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Is Moscow airport really that bad.
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Posted by: JamesB

Going to Novosibirsk next fri to see Liuda and her Family.I land in Moscow terminal 2 and then have to make my way to terminal 1 which apparently is miles away.I looked at some reviews and it sounds as if the place is like a prison.Not very hospitable with Little help available.I have to check in for second leg 25 minutes after landing which is clearly impossible.Is it that bad or have things improved.The review makes it sound really dodgy.

Posted by: jpierce55

I don't know how going out was but out of the airports I experienced:

1. Cincinnati
2. JFK
3. Moscow SVO
4. Kiev, Borispol
5. Amsterdam

The best was Moscow, no chance of getting lost. The second was probably JFK as I was able to literally run across the airport following signs. The third Cinci. Amsterdam gave 20 questions and was intimidating. Kiev was down right scary nothing in English and nobody speaking it. I don't know if that info helps you decide but it is my two cents.

Posted by: Ms.Smarty Pants

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesB

Going to Novosibirsk next fri to see Liuda and her Family.I land in Moscow terminal 2 and then have to make my way to terminal 1 which apparently is miles away.I looked at some reviews and it sounds as if the place is like a prison.Not very hospitable with Little help available.I have to check in for second leg 25 minutes after landing which is clearly impossible.Is it that bad or have things improved.The review makes it sound really dodgy.

May be you need try to find other way to Novosibirsk? Without Moscow? Why Moscow? You can change planes not only in Moscow.

Posted by: Mr.Humble

SVO2 is not so bad....kinda disorientating to the first time visitor...but...you have no choice on where to go...keep walking until you arrive at Passport Control...

...get your way past this and then go and claim your bags (from my experience..they do not forward them for you).....

....head for the exit and navigate yourself through the mass of taxi cab drivers (unless...you are made of money and don't mind paying $60 for a 10 minute ride)...

....make your way about 100 m out from the exit and go to the big White Bus (free and a nice ride to SVO1)....there are information kiosks (i) that will help you as long as they are not on the cellphone talking to a friend.

...enjoy the ride over to SVO1 (pass through Security...proceed to the left)

....look through the glass door(s) for the city that is currently queing (flips from the spelling in Russian-English and back again)....when you see "Novosibirsk" then you may proceed into that particular lobby.

...Follow everyone else....the plane will not come to you...you will have to go to it....people are usually pretty helpful if you have questions.

This is the best as I remember it from last summer...Have Fun!

Posted by: AkMike

Just based on how I was on my first trip thru SVO2. And note that I haven't been thru SVO1. I doubt that 25 minutes will be nearly enough time to make the trip with all the new stuff you'll need to figure out. I'd guess 2 hrs minimum for me.
Re-schedule the times.

Posted by: Algol

SVO2 is not bad at all, except passport control argued with my wife. She is from Sevastopol (a russian city in Ukraine). They acused her of lying when she told them that she could not speak Ukrainian even though she carried an Ukrainian passport.

SVO1 is a hellhole...flying from Ukraine to SVO1, my kids waited until we landed to use the restroom, (didn't want to go on a small plane, etc). We walked in to SVO1, it was crowded, smokey, loud, etc. The women's restroom was a mess. Overflowing sink, no paper and according to my daughter that never complains, there was sh*t on the toilet seat.
I told my family to hold my place in line while I went to complain. Actually though, it wasn't a line, just a hord of people shoving & shoving trying to get thru passport control. I found a woman, airport securtity maybe? that spoke a little English. I told her 1) airport is smokey 2) can't you put up ropes so people stay in line? 3) restrooms are filthy.. Her response "It's Russia" Neddless to say, I was pissed. I told her, no it's not Russia. It's Putin's home. Be proud. etc...
Anyway, I returned to the 'line'. After 20 more mins of being shoved, I went to complain again. Mainly I pulled out the I'm an American card and if was wasn't standing in line I would be in downtown Moscow speding my money. I went back to the line but she followed me. She said 'come with me' Well, I was sure I'd end up in jail so I told the kids and wife to come also. We ended up at the front of the line, kind of VIP treatment, which is not at all what I wanted. I guess the best way she could fix her problem was just to eliminate it.
Flying thru Moscow??? Good Luck. I can't even get a simple answer for my transit visa question. See my other post.

