Sheremetyevo (SVO) airport

[FatAndy]

Well, comrades...
Here I'll post the info applicable to Sheremetyevo airport (Lat/Rus SVO/ШРМ in tickets). The thread is stuck. I describe only my own experience and don't pretend to be comprehensive and absolutely exact, so keep common sense

1) First of all some nice photos: http://russos.livejournal.com/917183.html

2) Then their website:
http://svo.aero - in Russian, more up-to-date info;
http://svo.aero/en - in English, may be obsolete.

3) Their online flights schedule http://www.svo.aero/timetable/today/.

Please note they have 5 general purpose terminals now, named by letters, grouped into Northern (B, C) and Southern (D, E, F) groups. Select your terminal in the right side selector if needed, to cut off non-needed info.

- B (former SVO-1 for domestic flights) - old one, now it's being used time to time for domestic flights only (by Aeroflot, Orenburg-Air and Vladivostok-Air). To be reconstructed in the future;

- C (former SVO-1C for ex-USSR and charter flights) - new one, now it's being used for flights to/from Ukraine and charters;

- F - former SVO-2 for intl flights, old enough, built for 1980' Olympic games;

- E - small one, but new, located just between F and D, international (mostly exUSSR, including Baltics) and domestic flights;

- D - biggest one, built for Aeroflot (http://www.aeroflot.ru/cms/en) and Sky Team alliance members (http://www.skyteam.com). Domestic (left part of the terminal) and intl (right) flights;

- there is also Terminal A http://www.ridus.ru/news/16711/ - for business jets/flights.



4) How to get to and from:
- by train Aeroexpress from Belorussky train station (vokzal), metro (m., subway) Belorusskaya (there are 2 metro lines and 2 exits here, green radial and circle brown, but exit from green line is better, cos is closer to Aeroexpress entrance), see website http://www.aeroexpress.ru/en/.

a) Don't mix SVO Aeroexpress with other two Aeroexpresses which go from Paveletsky train station to Domodedovo (DME) airport and from Kievsky train station to Vnukovo (VKO) airports. All of these three railway stations connected with circle metro line, but if you arrive to SVO and depart from DME in several hours or vice versa, use green radial line, in Paveletsky railway station exit is also closer to Aeroexpress entrance;

b) Buy ticket in advance from the website and make printout - it saves time if you're in hurry and 2 min to train departure left. There are also ticket machines accepting cash and plastic and ticket cashiers in both Belorussky vokzal and SVO. The trip takes 35 min, cost is 320 RUB for eco cl**** 550 RUB for BC (guaranteed seat, free WiFi via WiMAX, works only in city till Dolgoprudny, beverages, business newspapers);

c) IMPORTANT! - here - http://www.aeroexpress.ru/en/sheremetyevo.htm - we see 30 min time intervals between trains, starting every day 05:30AM and finishing 00:30AM next night. In the timetable there are "holes" at 13:00 from Moscow and 12:00 (noon) from SVO;

d) Train arrives to the station under roof near terminal E. You will need 5-7 min to unload your body and luggage from the train, pass ticket check turnstyle, run through shops gallery and pass security check at the entrance to the terminal. If you took usual, not BC ticket in Belorussky, try to get into 2nd carriage (train head is at right side if you stay face to the train and back to Belorussky station bldg). 1st carriage is BC. They're closest to the exit from SVO arrival platform. If you have not enough time - prepare your luggage to roll out, put on backpack, pull out Aeroexpress ticket and wrap it with 2D barcode to outer surface (you'll need to put it onto small reader window of right column of turnstyle/gates to pass);

There are two pedestrian indoor "skywalks" to terminals F and D after security check. Follow pointers (black text on yellow background). Walk time from E entrance to the center of terminal F is less than 5 min, to the center of terminal D - around 8 min.

e) There is NO direct pedestrian way between DEF and BC groups, but there is free bus going inside airfield to Nothern group of terminals (B, C) from the terminal E, 1st floor. Follow pointers. If I remember correctly, it departs every 20 min - H:05, H:25, H:45. Plan your time in advance to have reserve. It is better to "smoke bamboo" after check-in, than run.

- by buses and microbuses (marshrutki) from m. Rechnoi vokzal (green line terminal NNW-bound) or m. Planernaya (purple line NW) http://www.svo.aero/en/transport/#bus

- by taxi - may cost some money
http://www.nyt.ru/en/tariffs/ - 1100 to 1500 rub. From airport to the city it may add 200 rub for parking. Traffic and time... well, it depends. Going from my location (Zuzino, near m. Chertanovskaya, grey line, south) I go out of my home 3-3.5 hours before flight departure. But my usual taxi driver lives near me and usually is already waiting near the building, so...

