primarily coordinating the New York City → Montreal leg of the trip on Tuesday August 8 as a group activity. We are planning discounted tickets for the one-way trip, $30 instead of approximately $60. Other travel (and accommodation) is on your own.

There is also an option to purchase tickets for a return trip from Montreal → New York City directly after Wikimania, on Monday August 14, for the same price.

==Join and present at the pre-con WikiConference North America==

The Wiki-train gets you to Montreal in time to participate in the two days of pre-conference, as part of WikiConference North America.

https://wikiconference.org

We highly encourage you to submit a presentation for WikiConference North America, sharing your Wikipedia/Wikimedia or related project:

https://wikiconference.org/wiki/2017/Submissions

If you'd like to volunteer for WikiConference North America, fill out this form:

https://goo.gl/forms/MNnIw4ZsP1RV0Y6C3

==Conference registration and accommodations==

You will still have to register for Wikimania itself, which will cost $215 Canadian Dollars, which is currently ~$164 American Dollars.

The Wiki-train train gets you to Montreal in time to participate in the two days of pre-conference, as part of WikiConference North America.

To have coverage for the two days of pre-conference included in your ticket, follow these instructions:

  1. Go to wikimania2017.eventbrite.com
  2. Click on the green button that says REGISTER
  3. Click on ENTER PROMOTIONAL CODE in the top righthand corner of the box that pops up
  4. Enter in wmcon2017 and hit Apply Code. The price of Pre-Conference Day 1 will then be discounted 100%
  5. Select your conference tickets and hit CHECKOUT
  6. In the registration questions under PRE-CONFERENCE DAY 1 MEETING SELECTION (AUGUST 9), select Wikicon North America
  7. Under PRE-CONFERENCE DAY 2 MEETING SELECTION (AUGUST 10), select WMCON Followup Day at Wikimania
  8. Complete the remaining registration questions.

Additionally, accommodation will be available in Montreal as part of the regular Wikimania event the night of August 8 and after, for as low as ~$40/night.

Inexpensive options include Concordia University dorms, or splitting a room at the conference venue for up to four people, at the Le Centre Sheraton Montreal (if you book at the Sheraton, do so by June 30):

https://wikimania2017.wikimedia.org/wiki/Accommodation

==Important note for visitors==

The train trip involves a crossing of the US-Canada border (including a passport check), and you will need permission to enter both countries.

==Questions==

Let me know if you have any questions about the train trip, Wikimania, or presentations at WikiConference North America in the precon..

You can also write back to me **before Friday** if you are interested in joint rooms at the Sheraton, and I will try to group people together.

Thanks,
Richard
(User:Pharos)