MOSCOW SHEREMETYEVO AIRPORT review : 7 June 2008 : by R Brizzi
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |  |
I have been flying in and out of this airport for the past two months and I think it is great! If
you love suffering and misery that is. It is without a doubt the worst airport in europe. It is
drab, inefficient to the point of ludicracy and an absolute nightmare to get to and from. Leaving on
a flight at 10pm, you will have to leave the city at around 5:30pm and be prepared to spend 2-3
hours in traffic. You will go through 3 security points - customs and passport control. Everything
takes twice as long compared to anywhere else - you will need the full two hours before your flight
to get through all the hoops. Past passport control there are a few duty free shops - nothing
interesting and some restaurants on a raised level that has no lift - so if you are not good at
stairs - forget about them. This airport is an embarassment to Russia.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by M Jackson
5 May 2008 Customer Rating : 
I was laid over in terminal 1 for 6 hours between Vienna and Bishkek, and I don't want to be
overdramatic, but I will: this terminal is like one of the levels of hell. It was like spending a
day held hostage in a branch of H Samuels. The whole of the waiting area is geared towards selling
expensive goods, like kalashnikov-shaped bottles of vodka, and chunky wristwatches. All of the food
is overpriced. Whenever I saw passengers with a problem, the staff treated them as though they were
7-year olds who still couldn't tie a shoelace. Although there are windows, there were no windows to
look out of and the inside is so drab, so it has a timeless quality to it (in the Limbo, rather than
the Righteous Brothers sense). Very worst of all is the lack of seating; The raised balcony level
is wide enough for a two-lane road, and yet there's nothing there but people sitting or lying on the
floor, some of whom who have had the foresight to bring a piece of cardboard as a seat. Insane.
In summary the general impression that I got from Sheremetyevo Airport is that the architects and
staff hate you and have made a concerted effort to make your realisation of this hatred into a well-
rounded day out. Thank goodness I didn't have to leave the airport and get a taxi.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Walter Sun
23 April 2008 Customer Rating :
Avoid this airport if you can. If you need to get into Moscow, then be ready to either get ripped
off by the taxi driver and or get stuck in traffic and or take like 3 different modes of transport
just to get inside Moscow. There is no excuse for such a pitiful airport because if you fly into
Domodedovo, the service, transportation link (direct rail) into Moscow and everything about it is
almost on par to other international airports.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Robert Long
15 February 2008 Customer Rating :
Terminal 1 - to blow it up is too easy a way out. Staff are most non helpful people there is - whole
building is disgraceful. Dont get a boarding card for the next flight from terminal 1. The woman
wants a ticket to stamp, and a boarding card is not acceptable, and she is ignorant that she does
not know that they take the ticket when issuing a boarding card. So shout as loud as you can for a
supervisor, then she throws the ticket at you - then happiness you have got past the security desk.
Dont ask for information at an information desk, even if your flight is delayed and there is no
announcements in English or Russian as to what is happening, they turn their back and walk away.
Terminal 2 works quite well, but terminal 1 is only for Russians who accept anything from some one
in uniform. Dont try writing and complaining, no one answers. Dont have a short connection from 1 to
2, because the transit has never worked. If you have an SU flight and its code share, with SAS for
example, they will not assist and tell you to get a bus, its not the 25 rubles it costs, its the
time and lost flight. Then try explaining why you want to check in after the check in is closed,
they either dont believe or dont care. Terminal 1 is the worst. They complain and say its the bad
country they live in, its not - its the people who accept this service. I am told that 1000 rubles
helps as a bribe. They take this to expedite the service.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Damion Heersink
15 February 2008 Customer Rating : 
Flew through in transit. Upon landing the customs agent wouldn't open the transit door for those of
us just passing through (he chuckled at us for 20 minutes). I had a slight problem with my business
class Aeroflot ticket, and to fix it I was sent on a run-around to 3 desks. I finally called the
ticket office in New York who then called (3-way) to the desk in Moscow (with me standing right
there!). It seemed there were more of these stores selling Rolexes, nice vodka and perfumes, etc.
than there were gates. Paid 30 Euros for a pretty bad piece of salmon at one of the upstairs
restaurants, but the server was actually very nice. In fact, aside from the Aeroflot people and the
transit door operator I found most of the local shopkeepers, restaurant staff, and fellow travelers
to be helpful and friendly. One man saw I had no Ruble coins for the vending machines so he kindly
bought me a bottle of water. But that's the only good part: the place exudes depression,
indifference to passenger comfort and convenience, and a kind of black-hole. Many people were
sitting/lying on the floors with looks on their faces as if they had been there a while and didn't
know when they were leaving. Flight to Beijing was delayed 5 hours but we were never told why. A
relic of the Communist past, the only reason I'm giving S2 a 2 Star rating and not a 1 Star is
because the locals I met made the stay bearable and interesting. This is the Detroit Greyhound Bus
station of international air travel.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by R Alexander
8 January 2008 Customer Rating :
I have used Sheremetyevo airport many times over the past few years, and now terminal 2 is being
upgraded and made to be more customer friendly. I think that there is a terminal 3 being built
mainly for Aeroflot, hopefully International and domestic flights that will save having to go to the
disgraceful terminal 1, which is a hangover from Soviet times, to catch a domestic flight.
