Sheremetyevo International Airport
Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO IATA) is one of the three main airports of Moscow, Russia and the main hub of Aeroflot.
Understand
Sheremetyevo Airport is north-west of the Moscow Ring Road. It is firmly associated with the Leningrad Highway, although it is geographically located to the east, and the village of Sheremetyevsk (now a microdistrict of the city of Dolgoprudny) that gave the name to the airport and is located at Dmitrovskoye highway, which almost no one uses to go to Sheremetyevo.
History
Sheremetyevo is usually perceived as the main Moscow airport. This phenomenon is rooted in the Soviet past, when all international flights were carried out from here. The first passenger flight from the airport took place on August 11, 1959. Built in the early 1960s, the terminal, later known as Sheremetyevo-1, was a monument of its era and, apparently, the first building in the Soviet Union reminiscent of the structure of modern airports with check-in and departure areas as well as cafe for passengers. The original technical solution was also the landing pavilion put out on the airfield - in the people there was a "glass" or "washer" - an escalator gallery connected to the terminal.
For the 1980 Olympics, a new terminal for international flights, Sheremetyevo-2 (now Terminal F) was built. With two terminals-Sheremetyevo-1 and Sheremetyevo-2 standing on opposite sides of the airport-it stayed for almost 30 years before the large-scale reconstruction of the late 2000s, when two new terminals (D and E) were opened near Sheremetyevo-2 and conducted a line railway. After that, the "center of operations" of the airport finally shifted to the south side of the flying field, and the former Sheremetyevo-1, overgrown with a pair of new, rather shed terminals, was given up for the destruction of low-cost and closed in 2015 due to their disappearance. Until mid-2018 with the reconstruction of Terminal B, passengers were served only by DEF terminals, with the northern side of the airport having its own uses. The old building of Sheremetyevo-1 was demolished together with the famous "saucer", in its place is the construction of a new terminal.
Sheremetyevo serves more than 30 million passengers a year, regularly changing places in the ratings with Domodedovo.
Structure
Unlike most modern airports, Sheremetyevo is divided into two clusters, which are located on opposite sides of the airport. It used to be that for ordinary passengers, only the southern cluster consisting of terminals D, E and F mattered while A, B and C, the terminals of the northern cluster, were closed or used for business aviation. Terminal B was demolished, reconstructed and reopened on May 5 2018 as the Aeroflot domestic terminal to prepare for the World Cup. There are plans for Terminal C (now demolished) to be similarly revived for CIS flights.
The connection between the two clusters, until recently, has never been the strong point of the airport. It was planned if the northern cluster again begins to receive regular flights, a railway to connect the clusters would, although these plans were as vague as they are ambitious. However, with the reopening of Terminal B came the new interterminal transport system - more details below.
In Sheremetyevo, there are two parallel runways just 300 m from each other. They are too close together to be used independently, and the airport's capacity is far behind the number of terminals built in it. To solve this problem a third runway is planned to be built a couple of kilometers from the existing ones. To date, Sheremetyevo is the most well-equipped airport in Russia, and the likelihood that you will be taken to a plane in a bus (rather than a jetbridge) is lower than other airports, although it is still quite high, especially on domestic flights. In terms of infrastructure, the airport is quite diverse: there are, for example, relatively inexpensive power points, but they will have to be searched. Due to its location, Sheremetyevo is a free-standing airport - from it you can not go in a civilized way somewhere on foot and even to nearby hotels you have to go by taxi or book a transfer.
Information
The airport has an official Android app that, along with the flight schedule, contains a detailed diagram of the terminals with all the objects (up to the outlets) and the possibility to route from the current location to any object.
Reference information: +7 495 578-65-65.
