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Airport and Train Station Transfers
If you already know that you want an airport transfer or train station transfer, book now, otherwise feel free to read on and learn about the Moscow Airports and Train Stations.
Moscow Airports
When arriving in Moscow on an international flight you will usually land at either Sheremetyevo 2 International Airport or Domodedovo International Airport. Sheremetyevo 1 is the domestic terminal located at Sheremetyevo airport. There is a third airport called Vnukovo International Airport, which services domestic flights and a large range of chartered international flights. Domodedovo also services a large range of domestic flights. The fourth airport in Moscow is Bykovo Airport, which is used solely for domestic flights due to its short runway and the fifth airport is located at Ostafyevo and is privately operated by Gazpromavia. Gazpromavia provide a range of scheduled domestic flights, but their primary focus is on chartered business flights, for which they operate a fleet of highly equipped business jets.
Sheremetyevo 2 was built for the 1980 Olympic Games and is the older of the two international terminals, but it has undergone renovations in recent years (and there are more taking place again) and the facilities and services have been much improved. There is presently construction taking place of a third terminal at Sheremetyevo, to enable it to cope with the increased air traffic it is receiving. Domodedovo is a much newer airport, with very modern facilities and excellent features. It is also undergoing some major expansion (almost doubling in size) so that it can cope with the increased air traffic it receives.
If you are unsure which airport you are landing at, the codes used in your airline tickets will assist you. The codes are DME for Domodedovo, SVO for Sheremetyevo (1 and 2), VKO for Vnukovo and BKA for Bykovo. Ostafyevo does not currently have an IATA Code but its ICAO Code is UUMO.
For a list of the airlines that are presently using Domodedovo, Sheremetyeo 2 and Vnukovo, click here...
All airports are well sign posted (inside and outside) in Russian and English and there are many people at the airports that will have knowledge of different languages, especially English.
For plans showing the layout of the airports, please click on the relevant links below: (Note: The layout at the airports is currently undergoing change as they are going through expansion, but these are the best layout plans available. There is currently no layout plan available for Ostafyevo airport)
- For an interactive plan of Domodedovo International Airport, click here…
- For static plans of Sheremetyevo 2 International Airport, click here...
- For an interactive plan of Vnukovo International Airport, click here...
- For a static plan of Bykovo Airport, click here...
Some of the airports also maintain excellent websites (in both Russian and English) that provide extensive information for travellers, including online flight information and general information about the airports and how to get to and around them (Ostafyevo airport will soon be launching a new website). To go to the airport websites, follow the links below:
Transfers to and from Moscow Airports
We can arrange for transfers from your arrival airport to your apartment or other arrival destination and from your apartment or departure location to your departure airport. You do NOT need to rent one of our apartments to arrange an airport transfer.
If you arrange for an airport arrival transfer you will be greeted at the airport arrival area (located after immigration and customs for international flights) with a sign showing your name and the driver will assist you and your luggage to the car and then deliver you to your apartment or other arrival destination. If you have arranged for an Airport VIP service upon arrival, the driver will meet you in the VIP lounge. If you request an airport departure transfer, the driver will collect you from your apartment or departure location and deliver you and your luggage to the departure set-down area of the relevant airport.
When placing initial transfer bookings, in addition to flight information, we will also require a copy of your Passport ID page to assist in ensuring that we are able to correctly identify you. The information in your Passport will also enable us to assist you if there is some delay or problem at the airport and we need to either contact you through airport Officials or locate your whereabouts.
All Moscow airports are located outside the MKAD, a main arterial road which circles the greater Moscow City precinct - in opposite directions to each other. The time to travel to each of the airports from the City Centre is usually about 90 minutes, but that is dependent upon traffic and weather conditions. It is advisable to allow 2 hours for travel to the airports in the event of traffic delays or difficulties.
