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 http://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)