Sprints/Randa

Meet Konqi on top of the Alps!

This page is not about a special event in Randa but a general information page!

Organization

Staff

Mario Fux is the main organizer since the beginning. Together with a lot of helping and valuable hands. Since 2012 the Verein Randa Meetings is the legal foundation for the organization of the meetings.

Communication

As communication is the most important means to organize such events, we have several communication techniques and channels.

The main organization is controlled through the mailing list kde-events.

On freenode.net there is a registered channel called #randa for direct communication.

On Telegram, there is an "unofficial" group: Randa Meetings 2015. Note that the meeting organizers are not in the group; use IRC to poke unormal instead.

How to get to Randa

By public traffic

Randa and Switzerland is in the middle of Europe and as this reachable from several directions. There are three possible airports:

• Zurich, Switzerland
  • By train via Zurich and Visp (change the train there). Duration: slightly more than 3 hours
• Geneva, Switzerland
  • By train via Visp (change the train there). Duration: 3 and a half hours.
• Milano Malpensa, Italy
  • By train via Visp (change the train there). Duration: atm unknown. Still investigating.

The track from Visp to Randa (direction: Zermatt) is frequented by a very famous train: the Glacier Express which is known as slowest fast train of the world ;-).

From these airports you'll take the trains to reach Randa (which takes approx. 3 hours). Information about the train schedules can be found on the webpage of the Swiss federal railways SFR.

Note: See important notice below about a special €100 + delivery train fare that must be purchased in advance from overseas.

Once you get to Randa, the House is easy to find. From North to South, arriving at the Randa Train Station you will go up the street then turn right then go 500m straight ahead and the House is there.

Please see the OpenStreetMap and this satellite picture of Randa.

The house itself is pictured here.

Important Notice

Normally we organize special train tickets for you, so the information below is not really relevant. Please ask before you buy your Swiss train tickets!

If you take the train from either the Swiss border or one of the Airports to Randa, you can get a reduced price ticket, called the "Swiss Transfer Ticket 2nd Class". The validity is one month. It has to be ordered on this website: http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/produkttexte.php?passid=3&lang=en . You might also be able to purchase at a local partner (see below for links and price quotes as of May 2011).

The return ticket fare is Fr. 127.- for both ways (a normal price return ticket 2nd class form Geneva Airport would be Fr. 170.-, one form ZH Airport Fr. 218.-).

CAREFUL: if you order the ticket online it will cost you an additional fee to get it delivered, depending on the country you live in. Please double check that this is not higher than a regular ticket price before ordering.

Country	Buying a "Swiss Transfer Ticket" via a local reselling partner
General	http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/en/content/offer/ticket-shop/sales-outlets/
DE	http://www.bahn.de/p/view/angebot/paesse/schweiz.shtml (91€). Or in any "DB Reisezentrum".
UK	http://www.raileurope.co.uk/ at cost of £89 and £10 delivery fee
NL	http://www.treinreiswinkel.nl/passen_online_boeken/swiss_travel_system_online_boeken

By personal car

• From North: Switzerland -> Bern -> Spiez -> Kandersteg -> auto train -> Goppenstein -> Visp -> Stalden -> to Zermatt -> leave the main street in Randa and search for the tallest building in town
• From East: Switzerland -> to Gotthard -> Andermatt -> Furka (either auto train or pass) -> Brig -> Visp -> Stalden -> to Zermatt -> leave the main street in Randa and search for the tallest building in town
• From South: Italy -> Col Simplon/Sempione -> Brig -> Visp -> Stalden -> to Zermatt -> leave the main street in Randa and search for the tallest building in town
• From West: Switzerland -> Lausanne -> Sion -> Visp -> Stalden -> to Zermatt -> leave the main street in Randa and search for the tallest building in town

By foot

Map

Good luck ;-).

Information about the building

Accommodation

• The house
• Floorplan

The floorplan indicates that we can use:

• Basement:
  • 1 large dining room (14 x 5 m)
  • 1 meeting room (6 x 5 m)
• Parterre:
  • 1 large dining room (14 x 5 m)
• 1st floor:
  • 1 meeting room (3 x 4 m)
  • 6 single rooms
  • 1 triple room
  • 1 dormitory for 8 (bunk beds)
  • 1 dormitory for 14 (bunk beds)
• 2nd floor:
  • 1 meeting room (5 x 6 m)
  • 5 single rooms
  • 2 family rooms (2 beds + 2 bunk beds)
  • 1 dormitory for 8 (bunk beds)
  • 1 dormitory for 14 (bunk beds)
• 3rd floor:
  • 1 meeting room (5 x 6 m)
  • 4 single rooms
  • 1 double room
  • 2 family rooms (2 beds + 2 bunk beds)
  • 1 dormitory for 8 (bunk beds)
  • 1 dormitory for 14 (bunk beds)
• 4th floor (Attic) :
  • 1 meeting room (13 x 12 m)
  • 1 meeting room (5 x 5 m)

There is no elevator!

Clothes

Randa is at 1440 meter above sea level and while it is known for its superb climate it might be cold as well. Pack a warm sweater in case!

Indoor Shoes

As we are the ones in charge of the cleaning, we ask you to bring a pair of indoor shoes so we don't put mud everywhere. Either indoor shoes (slippers, sandals, whatever you are used to) or a spare clean pair of shoes. There is a room at the entrance to change shoes.

Food

There is a great kitchen with an even better cook. You need to pay 15.00 CHF (around 10 EUR) per day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please bring the total amount to the registration office (preferably in Swiss Francs (CHF)).

Technical infrastructure

We provide LAN and WLAN and a good internet connection. Furthermore we provide connector strips.

Electrical sockets

If you're not a Swiss, you'll need an electrical adaptor as Swiss sockets are Type J. Euro plugs will fit in.

Information about the village and area

Local shops

There is a small grocery store near the meeting house (1 minute). But it's not open that frequently.

• Owner: Imboden Roland
• Tel: +41 27 967 04 64

Much more in Zermatt. 20 minutes away by train.

Local banks

• Raiffeisenbank, Randa Tel. +41 27 966 69 50
• Walliser Kantonalbank, Randa Tel. +41 27 967 58 00

Much more in Zermatt. 20 minutes away by train.

Local hotels and restaurants

• Hotel Restaurant Alpenblick, Tel. +41 27 968 11 00
• Restaurant Camping, Hole in one, Randa Tel. +41 27 967 13 79
• Matterhorn Golf Hotel, Tel. +41 79 561 70 45

Much more in Zermatt. 20 minutes away by train.

Information about past events

Past events

• Randa Meetings 2014
• Randa Meetings 2012
• Randa Meetings 2011
• KDE Multimedia Meeting, May 2010
  • Amarok sprint, May 2010
  • KDE-Edu Meeting, 20th to 25th May 2010
  • dot.kde.org story about the meeting
• Plasma Meeting, Tokamak 3, September 2009

Photo collections

• Vijay Dhameliya's Photos of Randa 2014
• Helio Castro Randa Pictures
• http://picasaweb.google.com/apachelogger/KDEMultimediaEduSprint2010
• Lydia's pictures
• Simon’s Pictures, Originals: zip1 zip2 zip3
• Annma's Pictures
• Lucas Randa 2012 Pictures

Other resources

There is a general overview of KDE sprints available.