Sheremetyevo International (SVO)


    Located 35km  from Moscow about 45 minutes, Sheremetyevo-1 is the largest of Moscow's 5 airports, Sheremetyevo-1, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Bykovo providing flights from other parts of the former USSR, and the only one to receive flights from Western destinations. For a city the size of Moscow, this airport is tiny, it was built for the 1980 Olympics and was deliberately put so far out of the centre to discourage Muscovites from visiting, and seeing the foreigners. You should arrive at least 2 hours before your flight, as the authorities insist on photocopying your documents on old photocopiers, which require time to cool down after each use.

Tel: (095) 155 5045 or 245 0002. Fax: (095) 578 1832.
Website: www.sheremetyevo-airport.ru

Major airlines:

    Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines (tel: (095) 156 8019; website: www.aeroflot.org) is the national airline and flies to 150 destinations in 93 different countries. Most flights to Western destinations are on Boeing or Airbus aircraft - the fleet of Soviet-made aircraft is used primarily for domestic flights. Other airlines serving Sheremetyevo-2 include: Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa and Sabena.

Approximate flight times to Moscow:

    From London it's 3 hours 35 mins; from New York it's 8 hours 50 mins; from Los Angeles it's 12 hours 10 minutes; from Toronto it's 9 hours 20 mins; and from Sydney is 20 hours 5 mins (plus transfer).

Airport facilities:

    These include banks/bureaux de change, a post office,  a pharmacy,newsagents, bars, restaurants, cafés, duty-free shops, left-luggage and first-aid facilities. Car hire is also available from Avis and Europcar.

Business facilities: Sheremetyevo-2 has a 24-hour business centre at tel: (095) 578 7252; fax: (095) 956 4652

Arrival/departure tax: None.

Transport to the city:

    Most hotels will arrange to pick up their guests in a courtesy van for a fee between £20-£40. Taxis are probably the next simplest and safest way to get to the city, however, they are the most expensive £30-£50. Local bus 551 goes to metro Rechnoi Vokzal and bus 517 goes to metro Planernaya (journey times - 45 minutes by bus, then 30 minutes by metro to the centre). There is also the Autoline fixed-route taxi and Airbus service, which departs every 20 minutes.