Flights
Southern Cluster
🌍 Terminal D. Serves domestic and international flights of Aeroflot. The huge building in shape resembles a plane and refers to the most interesting architectural solutions among post-Soviet Russian airports. All the registration is general and is on the 3rd floor, leading to a long corridor from the Aeroexpress station. To the counters there are often queues in which you can stand 20-30 minutes. Less expensive food points are on the 2nd floor (cafe-dining room "Mu-Mu") and on the 1st floor in the arrivals area (McDonalds, Crumb-Potato). The quietest place is on the 2nd floor in the Mu-Mu area. In the left part of the terminal there is a small "clean" zone of the internal sector: there is always a throng, so there is no reason to come here in advance. The international "clean" zone, on the contrary, is quite spacious (and, in addition, it can be moved to an even more spacious terminal E).
🌍 Terminal E. International flights of Aeroflot and partner airlines. Not memorable, sometimes frankly shabby design is combined with relative lack of people: there are a lot of places, and there are not enough flights for landing. In the area of check-in counters there is something like Sheremetev's food court - several racks with quite decent food and common tables. In the clean zone there is an inexpensive "Burger King". Jul 2017
🌍 Terminal F. One of the oldest buildings of the airport, formerly Sheremetyevo-2, was opened for the Moscow Olympics in 1980. The architecture of the terminal reflects the representations of that time about comfort and style. Once in the building there was a unique interior with metal pipes hanging from the ceiling and eternal semi-darkness. Unfortunately, many elements of the decor were removed during the reconstruction, but in the departure zone there were still characteristic lamps, from which literally blows the solemnity of those times when each flight by plane was an event - do not miss them. Strange, sometimes uncomfortable layout in the terminal, too, remained: the check-in desks are preceded by the point of inspection (that is, the inspection in this terminal needs to be done not twice but three times), but passport control is right behind the registration desks, so the distance in the terminal before the landing, here is minimal. From the terminal F, individual flights of Aeroflot and all the partners that are least liked by them fly. If you are in Terminal F - be sure to look for the staircase upstairs, where there is a good dining room , a restaurant overlooking the flying field and the airport museum . On the 1st and 2nd floors the infrastructure is the same as everywhere else.
🌍 Terminal Aeroexpress. Self-contained territory with two floors, densely packed with all sorts of cafes and shops. If you arrive or leave, the terminal needs to go right through. There are a lot of fast food outlets, by the standards of the airport are relatively cheap, and in the shops, you can buy everything from the tourist equipment to the scarves from Pavlovsky Posad.
Inside the southern cluster, the DEF terminals are connected both to each other and to the Aeroexpress terminal. Pass through the terminals between the terminals and there is a "clean" international zone: if you do not have enough free outlets in the "clean" zone D or F, look for them in the always deserted terminal E. Cheapest food in the "clean" zone - "Burger King" in the same terminal E with almost urban prices.
Ground transportation
Rail
- Aeroexpress is the only rail link to the airport. Trains operate between the airport and the Belorussky Railway Terminal in the northwest section of the city centre. Trains depart every 30 or 60 minutes from 05:00 to 00:30. The journey takes 35 minutes and costs RUB500 one-way if you buy your ticket at the airport or RUB450 if you buy your ticket online or via mobile app in advance. Group travellers may also consider convenient group tickets: RUB850 for a couple or RUB950 for a group up to 4 people. Keep your paper or mobile ticket for the entire Aeroexpress journey. From the Belorussky Railway Terminal, the journey to the city center takes an additional 20 minutes by metro.
Bus
- Bus #851 (RUB55 for a 90-minute transfer ticket purchased from the driver) and Bus #949 (RUB80) operate service between the terminals and the Rechnoy Vokzal Metro Station, at the northwest terminus of Metro Line 2 (dark green). If taking the regular bus, the driver hands you a red card, which you scan in order to get past the metal turning gate. The majority of drivers don't speak any English, so don't depend on them for assistance. Once you get off the bus, continue by foot a few steps in the direction the bus was going in, and you'll see the metro station on your right in the first opening between the buildings. When returning to the airport, after leaving the Rechnoy Vokzal metro station, cross the street, go around the fence on the other side of the street and look for the bus under the orange-colored shopping center.
