EIIT 2026 — Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University Bloomington

The conference is hosted by the Department of Economics at Indiana University Bloomington. The IU Bloomington campus is a compact, wooded campus built largely of Indiana limestone, immediately adjacent to downtown Bloomington — nearly everything participants need is within a fifteen-minute walk.

The exact building and room will be announced closer to the conference and communicated to registered participants.

View campus on Google Maps →

Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is the closest airport, approximately 46 miles (74 km) north of Bloomington. IND has direct domestic service from most major U.S. hubs and a small number of international routes; most overseas participants will connect through Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, Newark, Dallas, or Toronto.

Louisville (SDF), about two hours south, and Cincinnati (CVG), about two and a half hours southeast, are workable alternatives if the fare or schedule is better. Monroe County Airport (BMG) in Bloomington itself handles only general aviation and has no scheduled commercial service.

• Bloomington is approximately 46 miles south of Indianapolis International Airport, with a typical driving time of about one hour depending on traffic.
• Travel options include rental cars, Uber, Lyft, taxis, and the GO Express Travel Bloomington Shuttle.
• The GO Express Travel Bloomington Shuttle provides daily service between Indianapolis International Airport and Bloomington, including stops at Indiana University, downtown hotels, and other locations throughout the city. Advance reservations are recommended.
• Transportation resources:
  • GO Express Travel Shuttle reservations: goexpresstravel.com/bloomington-airport-shuttle
  • Uber: uber.com/us/en/ride
  • Lyft: lyft.com/rider
• Both the Grant Street Inn and the Hilton Garden Inn Bloomington are conveniently located near the Indiana University campus and downtown Bloomington.

The GO Express shuttle takes roughly 50–55 minutes. Departures are hourly from about 5:40am to 8:40pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays, and roughly every two hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Fares start around $33 one way. At the airport, the shuttle picks up in Ground Transportation Zone 1. In Bloomington it stops at the Indiana Memorial Union and at several downtown hotels, including the Graduate, Hilton Garden Inn, SpringHill Suites, and Home2 Suites.

All the major rental companies operate at IND. Uber and Lyft serve the airport as well; the fare to Bloomington typically runs $90–120 one way, though ride-share availability for the return trip from Bloomington to the airport is less reliable and should not be counted on for an early morning flight.

Bloomington is a straightforward drive from Indianapolis on I-69 south, and is also reachable via I-65 and State Road 46 from Columbus, Indiana. Visitor and metered parking is available on campus and downtown; note that most campus lots require a permit during business hours.

Participants are responsible for their own accommodation. Room blocks have been reserved at two conference hotels; other hotels within walking distance of campus or a short ride away are listed below. Booking early is strongly advised.

View the venue and all hotels on Google Maps →

Bloomington is a walking town. Kirkwood Avenue runs from the Sample Gates at the western edge of campus straight to the courthouse square, a distance of about half a mile, and most of the restaurants, cafés, and bookshops participants will want are along that stretch or a block off it.

Bloomington Transit operates city bus routes connecting downtown, campus, and the surrounding neighborhoods. The IU Campus Bus circulates around campus and is free to ride and open to the public.

Uber and Lyft operate in Bloomington and are reliable within town, with typical in-town fares of $10–15. Local taxi companies are also available, though usually by phone rather than by hailing.

Campus lots and garages require a permit or hourly payment during business hours. Metered street parking and several garages are available downtown. Participants driving to the conference should ask the organizers about visitor parking arrangements.

Conference registration includes lunches and a conference dinner. Details about the dinner venue will be communicated to registered participants.

For meals on your own, Kirkwood Avenue and the courthouse square hold most of the town's restaurants and cafés. Bloomington is unusually good for a town its size: Fourth Street, one block south of Kirkwood, is a dense strip of Tibetan, Afghan, Turkish, Korean, Thai, Ethiopian, and Burmese restaurants, a legacy of the university's international programs. The Bloomington Community Farmers' Market runs Saturday mornings downtown through the fall.

U.S. Dollar (USD). Credit and debit cards, including contactless, are accepted essentially everywhere. ATMs are widely available on campus and downtown. Tipping of 15–20% is customary in restaurants.

Early October in southern Indiana is usually mild and pleasant: daytime highs around 62–70°F (17–21°C) and overnight lows around 42–48°F (6–9°C), with the fall colors typically near their peak. Bring layers and a light rain jacket.

International visitors will need either a visa or, for citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries, an approved ESTA authorization obtained before travel. Apply well in advance; visa appointment wait times vary considerably by country. Participants who need a letter of invitation should contact the organizers. See the U.S. Department of State for current requirements.

The United States uses Type A and Type B plugs at 120V, 60Hz. Visitors from Europe, Asia, and Australia will need an adapter, and some equipment will need a voltage converter.

Bloomington observes Eastern Time and follows daylight saving time. During the conference the local time is EDT, UTC−4.

Eduroam is available across the IU Bloomington campus for participants with eduroam credentials from their home institution. A guest wireless network is available for those without.

Emergency (police, fire, ambulance): 911 · IU Police Department (non-emergency): +1 812-855-4111

Bloomington is a town of about 80,000 in the wooded hills of southern Indiana, built around Indiana University, which has been there since 1820. The campus is one of the more attractive in the United States — limestone buildings, a creek running through the middle of it, and enough mature trees that the whole thing reads as a park. The town's other well-known export is the Jacobs School of Music, one of the largest music schools in the world, whose students give free or inexpensive concerts most nights of the week.

Within easy reach are Brown County State Park, Indiana's largest, roughly half an hour east and at its best in early October; Lake Monroe, the state's largest lake, fifteen minutes south; and the limestone quarries around town that gave Breaking Away its setting. On campus, the Eskenazi Museum of Art occupies a building designed by I. M. Pei and is free to visit.