Posted by: cedarwind

I am soon to find out.

I fly to Moscow for 1 week

Then to the Ukraine for 1 week

Now the fun part I must then fly from Kiev to Moscow to catch my connecting flight back to the US;

Per Aeroflot this is no problem as my flight from Kiev to Moscow is Aeroflot and arrives at SVO 2 and my flight from Moscow to LAX is also Aeroflot and leaves 4 hours latter from SVO 2.

But what do I do if they change the airport to SVO 1, I asked???

Per Aeroflot do not worry that never happens. Yes and they never loose luggage either was my response.

I hope that at least my luggage will get transfer correctly

Posted by: AkMike

Cedarwind, You won't have any problems if all your flights go thru SVO2. "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" The folks at the transit desk will point you to your gate area.

Algol said, "Good Luck. I can't even get a simple answer for my transit visa question. See my other post."

We're not your travel agent. We gave you the best advice we could. CALL YOUR TRAVEL AGENT then tell us the offical way.

Posted by: cedarwind

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpierce55

I don't know how going out was but out of the airports I experienced:

1. Cincinnati
2. JFK
3. Moscow SVO
4. Kiev, Borispol
5. Amsterdam

The best was Moscow, no chance of getting lost. The second was probably JFK as I was able to literally run across the airport following signs. The third Cinci. Amsterdam gave 20 questions and was intimidating. Kiev was down right scary nothing in English and nobody speaking it. I don't know if that info helps you decide but it is my two cents.

Intresting on my comming trip I get to try out just a few airports.

1. Seattle
2 Atlanta
3 SVO 2
4 SVO 1
5 Simferopol
6 Zaporizhzhia
7 Kiev
8 SVO 2
9 LAX
10 Seattle

I should be a expert by the time I am done....And I might even have some luggage left when I get back to Seattle if I am lucky. LOL

Posted by: GoingToRussia

I guess I lucked out. My girl said she would meet me at the Moscow Airport. She said it is a 40 minute ride from SOV1 to SOV2.

Posted by: Spakoyna

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesB

I assure you! You will not make the 2nd leg of your journey! The slightest chance I see is if you are flying aeroflot and do not have to claim your bags. I think in the best of circumstances with a well organized and arranged plan it would take a minimum of 1 + 1/2 hours!

I remember a thread awhile back where aeroflot was starting a required layover of 24 hours for connecting flights from SVO 2 to SVO 1 . Wonder why?! I assure you you need to change your flight times! If you are curious as to how I rate your success... I would give at least a 1000 to 1 odds you do not make your connecting flight!

Posted by: JamesB

Its so strange.I did not book,Channel 4 are paying for the trip and filming.I was told by reseacher that my bag would be taken automatically to next connecting flight but i have these visions of lost bag.I really am quite apprehensive about this trip.She also said because it was connecting flight i would not have to book in to second flight on time.?

Posted by: AkMike

James,
You'd better print this out and show channel 4. You need more time between flights to get to SVO1

Posted by: bobjf

hi james have you been to ovb befor.
if not make sure you que in the right hand side going into pass port control lol.
i didn,t & got greif from a female tank who drag me accross & pushed me through,thought i was going to get locked up
bloody hard when you don,t read or speak the lingo ohh i had to prove my bag was actually mine to as i didn,t know about baggage proof card,luckily i had the padlock key in my pocket
different experiance forsure lol.

Posted by: bingism

I did the transfer two weeks ago and I had to wait 25 minutes for the right bus to come along (or maybe I just missed a few). Get C4 to chage your flight James because everyone is 100%... you have no chance. I even had to check in again, so I can't see you making it!