[Drewski]

A friend of mine told me to take out my laptop before I put stuff through the x-ray when I arrive at SVO because Russian x-rays fry electronics. However, another friend told me if I do that, the customs people might get suspicious or they might insist you put it through the x-ray. Who's right in this case? I'd rather not get my laptop ruined within minutes of me arriving in Moscow

[FatAndy]

A friend of mine told me to take out my laptop before I put stuff through the x-ray when I arrive at SVO because Russian x-rays fry electronics. However, another friend told me if I do that, the customs people might get suspicious or they might insist you put it through the x-ray. Who's right in this case? I'd rather not get my laptop ruined within minutes of me arriving in Moscow

1) X-ray for intl arrivals in SVO/DME/VKO may appear mostly in customs area and is rare. In such cases they mostly investigate big suitcases, not briefcases or backpacks where laptop usually resides. No problems encountered with 4 of my laptops.

2) They did it 2-3 times in SVO-1 (now B) for domestic arrivals in my practice when there were terrorostic threats. No problems encountered with 4 of my laptops.

3) Very probably 1st of your friends just has damaged his laptop in the trip or in airport - sometimes some foreigners (as well as ours though) depart... hmmm... in slightly excited mood...

4) Russian X-rays are mighty and may fry electronics in the time of war, indeed...

5) Some ppl sometimes put their electronics in checked luggage. Nothing strange then if it arrives broken - checked luggage is not only being dropped in airports, but also carried in non-heated plane compartment.

6) During departure security scans some airports require separate scan of laptop and backpack/bag and ask to pull it out and put into separate tray

Carry your laptop in hand luggage only (in the special backpack or bag/briefcase with protective neoprene/rubber sleeve and reinforced corner elements) to avoid mech damage. And watch for those wild bears!

[robertmf]

A friend of mine told me to take out my laptop before I put stuff through the x-ray when I arrive at SVO because Russian x-rays fry electronics. However, another friend told me if I do that, the customs people might get suspicious or they might insist you put it through the x-ray. Who's right in this case? I'd rather not get my laptop ruined within minutes of me arriving in Moscow

The x-rays are no problem. Do watch out for metal detectors and bears.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecI1gxCpN2g"]Bear Steals iPad, Returns for Food - YouTube[/ame]

[Leda]

A friend of mine told me to take out my laptop before I put stuff through the x-ray when I arrive at SVO because Russian x-rays fry electronics. However, another friend told me if I do that, the customs people might get suspicious or they might insist you put it through the x-ray. Who's right in this case? I'd rather not get my laptop ruined within minutes of me arriving in Moscow

I just wonder why would u need a laptop at all...

[robertmf]

I just wonder why would u need a laptop at all...

Welcome to expat.ru, Leda

Are you a blonde

Are you a Luddite, perchance

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite"]Luddite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

Still in US

[Leda]

My response to such a ridiculous question was meant to b a sarcastic one but i guess the message never went through... Nevermind!
Sorry u had to go through all that search-copy-paste process for me Robert

[RichardB]

A friend of mine told me to take out my laptop before I put stuff through the x-ray when I arrive at SVO because Russian x-rays fry electronics. However, another friend told me if I do that, the customs people might get suspicious or they might insist you put it through the x-ray. Who's right in this case? I'd rather not get my laptop ruined within minutes of me arriving in Moscow

You're friends are sadly misinformed about x-ray machines and the power levels used. Ignore them completely.

[FatAndy]

Comrades,
Just a short warning for innocent foreigners departing from SVO (or other airports of Motherland). Don't keep EMPTY flasks in your hand luggage They attract unwanted attention of SAB (sluzhba aviatsionnoi bezopasnosti, air security detail). I just had it emptied in my office before the flight SVO-SVX (Ekaterinburg/Sverdlovsk) and security guy has asked me to put it out of my backpack, unscrew the head and check if it is REALLY empty

[FatAndy]

http://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/20131023133031.shtml

Moscow's Mayor S. Sobyanin claims to extend Moscow City airports bandwith twice, plus to introduce simplified visa regime for transit businessmen, stopping in Moscow for a few days.

[FatAndy]

28th Mar SVO air security dept has announced returning the possibility to have 100 ml bottles of liquids in hand luggage.

[robertmf]

28th Mar SVO air security dept has announced returning the possibility to have 100 ml bottles of liquids in hand luggage.

What good is 100ml The 100gr is not much 3 shot glasses

[Kartoshka]

Tube of toothpaste, various bits of make-up, even a small bottle of shampoo. Everything the business traveller needs for a quick trip away.

[robertmf]

Everything the business traveller needs for a quick trip away.

Only vodka is necessary

[vossy7]

Only vodka is necessary

So all us Ruspats are red huh