Preparing for Arrival
The following process MUST be completed online by new and returning users at least 14 days prior to arrival at the ALS.
- New User: Create a user account in ALSHub, the ALS user portal.
- Returning User with expired badge: Update your user profile in ALSHub to tell us when you will arrive.
COVID-19 Alert:
Due to a Bay Area shelter-in-place mandate, the ALS is closed to users until further notice. Please do not register to arrive for the 2020-1 cycle unless we ask you to.
Developing a response to handle compensation of lost beamtime is high on the priority list. More detailed information will be posted here.
More details of the Berkeley Lab response to COVID-19 can be found in the latest Lab messages and FAQ.
Not a U.S. citizen?
- Beginning February 1, 2019, on-site foreign nationals (non-US citizens) are required to provide their CV listing all science and technology activities. In chronological order, please list current/accurate names of all academic institutions and work positions including the science/technology specialties (with no gaps in time). Send CVs in PDF format by email to [email protected] after registering in the ALSHub to notify us of your arrival date.
- Please look at Documents for Foreign Nationals well ahead of your visit. Bring all relevant documents to the ALS. Users from sensitive countries will not be provided access to LBNL until the vetting process is completed. We encourage early registration.
NOTE: Users who are citizens of, or were born in, T4 countries (Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria) need DOE permission to work at the ALS, a process which can take 6–9 months to obtain. They should create a user account in ALSHub as soon as possible to start the approval process.
Arriving at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL or Berkeley Lab)
Getting to LBNL and the ALS
The ALS is located at the Berkeley Lab site, in the hills above the UC Berkeley campus. For directions to Berkeley Lab, see Maps and Directions and the Lab shuttle schedule. Once on board the shuttle, ask the driver to let you know when you’ve reached the ALS (Building 6). Please note that the Lab shuttle service is not available on weekends or after 9 p.m. on weekdays. However, on weekends, users who already have an active LBNL ID badge may take public transit (AC Transit bus route 65) from downtown to the Centennial Drive & Lawrence Hall of Science bus stop and walk <5 minutes downhill to LBNL’s Grizzly Gate, scan their badge for access, and walk downhill to the ALS.
Berkeley Lab Security Gate
Users arriving at Berkeley Lab will need to show documentation to access the Lab. This could be either an active LBNL ID badge or a visitor gate pass plus photo ID. The ALS User Office will issue a gate pass or shuttle pass to expected users arriving without a valid LBNL ID badge. The need for a gate pass is based on the dates provided by the user, so make sure to update your user profile in ALSHub, or email your arrival date. If you have been issued a gate pass by the ALS user office, or the Guest House, be sure to use it for Laboratory gate access, and do not try to use an expired badge.
Arriving at the ALS
To gain access to the ALS, you will need to obtain an LBNL ID badge. You will need to have created an account in ALSHub, and bring the following to the ALS reception desk:
- Photo ID
- Non U.S. citizens: visa, passport, or permanent resident card as appropriate (see Documents for Foreign Nationals for more information)
Upon Arrival at the ALS (Building 6)
- During office hours, Monday through Friday, 8am-12pm & 1pm to 4pm: Go to the ALS User Services Office on the second floor of the ALS (Building 6) to complete registration and obtain your LBNL ID badge.
- Evenings and weekends: Users arriving at the ALS outside business hours must email the User Office in advance and complete all online forms and training before arriving. Please note that the Lab shuttle service is not available on weekends. Upon arriving at Berkeley Lab, contact the ALS control room (510-486-4969) to gain access to the ALS building. If you will not have a phone, please ask the guard at the Berkeley Lab security gate to call for you. Unexpected users arriving out of business hours without a valid LBNL ID badge will not be granted access to, or be able to perform work at, the ALS.