Posted by: JamesB

Thanks guys ,i spoke to Lucy the Producer who is in St peters now and she said that she would speak to office on monday.They will have to change flights on second leg or they can film without me.Thanks

Posted by: JamesB

Thanks for that,i called the researcher and she said she would find out whats happening on monday.She said she had booked it as one trip rather than two legs.Very confusing.She said bags would be transfered straight to svo1.She reckoned i would not have to check in for second flight so i would have 2 hours to get through.Im still not sure.I will have my visa on wednesday.Producer has hired herself an interpreter body guard.I think she may be a bit worried that Berdsk is not too hospitable to Westerners.

Posted by: JamesB

Just an update on the flight situation.Researcher called me and said she had spoken to aeroflot and they say it will be easy to make the second flight on time.I cant see it but she said if i miss flight they would put me into a hotel in Moscow and get flight next day.Also that the bage will not be forwarded to the next flight so i will have to get them as well as go through immigration.Thanks for all your help guys i will let you know what happens.

Posted by: Keith In Kodiak

It's taken me as long as two hours to get through customs in Moscow. The best was about 45 minutes...

Well, at least you'll get an opportunity to see Red Square on your layover!

Posted by: JamesB

Thanks for that.I can assure you i would rather have an extra night with Liuda than see red square lol.Cheers

Posted by: Jutman

Remember that BA fly to Domedova, Not SVO. At least they used to.

They ahave all info in english as well in SVO1 and actually. I looked 1 time over the shoulder of a taxi driver once. It clocked 6,4 km = 4 miles. But try to look at the terminal from svo2. In bird line there is about � mile = 800 meters. I never understood why not drill a tunnel.

Posted by: JamesB

Thanks for that i will see what happens.Film company told me to get a cab and they would pay,so i can,t really lose.Thanks.

Posted by: Turboguy

I am going to start off with the important things. First of, take it from someone who spent 4 days in the same clothes. They absolutly and positivley do not transfer bags from SVO 2 to SVO 1 and you are looking at an average of 4 days for your bags to catch up to you if you speek Russian and are lucky. If you choose to not believe this pack a couple of changes of clothes in a carry on.

You do not have enough time to catch your flight. If you choose to go ahead and try, I believe there is a VIP service availble that will wisk you through customs. You might want to check the airport website or check with gotorussia about it.

It is not your money but the cab drivers will want to charge you $ 50.00 for the 6 mile ride. If you play hard to get and keep insisting as they harrass you that you are taking the white bus they will do it for $ 20. I find for $ 20 it is worth the convenience. This information is current as of two weeks ago.

The topic started out as is SVO a dump. I was a little shocked this past Wednesday at how nice SVO 2 has become. I had been there in January and since even then there was major changes. There is now a TGI fridays and a modern internet cafe on the first level, there are wireless hotspots in many areas. They have done much remodeling. Of course the gate areas had a major upgrade a year or two ago. The first time I flew through SVO 2 was in 1996 and when I think back it has been a major change. I would say I have been there about 20 times or more and the changes have been steady, the last was the biggest.

SVO 1 is still a dump. DMO is a first class airport and it too has upgraded since the first time I was there a long time ago. The past trip I made my first visit to and I won't spell this right but the third airport. Vnukavo. It was actually quite nice and the plans are over the next decade to expand it into a major airport.

Moscows airports are making the change into the 21st century. The thing I did notice in cusoms this week was they were again making many people show them thier money and count it in front of them. The were big on that in the 1990's but I had not seen it for a while. The customs lines have improved. Coming in it was about 20 minutes and going out about 5 or less. I can remember the old days of an hour or two in a line.

Posted by: Wanderer

Wonder if he made it!

Or is he still sleeping on SVO2 floor waiting for his bags?

Wanderer

Posted by: JamesB

Hi ,well i made the connection on way out but bags didnt and on return i collected bags and missed flight.Had to wait 12 hours in sv2.Not bad at all and everybody very friendly.