Terminal 1 ought to be blown up to a zillion pieces as it is very bad.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Kenny Andreasen
30 November 2007 Customer Rating :
I have been through SVO many times when flying Aeroflot, and even though conditions have improved
over the years after all, it's simply not good enough. When I tell people about SVO I often hear
"come on, it's Russian", but why is that an excuse? When flying from Europe to Asia, the transit
times are often several hours. There is nothing to do, no nice places to rest if you don't want to
pay far too much for a small cup of coffee. All staff look tired and as if they don't want to be
there (which they probably don't). The atmosphere is old and dirty (and who got that brilliant idea
with the world's ugliest piece of art in the ceiling). So why do I keep flying Aeroflot? Because it
is cheap, and the airline itself is fair . But come on, with very little improvement conditions at
SVO could be raised drastically.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by L Hopkins
26 October 2007 Customer Rating :
I was stuck in the airport for 9 hrs and it wasn't a bad experience. It is very true that you should
take toilet paper and a lawn chair because there are maybe 30 seats in the entire airport. Just beware
the vendors are not very helpful. If you need help proceed through the airport and you will find two
small windows with Aeroflot employees that will guide you very slowly. It is an experience you will
not soon forget, but interesting just the same.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by A Durukan
2 September 2007 Customer Rating :
Don't use it if you have other options, it is worth the money, even extra waiting hours. Bad colors
make you feel you're in a den, non-smiling, unhelpful, unkind, non English speaking personnel. People
eat, sleep and rest on the floors. Avoid this airport.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Greg Galik
25 August 2007 Customer Rating :
Never again. Terrible, no place for rest, people sit, eat, sleep on every available square centimetre.
Not many of them left as the airport is packed with shops selling the same stuff. You will be well
informed where to buy grog, cigarettes, perfumes, but you will never find a sign where is the only one
information. Friendly advice to the airport management, there is some spare spaces in the toilets, you
can put some shops there.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by R Rees
10 August 2007 Customer Rating :
Arrived at Sheremetyevo on a 12 hour flight from LA and all of the horror stories I read about this
airport were true. The plane was parked on the tarmac and we were bussed to the terminal and passport
control. At passport control there were about 1000 people all trying to get through only two lines for
foreigners and one line for residents - I was in line for 1 hour 45 minutes. After passport control is
the baggage claim area - the only way I can describe it was "complete chaos"! The conveyor belt that
carried our baggage was broken and so the workers were crawling back into the unload area and dragging
our baggage from there and then throwing in on a huge pile! Luckily I spotted my bag and was able to
get a Russian worker to retrieve it for me from behind the wall where it was sitting. I left the
airport as quickly as possible, thankful I made it through such an awful place with my baggage.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Sally Fraser
31 July 2007 Customer Rating : 
Sheremetyevo 2. Flying Lufthansa to Frankfurt on a Friday afternoon. We
found this airport to be pleasant and efficient. The layout is good with
lots of places to eat and drink and many duty free shops to wander
around. Security, customs and check in all went without a hitch and took
about 15 minutes in total although we did see longer queues later in the
afternoon. Toilets are not the best and mostly without paper. Two
problems we encountered are no escalators to the first floor and also
once you check through your departure gate, you cannot come out again.
Once inside this area, there is very limited plastic seating and no
other facilities, so stay outside in the duty free area until your
flight is ready to board. There are illuminated signs at each boarding
gate displaying the flights leaving from it and you don't have to walk
miles to get to them as they are all off the main area in a circular
fashion. Would use this international airport again.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Nick Fortuna
27 June 2007 Customer Rating :
I've had the misfortune of travelling through Sheremetyevo 2 on a
variety of Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and Aeroflot flights at least
once per month over the past 10 years. While announcements were made
with much fanfare regarding various facilities upgrades, not much has
happened. Sure, border control staff got new cubicles, the dreadful
copper ceiling features were removed in the arrivals area, and a couple
of plasmas installed - nothing made this airport any more appealing.
