World Rowing Championships Spectator Guide Plovdiv, Bulgaria September 9 - September 16, 2018

Welcome to the 2018 World Rowing Championships Spectator Guide! This document is designed to help supporters of the U.S. National Team athletes on their way to see loved ones compete in an elite international regatta.

Important Dates Please check FISA’s website (www.worldrowing.com) for schedule updates. ​ ​

Travel Information ➢ The closest major airport to Plovdiv is Sofia Airport in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is 120 km (75 miles) away. There also is an airport in Plovdiv operated by RYANAIR that charters flights into and out of the city. ➢ In order to get to Plovdiv from Sofia Airport, you can either take the bus from the ​ Central Bus Station or the train from the Central Railway Station, both located in downtown Sofia. Due to the low quality of the Bulgarian train system, taking the train is not recommended for athletes and spectators. ○ Bus line No. 84 links the Sofia Airport with the city center. Get off at the Hotel Pliska stop and change to bus line No. 213 or 305 for the Central Bus Station and the Central Railway Station. ○ From the Central Bus Station, there is a bus going to Plovdiv every hour. The last stop on the bus line is in Plovdiv, a 2.5-hour trip. ○ From the Central Railway Station, there are two train lines traveling from Sofia to Plovdiv: the Sofia-Svilengrad and Sofia-Burgas. A three-hour trip. ➢ Rental Cars also are available at Sofia Airport in Terminals 1 and 2. ​

Event Ticketing The FISA Family Grandstand is an area of the grandstand allocated to the families and close friends of the participating rowers, offering them a prime position close to the finish and medal ceremonies. Tickets are 40 per seat and valid for all days of racing. ​€ ​

These must be purchased through USRowing by calling Alex Wilson at 609-751-0714 or emailing [email protected]. Please include your full name, email address, ​ ​ number of tickets requested, and credit card number and expiration date. The number of spaces in the FISA Family Grandstand are limited, so tickets will be allocated on a ​ first-come, first-served basis.

USRowing will place one order at that time through the Organizing Committee on behalf of the requests received and will only charge credit cards if the ticket request has been fulfilled. Tickets can be collected from the entrance.

About Plovdiv ➢ Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria, and is 152 km (94 miles) southeast of the capital, Sofia. The urban parts of the city are the Central district and the district of Trakiya. ➢ Bulgaria operates using the Bulgarian Lev (BGN) ​ ○ $1.00 USD = 1.7 BGN ○ Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in Bulgaria. ​ ➢ Plovdiv, Bulgaria, is in the Eastern European Time Zone, which is seven hours ​ ahead of Eastern Daylight Time. ​ ➢ There are three options when looking to obtain a cell phone in Bulgaria: ​ ​ ○ You can use your current cell phone, if you have a GSM tri-band phone. If ​ not, you will need to make special arrangements with your current cellular carrier. They will rent you a handset. Getting set up in this manner with your current service provider allows you to retain your U.S. phone number and receive and make calls anywhere in the world. Usually, there is a monthly fee for being able to use the service internationally, plus high roaming rates. ○ You can also purchase a SIM card in Bulgaria that will give you a ​ Bulgarian mobile number and allow you to make and receive calls and texts.

This SIM card can be placed into any phone that has a SIM card slot, however you may need to get your phone “unlocked” in the U.S. before you leave. ○ Alternatively, you can buy a phone in Bulgaria. You will be paying local ​ ​ rates. In Bulgaria, calls are prepaid, so you never receive a bill nor do you need to sign a contract. Calls to the U.S. are inexpensive, costing only about $0.17 per minute.

Emergency Contacts ➢ For all types of emergency, dial 112. English speaking operators are available. ​ ➢ U.S. Embassy: ○ 16, Kozyak Street Sofia 1408, Bulgaria ○ Phone: +359 2 937 5100 ➢ Consider Enrolling in STEP ○ The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. ○ https://step.state.gov/step/ ■ Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans. ■ Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency. ■ Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.

From the Department of State ➢ PASSPORT VALIDITY: ○ Mandatory: Three months beyond tentative departure date. We recommend a minimum of six months validity after entry date. ➢ BLANK PASSPORT PAGES: ○ One page required per stamp. ➢ No Visa Required for stays under 90 days.

➢ Driving : ○ A U.S. state driver's license is only valid in Bulgaria when used in conjunction with an International Driving Permit. ○ If pulled over by a police officer, be aware that under Bulgarian law, the ​ police officers may not collect fines on the spot, but may confiscate your ​ driver’s license depending on the offense. ○ Driving in Bulgaria is dangerous from: Aggressive driving habits, lack of safe infrastructure, and a mixture of late model and old model cars. Safety ➢ Pick-pocketing and purse snatching are frequent occurrences. ​ ➢ Use taxis with meters and clearly marked rates displayed on a sticker on the passenger side of the windshield. Taxi drivers are known to overcharge unwary ​ travelers, particularly at the Sofia Airport, Central Train Station, and Black Sea ​ resort areas. The airport has a clearly marked exit within the arrival terminal that leads travelers to metered taxis at a fair rate and a booth to assist with obtaining taxi services. ➢ Automobile theft and break-ins are common in residential areas or in parks. ​ Four-wheel-drive vehicles and late-model European sedans are the most popular targets. ➢ https://travel.state.gov

Team Policy As in the past, it is U.S. team policy that friends and family do not stay in the same hotel as the team. We appreciate your cooperation with this rule. Friends and family are ​ invited to meet with athletes in the hotel lobby. However, out of respect for other team members, friends and family are not allowed on athlete floors, in athlete rooms, or in team dining halls. Friends and family are not allowed to use athlete transportation, but can use other venue transportation organized by the organizing committee, if available. Athletes are welcome to eat outside of the hotel with their friends and family, but must notify their coach if you intend to do so prior to the meal.