- Bus #817 (RUB55 for a 90-minute transfer ticket purchased from the driver) or Bus #948 (RUB80) operate service between the terminals and the Planernaya Metro Station, at the northwest terminus of Metro Line 7 (purple). The journey by bus to the metro stations takes approximately 40 minutes and the journey to the city centre by metro takes an additional 40 minutes. Buses operate from approximately 05:30 to 00:45.
- Night Bus H1 operates every 30 minutes after the other buses have stopped. The bus operates between the airport and the Leninskiy Prospect Metro Station.
Taxis
- Uber operates service to the city centre for a fixed base rate, before surge pricing, of RUB850-1000 for UberX, depending on distance. Transfers to the other Moscow airports cost a fixed rate, before surge pricing, of RUB1500.
- Fixed Price Official Taxis are available, with the price based on the destination neighborhood. A fixed price official taxi costs RUB1800 to the city centre. There is a toll of RUB100 for taking the highway to/from Sheremetyevo Airport.
Car
- Driving past the toll bar should be avoided whenever possible as there are fees to do so. In addition to entry charge of RUB100/hour (rounded up to the next hour), after entering the toll bar, there is an extra charge from RUB100/hour to RUB300/hour, depending on the distance from the entrance and the comfort of parking—with an unofficial option of an unlimited-time stay for RUB300. However, there are unofficial parking lots near the airport, with daily rates starting at RUB200.
Get around
There is a lot of walking between the terminals of the southern cluster. The distances are no more than at any other major airport, but compared to the usual Russian airport - large: for example, from Terminal F to the far end of Terminal D, it takes 7-10 minutes. You can drive an electric car for RUB100 per person.
Between the southern and northern clusters: while earlier irrelevant, the opening of Terminal B has changed things. The airport built the Interterminal underground passage connecting B (designated as the Sheremetyevo-1 stop) with D, E and F as well as the AeroExpress station (Sheremetyevo-2). This free service uses APM four-car trains to shuttle passengers between the clusters in 4 minutes, with the first two cars for lanside transit (passengers who hav not been through security) while the last two are for airside transit (passengers that have cleared security). There is also a luggage passage between the clusters as well. This is the first time such tunnels have been built under active runways.
Before, the only way was to use bus 41 from the southern cluster to Lobnya or by the ferry lines 948 and 949 towards Terminal B. In the opposite direction buses 817 and 851 are added. Travel time: 20-25 min due to the curved route and frequent stops.
Wait
The airport has plenty of ATMs and currency exchange offices, duty free shops, a hairdresser, a pharmacy, and several overpriced cafes and basic restaurants.
Eat and drink
Buy
Connect
Unlimited free WiFi is available.
Cope
There are storage chambers in each terminal, usually in the basement or on the 1st floor. Cost: RUB500 for the first day and RUB250 for each subsequent (2018). In the Aeroexpress terminal, for some reason, more expensive, there are also automatic cells with an hourly rate (even more expensive). If you depart from Sheremetyevo, the registration for Aeroflot flights opens 24 hours before departure, so you can hand in luggage in advance, and no luggage storage is needed.
There are business halls in each terminal in the departure zone (after inspection). Standard price list: RUB3500 for 3-4 hours stay. In addition to business halls, there are so-called VIP-halls where registration is conducted in a separate room, then you are led to inspection and passport control without a queue, and if you are lucky, they are delivered directly to the aircraft. All this is paid extra.
Sleep
- 🌍 Novotel Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport. If you have a layover at Sheremetyevo Airport, you may stay at here even if you do not have a Russian visa. Go to the 'Transfer/Transit Without Visa' desk upon arrival. You'll be escorted to the hotel in a private bus and stay in a corridor with personal security guard. Rooms are spacious and comfortable. You'll be picked up by Aeroflot staff about one hour prior to departure and the bus will bring you directly to the departure gate. The hotel offers rates for stays during the day, and overnight rates.