Morning departures on weekends are the pits - mainly Aeroflot flights
leaving and pax queuing well into the main terminal just to get through
customs and baggage screening. Check-in is flight-specific and only
starts two hours before departure. Once past Customs, one cannot get
back into the main terminal building. Not that there is anything to do
there. Avoid mid-afternoon arrivals if you can - most of the European
flights arrive then. Avoid weekends during summer - charters galore and
arrivals queues right up the stairs can take hours to clear. There are
no defined queues and processing speeds vary among the border control
staff. Duty free shopping overpriced - and in Euro to boot. Irish pub a
disgrace - soggy microwaved ham/cheese croissants for around 5 euros. On
plastic plates. Draft beers often unavailable. Lots of locals smoking
under no-smoking signs. Most lounges upstairs, but no
elevators/escalators to get you there. Only one shop sells foreign
language reading material - and only accepts rubles. No seating until
the gate area. Beware that this is a one-way trip through hand-baggage
screening. No toilets, no way back into the main area and no
refreshments. What toilets there are scattered around the airport are
terrible. Once you've collected the baggage and head out into the dingy
arrivals hall, the entire Moscow taxi mafia is there to greet you and
offer an 'official' taxi. Best strategy: arrange your pick-up in advance
otherwise you'll cop the foreigner surcharge. One bright spot: when it
is not busy, I've managed to be in my car within 15 minutes of stepping
off the plane. Unless you can't, avoid!
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by J Icban
14 May 2007 Customer Rating :
To be blunt this airport sucks. The other airport across town,
Domodedovo, is slightly better, but not by much. Getting through
passport control takes anywhere between 5 minutes to an hour, depending
on how busy it is. Best way to get through is just not smile, don't say
a word unless asked, get your baggage, and get out of there. Staff are
unfriendly and unhelpful. Getting out of their isn't too bad. You go
through passport control, and into the departure area. There are a
couple of decent duty-free shops and a couple of overpriced restaurants
and bars there. But while waiting there is no place to sit down, other
than a few uncomfortable seats. Nasty bathrooms, too. It's already hard
enough as it is going to Russia, with their strict visa regulations.
Going through their airport in Moscow-Sheremetyevo doesn't make things
any better. In sum, if going through Moscow and through Russia, try
going through Domodedovo Airport instead. They have international
flights coming from a few countries in Europe, such as Switzerland and
the UK. And one more note, if going to Russia, be sure that you
thoroughly do your research, much of this information can be found
online, as to how to get through customs, how to get into town from the
airport, how to transfer from one terminal to another, etc. Because
unless you have a friend picking you up there, if you've never been to
Russia and don't know anything about it, it will be very difficult as
there will be no one there to help you.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Neil Allison
9 May 2007 Customer Rating :
Aeroflot from London LHR to Bangkok via SVO return. On the outward
journey I was issued with boarding cards for both sectors (only after
insisting at LHR check in where the Air France handling staff were not
helpful). On arrival at SVO I was faced with a huge queue at the
transfer desks manned by 2 personnel. There were at least 200 people
from several flights crammed into a totally inadequate space. I had to
persuade a security guard that it was unnecessary for me to queue up as
I already had my boarding card for SVO-BKK - she eventually let myself
and several other passengers through a side door into the departure area
- I only just made the onward flight to Bangkok. My luggage did not make
the transfer, but was delivered to my address in Thailand the following
day. On the return journey I only had a boarding card for BKK-SVO so had
to collect a boarding card for SVO-LHR at the transfer desks. About 75
passengers all in a similar position - no one appeared at the desks for
15 minutes after our flight landed. Then 2 personnel appeared - luckily
they dealt with the London passengers first, but a lot of pushing and
shoving - no proper queue etc. Quite stressful and totally unnecessary -
I normally fly Glasgow to BKK on Emirates via Dubai - an absolute
breeze as you are always given boarding cards for both sectors and pass
swiftly into the departure lounge at Dubai Airport. Why can't the
Russians get this right! My luggage also did not make the transfer on
the return journey - I am now back in Scotland waiting for it to arrive
by road transport from LHR!
