Beirut Campus:
Information for Visitors
Getting there
The Beirut campus is in the Koraytem district, four blocks south of Hamra Street. If you’re walking down Hamra street in the direction of traffic, you can turn left one block after the Crowne Plaza Hotel; keep going straight (uphill) until you reach LAU’s lower gate.
Another way to reach LAU is via Koraytem’s main road. For example, if you’re coming by car from the coastal boulevard, you can turn inland at KFC, near the Pigeon Rock (Raouche). Drive uphill on that winding road, past the Safir Heliopolitan hotel and Future TV and you’ll reach the main Koraytem artery. Turn left and keep going until you reach the intersection. From there you can walk to the lower gate, about 50 meters against traffic direction. (The intersection is also reachable from Sadat street, which runs north-south starting on Bliss street, and cuts Hamra street at its end.)
The upper gate is on a narrow street that is easily accessible to pedestrians from Madame Curie Street. For security reasons a section of the latter is blocked out, but LAU is still accessible from it. To get on Madame Curie Street, turn right on the main Koraytem road just before the Saudi embassy. Then turn left and follow the road; it’s a winding slope that takes you to the School of Business/Library gate; you can keep going to reach the lower gate.
Note: all the landmarks and streets mentioned here appear on our annotated Google map.
As of 8 a.m., traffic is usually heavy in the area. You could spend about 30 minutes within Koraytem or Hamra to reach the university, or a parking spot.
If you’re coming by taxi, most “service” taxi drivers know the university as either “LAU” or “BUC” (our former name).
Parking
You can park for free on the streets around the university. However, it’s usually difficult to find such space, and occasionally parking is forbidden in certain places for security reasons.
There are several privately operated parking lots in the area. They are generally open from 7 a.m. to 7 or 8 p.m. Some charge monthly fees as high as $80, others charge L.L. 2,000 or L.L. 3,000 per day.
The Beirut campus has an underground parking facility below the Business Building for students, faculty and staff. The fees are listed on this page.
Office Hours, Holidays
Regular office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a lunch break from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. The Business Office opens to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
In summer (July–September), the offices open on a shorter schedule: from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Business Office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the summer.
Labs and libraries operate on different schedules.
The university closes during the official holidays listed on the academic calendar. Additional closure days that may arise throughout the year are announced here as soon as they’re decided.
Finding offices and people on campus
Key offices, services and facilities are listed on this page about the campus’ buildings.
You can also use the campus maps to identify the place(s) you are visiting.
If you’d like to contact a staff or faculty member, you can find their phone extensions and email addresses in the directory.
Where to eat
The campus cafeteria offers a variety of fast food and daily meals, catering to students, faculty and staff whose lunch time is usually short. Catering services are provided by Faqra. An LAU-appointed nutritionist monitors cooking methods and ingredients. The cafeteria is in Nicol Hall ground floor. It opens from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There are dozens of restaurants, cafés and snack bars within walking distance of LAU.
Payphones, cash machines, etc.
There are two payphones on campus—on the south entrance of Irwin Hall and inside Orme-Gray Hall—and one on the sidewalk outside Malik’s Bookshop by the lower gate. These phones work with calling cards that can be purchased at several stores around campus.
The closests ATMs are: in Irwin Hall (south entrance), at Byblos Bank (about 20 meters from the lower gate) and at SGBL on Sadat Street.
Hotels near campus
LAU has arrangements with a number of nearby hotels. Please see this chart for options, rates, and contact information. If you have any questions, please call the campus hostess, Ms. Nehmat Aoun.
Campus maps
View campus and area maps, and use an interactive map to find an office or facility.
Buildings and facilities
See pictures and a list of key offices and facilities in every building.