What to Expect in San Francisco
Whether this is your first time at an INFORMS Annual Meeting or you just need a refresher before touching down in San Francisco, consider this your one-stop shop for what to expect when you arrive for the 2026 INFORMS Annual Meeting (and even before you get on the plane)! Learn more:
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
WHERE WILL THE INFORMS ANNUAL MEETING BE HELD?
- Moscone Center South – 747 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA
- Marriott Marquis San Francisco – 780 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA
WHAT HOTELS ARE IN THE OFFICIAL INFORMS ROOM BLOCK?
The hotels designated for the annual meeting are the San Francisco Marriott Marquis and the InterContinental San Francisco.
Click here to book your room now!
WHEN DOES THE OFFICIAL ROOM BLOCK CLOSE?
Rooms are available until sold out or the specified cut-off date of October 8, 2026.
WHAT AIRPORT WILL I FLY INTO FOR THE INFORMS ANNUAL MEETING?
You’ll arrive at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). SFO has nonstop flights to over 140 destinations worldwide and has more than 50 operating airlines. See the Terminal Map.
INFORMS partnered with United Airlines and Southwest for special discounted rates.
HOW WILL I GET FROM the AIRPORT TO THE HOTEL?
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is approximately 12.7 miles from the hotels and convention center, with travel time typically ranging from 20 to 30+ minutes, depending on traffic. A variety of transportation options are available, including Uber and taxis, which generally cost between $45 and $60.
BART offers fast, convenient service from SFO. To reach the hotels and the convention center, take BART to Powell Street Station. It’s about a 10-minute walk to either hotel, and it will cost approximately $10–$11 each way.
Is there parking at the Moscone Center?
Moscone Center South offers on-site parking in the Moscone South Garage located at 747 Howard Street, with the entrance on Howard Street between 4th and 5th Streets. The garage provides hourly parking and typically has a daily maximum rate, though pricing can vary depending on the event and demand. Because the on-site garage can fill up during large conventions, there are also several convenient public parking garages within a few blocks, including the 5th & Mission Garage (833 Mission Street), the Mission Street Garage (787 Mission Street), the Yerba Buena Garage (750 Folsom Street), and the Moscone North Garage (255 3rd Street).
You can also find Parking around the Moscone Center with SpotHero, a parking app and website that helps you find, reserve, and prepay for parking in advance.
WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE?
The recommended attire for the conference is business casual. We also suggest wearing comfortable shoes and bringing a sweater or jacket, as meeting rooms can sometimes be cool.
WHAT MEALS ARE INCLUDED WITH FULL CONFERENCE REGISTRATIONS?
All meals will be on your own; however, INFORMS will provide coffee and snack breaks daily, along with a Sunday evening Welcome Reception.
Bring your Own Water Bottle
Stay hydrated and help reduce waste, by bringing your own reusable water bottle to the meeting. More than 20 hydration stations are located throughout Moscone Center South, so you can stay refreshed while cutting down on single-use plastics. A small habit like this makes a big difference when hundreds of attendees participate.
WHAT ARE THE INFORMS REGISTRATION POLICES?
Click here to review the official registration policies, including details on cancellations, refunds, registration transfers, the guest policy, and name badge reprints.
WHAT IS THE INFORMS CODE OF CONDUCT?
Every attendee has agreed to adhere to the INFORMS Code of Conduct during INFORMS activities, requiring that all meeting participants conduct themselves in a professional manner that is welcoming to all participants and free from any form of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or retaliation. Participants agree to treat each other with respect and consideration to create and ensure a collegial, inclusive, and professional environment. Read more about the INFORMS Code of Conduct.
Navigating the Meeting Venues
Moscone Center South
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- Conference Check-in and Registration: South Lobby (Lobby Level)
- Exhibits, Posters, and Welcome Reception: Hall A (Exhibit Level)
- Plenaries: Room 24 (Exhibit Level)
- Keynotes: Rooms 153, 154, 155 (Upper Mezz)
- TutORials: Room 156 (Upper Mezz)
- Technical Sessions: Exhibit Level, Lower Mezz, South Lobby, Upper Mezz, Level 2, and Level 3.
San Francisco Marriott Marquis
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- Satellite Conference Check-in: (Saturday & Sunday only)
- Special Events & Meetings: Golden Gate AB (B2 Level), Foothill Rooms A-J (Atrium/2nd Floor), Pacific Rooms A-J (4th Floor)
- Technical Sessions: Sierra A-K (5th Floor)
- Career Fair: Golden Gate Ballroom C (B2 Level)
EXHIBITORS
Moscone Center South – Hall A (Exhibit Level)
Sunday | 11am–4:00pm, 6:30–8:30pm | Monday & Tuesday | 9:00am–5:00pm
INFORMS Booth# 209
Moscone Center South – Hall A (Exhibit Level)
Accessibility Resources
Accessibility is a top priority at the INFORMS Annual Meeting. We are committed to creating an inclusive experience for all attendees and are taking steps to ensure that everyone can fully participate. If you have specific accessibility needs, please let us know during the registration process, and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
DIETARY ACCOMMODATIONS
During event registration, we encourage you to share any dietary needs or restrictions. While attendees are responsible for their own breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all official coffee and snack breaks and receptions will offer vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options. Detailed reception menus and dietary information will be available in the event mobile app.