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Norman Sutherland
4 April 2007 Customer Rating :
Arrived and Departed both through SVO 1 and 2. On SVO 2 arrivals was
slick and quick - through in 20 minutes. Departures in SVO 2 was less
efficient. I found the Restaurants landside very expensive, and airside
poor in quality and in selection. Although flying Lufthansa Business
Class I was not allowed to use the Lufthansa Lounge, which was virtually
empty. Gold Card Members only. SVO 1 Arrivals was very crowded,
congested and disorganised - about 45 minutes to get out of the
terminal. Departures as evidenced by other posts here is the worst part
of this airport and the worst of any Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by . About 15 minutes
from SVO 1 to SVO 2 in mid morning.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by David Pryer
29 March 2007 Customer Rating :
Transferred SVO 2 international to SVO 1 domestic. Complimentary minibus transfer between terminals
was easy enough and as I was through ticketed MAN-AMS-SVO-KZN I could travel luggage free. My bag
however didn't make the transfer, and, although found quickly enough by SVO staff, it didn't arrive
in Kazan for another two weeks. SVO 1 is the pits.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Szabolcs Mihalyi
26 March 2007 Customer Rating :
4hr stay at SVO on my way from ZRH to BOM. Clean and functional with the
charm of communist eighties architecture. Had to present my passport and
boarding pass for SVO-BOM (that I already had received in ZRH) at the
transit desk, before I was let through to the transit area. This is one
big narrow path with shops left and right. Upstairs on the arcade are
several lounges and restaurants. No place to sit, except in the
restaurants or the waiting lounges next to the gates, where you don't
want to spend several hours of waiting, as there is neither shops nor
bars nor toilets inside. Given the missing places to sit on I decided to
do like all transit passengers seem to do: camping on the corridor's
floor upstairs after having bought beer and water for the waiting time.
As an experienced rucksack traveller I did not mind, but I am sure
others - eg. business travellers in economy or people jetlagged from a
longhaul flight - might perceive this situation differently.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Vincent Daniele
26 February 2007 Customer Rating : n/a
My first time in Russia, I don't speak Russian and understand less! I
had arrived at the International airport and had a 13 hour layover. So I
stayed there for 5 hours and then went to the other airport for my
domestic flight. Here's my tip, stay at the international as long as you
can, it has everything you need. I found it delightful, plenty of food
and seats, if you smoke you can sit, eat and have your smoke at your
table. There are shops, internet, I think it was great. The domestic
airport is different, nothing to do and not many seats, and not as
clean. And a $20 cab ride door to door is well worth it. If you have a
long layover you can check you bags for a few bucks and don't have to
drag them around with you. So forget the horror stories and look forward
to it! Oh, one last tip, put a roll of toilet paper in your carry on!
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by John Marchant
29 January 2007
An absolute dungeon. I have to fly through here 10x year due to my job
location (Bishkek, KG). Connecting layovers can easily hit double digits
in terms of hours. As I write this I am going on 11 hours waiting for my
connecting flight to Bishkek. Priority Pass will let you into the
"lounge" but it is marginal at best. I would recommend taking only carry
on luggage. Those of us that travel through here frequently have renamed
the airport Shitemetyevo. Better yet, route through Istanbul, a
wonderful airport and if you have a long layover Turkish Air will
provide you with a nice hotel room, unlike here where they want $300 for
a hotel room. I love the sign hanging outside duty free "Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by - It's Another World". Yes, it is! Please bulldoze this airport.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Rob McKenzie
20 November 2006
I use Sheremetyevo airport about once a month to return home to Athens or London. Getting checked in
is always a pain. Travelling with Aeroflot, they don't open the check in for each flight until 2
hours before departure. So everyone queues up and clogs the security while waiting. And of course
the queue is just a mad dash from all sides to get a seat. After that passport control is usually
simple. Arriving is another matter. There are plenty of duty free shops, and prices are reasonable.
They've recently installed further security at the gate. Be prepared to take off your shoes.
Arrival can be a completely different matter. Early morning arrivals appear to be much easier.
Getting through passport control can take as little as 20 minutes. Evening arrivals can mean an hour
and a half wait. But don't worry, your bags may still not be there for you. So allow about an hour
on average to get landside. On the whole the airport is a pit. It had seen better days 20 years ago, and is nothing like a
modern airport.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Yevheniy Kahanovych
17 November 2006
I use SVO about once a month flying usually to and from T1. Immigration
lines on arrivals are ok, about 20 minutes or so. Immigration staff are
polite (if you greet them, they respond what they didn;t do, for
example, 2 years ago). Everything else is just as bad as it was during
old soviet era. Dirty restrooms, dark halls, long lines everywhere. If
even departure from there is a sort of torture, I can't imaging what
transiting through there (especially changing terminals) is like. The
airport continues to be shabby and badly managed place. Avoid it if you
can.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport review by Roseanne Sherman
15 November 2006
I fly into and out of Sheremetyevo 1 and 2 at least 6 times a year, and
I absolutely dread it. The immigration lines are ALWAYS incredibly long
- I have had to wait up to 3 hours in line at times. Luggage seems to
always survive, though. This airport is always incredibly noisy and
people are generally unhelpful. It is true that getting to Terminal 1
from Terminal 2 is interesting and the cab drivers will rip unsuspecting
passengers off. The only positive thing I have to say about this
airport is there are plenty of duty free shops and there is no charge
for luggage trolleys at Terminal 2. There are no luggage trolleys at
Terminal 1. SVO-2 has 2 business class lounges; I have only been to one
of them. They are nothing special. They just get you away from the
noise of the airport.
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