With most airlines requiring international departure passengers to check-in 2 hours prior to the scheduled departure time, you should generally leave for any airport between 3½ - 4 hours before the scheduled departure time (if leaving from the City Centre area), subject to any adverse traffic and weather conditions, which may extend that time frame. For more information on delays and routes, click here…
All airports provide trolleys for departure and arrival passengers and in addition to that, when departing from the airports, they also provide a luggage wrapping service where your luggage can be wrapped in plastic. This service is very good, only takes a few minutes and provides excellent security for your luggage and keeps it clean. The cost is about 150 Rubles (€4.50) for a normal size piece of luggage.
For a static location map of the Moscow Airports, click here… or to view a Yandex interactive map of the Moscow Airports, click here...
Our fee for an Airport transfer is €50
Note: This fee covers a one way transfer to or from either International Airport travelling to or from any point within the MKAD (Additional fees may apply if you are located outside the MKAD). The fee includes parking and waiting for the first 30 minutes for arrivals. Additional waiting time after the first 30 minutes is charged at €5 per 30 minutes. Vehicle used is a Hyundai Tucson, Executive Level, Full Leather Interior, 4WD, V6. Other VIP Prestige Mercedes Vehicles can be booked for Airport Transfers, click here for the gallery of photos. Please see the booking form for details and click here for prices.
Moscow Train Stations
If you are arriving in Moscow by train, whether on an international or domestic train, you will arrive at one of nine Moscow Train Stations. It is important that if you are being met by someone at the train station, that you tell them which train carriage you will be in (the carriage number is printed on your train ticket). Many Moscow trains are between 17 and 19 carriages long which is a substantial distance to walk if you are carrying luggage or need assistance, so knowing which carriage you are in will help people find you when the train arrives.
Most train stations are relatively well populated with cafe’s, snack food, drink vendors, small shops with newspapers and books, along with a steady population of vagrants that seem to live there all the time. Petty thieving is much more likely at a train station than anywhere else in Moscow, so keep your baggage and valuables under close scrutiny at all times.
You will also find that many of the train stations only have covering for some of the trains or for only some of the carriages of the trains, so if it is wet you will need an umbrella and if it is snowing, prepare to walk through the snow and get cold. Train stations are always cold, wet and windy, so assume that if you were cold in the train, it will be very cold outside the train and if you are meeting someone at a train, allow for the weather to be colder than you thought it was.
When you arrive at a train station there will always be many dozens of people offering their services as taxi drivers, but you should only use official taxis. There will also be a Metro station either in the train station or very close to it, so Metro transport will always be available - if the Metro is running when you arrive. There will also be Porters at most train stations who can help you carry your luggage (they will have trolleys and will wear a vest or jacket that identifies them as a Porter). The cost for carrying your luggage should be written on their trolley (if the writing has not worn off from over use) but be warned, the fee is usually about 100 - 150 Rubles per item of luggage, so if they are carrying 4 bags (irrespective of size) you will be paying about 600 Rubles to have them taken outside the train station on a trolley. A small fold-up trolley can be purchased for that price at many stores.
The train stations in Moscow are all located near the Garden Ring Road (the second ring road of Moscow), so they are not too far to travel to, although they are all located in areas where traffic is heavy and often jammed, so getting there and back can still be very time consuming. Congestion is very heavy near all the train stations and if your train is arriving/departing in the middle of the day or during peak hour, you will need to allow extra time to get to the train station. During the early morning and late evening, traffic will flow better, so there is less chance of any traffic delays. You will find that the number of people at the train stations will still be significant, no matter what time you are there.
For further information on the nine Moscow Train Stations, click on the relevant thumb nail picture on the left hand side of this page.
To view a Yandex interactive map of the Moscow Train Stations, click here...
Our fee for a Train Station transfer is €25
Note: This fee covers a one way transfer to or from any of the 9 specified Train Stations travelling to or from any point within the MKAD (Additional fees may apply if you are located outside the MKAD). The fee includes parking and waiting for the first 30 minutes for arrivals. Additional waiting time after the first 30 minutes is charged at €5 per 30 minutes. Vehicle used is a Hyundai Tucson, Executive Level, Full Leather Interior, 4WD, V6.
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