HEARING AND LANGUAGE
All plenary sessions and keynotes will feature Wordly AI Translation and Captioning. Wordly provides instant, multilingual translation and real-time captions directly on your mobile device, as well as live captions on the screen. A QR code will be available at the designated sessions for easy access.
NURSING PODS
Mamava nursing pods at Moscone Center South (one standard and one ADA-accessible) are located on the Lower Mezz near Room 50. These suites provide a secure, private room with electricity for breastfeeding mothers.
For more information on how to download the app and unlock the pods,
please click here.
QUIET ROOM
A quiet room will be available to offer a calm, low-stimulation space where attendees can take a break from sensory input, relax, recharge, or engage in personal reflection or prayer. The Quiet Room will be located in Moscone Center South, Room 54, on the Lower Mezz.
FAMILY and Caregiving ROOM
HOTEL AND CITY ACCESSIBILITY
Please click on each hotel link below to view the specific accessibility accommodations offered at each property.
- San Francisco Marriott Marquis – Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to Accessibility Information
- InterContinental San Francisco
- City of San Francisco
CONVENTION CENTER ACCESSIBILITY
The Moscone Center complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 regarding permanent facility access accommodations, including—but not limited to—wheelchair ramps, elevator requirements, door width standards, and accessible restrooms. Service animals are permitted in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed, in accordance with ADA guidelines.
AIRPORT ACCESSIBILITY
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS
If you require a reasonable accommodation that has not already been provided, INFORMS will make every effort to assist you. Please submit your request in writing to [email protected] by October 10, 2026.
First Aid Location in the Moscone Center
- Near Hall C
Urgent Care facilities
- Sutter Urgent Care — about a 10–15-minute walk from the Marriott hotel near Market & 2nd. Good for non-emergency issues like infections, flu symptoms, minor injuries, travel illness, etc.
- Carbon Health Urgent & Primary Care San Francisco – Civic Center — convenient downtown urgent care with extended daily hours.
- Carbon Health Urgent & Primary Care San Francisco – Castro — another well-reviewed option if the closer clinics are busy.
- Concentra — occupational medicine + urgent care; the Marriott itself lists this as a nearby urgent care resource.
Hospitals
- UCSF Health Hyde Hospital — full hospital with 24/7 emergency services in Nob Hill/Tenderloin area.
- UCSF Health Stanyan Hospital — UCSF-affiliated general hospital near Golden Gate Park.
- California Pacific Medical Center — major hospital system with emergency care.
- Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital — major trauma and emergency hospital.
Ribbons
Are you a Session Chair, Cluster Chair, or Poster Presenter looking for some flair to add to your name badge? You can locate these ribbons and others on our “Ribbon Wall” near conference check-in. We will also have a number of fun ribbons to add to your badge that share your interests and serve as conversation starters with other attendees. Senior Members and other longtime members of the INFORMS community are invited to stop by the INFORMS Booth for special ribbons acknowledging your long-standing relationship with INFORMS!
INFORMS CAREER FAIR
Golden Gate Ballroom C, San Francisco Marriott Marquis (B2 Level)
INFORMS Career Fair & Networking Day
Sunday | 11am–5pm
INFORMS Career Fair Interviews
Monday & Tuesday | 8am–5pm (by appointment)
INFORMS Career Fair, the largest source of O.R. and analytics jobs, connects job seekers and employers in an informal atmosphere to discuss employment opportunities. Employers will collect resumes at the beginning of the Annual Meeting to set up interviews throughout the event. Check out the Annual Meeting Career Fair Jobseeker page for other events listed.
Nearby Food Venues
Click here for dining options near Moscone Center South and the conference hotels.
Food Court at Metreon – When you dine at Metreon, you’ll expand your palate with an international potluck that encompasses flavors from around the globe. Metreon spans the globe to bring you unique and diverse flavors at every turn.
Poster Presentations
All Poster Presentations will take place in Hall A (Exhibit level)
Poster Competition
Poster competition winners will be announced during Monday’s Plenary Session.
General Poster Session
Sunday, 7 to 8pm
stem spark k-12 Poster Competition
Sunday, 6:30 to 8:30pm
MIF Poster competition
AI Poster Session
QSR Poster competition
Researchers, practitioners, and students share their operations research and analytics projects presented as posters. Poster presenters need to provide a hard copy of their poster to display on-site. Presenters can either bring a pre-printed copy with them, or arrange to print on-site.
Onsite Poster Printing Option
INFORMS is partnering with the onsite FedEx Office in the Marriott Marquis to offer discounted poster printing through October 23, 2026.
To place an order for your poster, please complete the order form with your contact information and email the completed form, along with your PDF file(s), to [email protected].
- Sat, Oct 31: 8am to 7pm
- Sun, Nov 1: 9am to 5pm
2026 Annual Meeting FedEx Poster Order Form
Files should be sized according to one of the following available packages:
- Print Package A: 42 in H x 72 in W (pretax $168)
- Print Package B: 42 in H x 84 in W (pretax $200)
- Print Package C: 42 in H x 96 in W (pretax $224)
