Feature Articles > Jane's Travel Bullets > Ah...Moscow

There are two airports in Moscow.  Many choices of vodka in both.  More humourless officials than you can shake a stick at.  Enjoy!

Sheremetyevo and Domodedevo are much easier to navigate than pronounce. 

Sheremetyevo is the older of the two and, is much improved by the recent renovations (especially compared to when I was first there in 1984).  There never, however, seem to be enough passport staff at Sheremetyevo which means you should follow this advice:

RUN!

Don't stroll off the plane thinking you will be greeted by beautiful, smiling young women with flaxen braids. 

RUN! FASTER!

The customs officials are some of the grumpiest in the world. (I am sure it is because there is no natural light).  There is no orderly queuing system.  It takes ages to process each arrival as they glare, stamp, glare, stamp, glare and stamp.  Don't try to humour them or talk basic Russian to them.  It does not work.

RUN FASTEST!

Wiley locals send a sprinter to the front of the line and then let in the 15 members of their family.  Any excuse for queue jumping seems worthy:  a new baby, an old lady, a sore toe, an urgent meeting...you get what I mean.  Run and keep your elbows out.

From Sheremetyevo the only real transfer option is by car.  Have a car come to collect you and make sure to use the loo before you go because traffic is terrible and it will take you at least an hour to get into Moscow.

Domodedevo, on the other hand is pretty new and shiny.  This does not, however, seem to have positively impacted the mood of any official.  Look on the bright side:  there are more of them!  You need not train as a sprinter to get through customs quickly in this airport. 

Another benefit is that there is a regular train into the centre of Moscow, thus speeding your journey into town.  When you get into the arrivals hall, follow the little, overhead sign with a train on it and you will get to the end of the airport and you will actually see the train.  It pulls right up to the airport.  Buy a ticket (huge queues when I was there last but maybe it has improved) and get on.  Be pushy, be assertive - it helps to fit in!