Russia - transit without visa (TWOV) in St. Petersburg

I'm thinking of doing the following and would appreciate hints as to whether this will work and where potential problems are.

CGN-LED on Germanwings
LED-FRA on Lufthansa same day
layover < 24 hours for intercontinental flight from FRA

I'm a German national and don't intend to get a Russian visa. My understanding is that I should be able to do the transit in LED.

My questions

# Is TWOV in LED generally possible (assuming carry-on luggagge only)?
# Can I check in baggage with Germanwings at CGN and interline it to FRA?
# Can I check in baggage with Germanwings and recheck it in LED without a visa?
# where should I get the BP, can I already get it from LH in CGN?

Thank you for your help.

I can't help you with your questions, but did you get some sort of a good fare on this?

# Is TWOV in LED generally possible (assuming carry-on luggagge only)
Yes. Unlike in Moscow airports, LED airside is not separated for arriving and departing passengers. So if you have a boarding pass for your next flight all you need to do is to get to the gate for your next flight. No need to go through transit desk or any additional screening (security checks are done at the gate).

# Can I check in baggage with Germanwings at CGN and interline it to FRA?
You will need to check that with 4U. Normally they only check-through if your whole itenary is on one PNR.
# Can I check in baggage with Germanwings and recheck it in LED without a visa?
No.
# where should I get the BP, can I already get it from LH in CGN?
Try OLCI for your LH flight. I understand they offer this option for flights from LED. Alternatively you may contact transit desk once in LED (follow transfer signs). Beware they won't be able to check you in less then 45 minutes before scheduled flight departure.

While TWOV is possible in LED (including airside transfer between terminals), if I would be Germanwings check-in agent, I would probably not allow you to board without Russian visa. Even if you do OLCI for 4U flight your passport/visa would be checked at the gate. If you would have some reasonable ticket ex-LED (e.g. to some Central Asian destinations) that might be different story, but this kind of ticket - your chances of not getting on board in CGN are very high.
Besides, last time I tried to OLCI on LH ex-LED, I could not print my BP, although I could see that I was checked-in.

Luitje and Alexander, thank you for your very helpful comments.

I'd have plenty of time in LED to sort out potential problems once I'm there (about 3,5 hours layover). After your confirmation that I can indeed transit with carry-on luggage from the 4U plane to LH without leaving airside I agree that the biggest potential risk is the Germanwings checkin agent refusing to let me board in CGN. I'm trying to get confirmation from Germanwings ahead of time, but as an LCC they're not really easily approachable.

Alexander, do I understand correctly that you departed from LED, not transited there? That of course makes it much easier for you. Why is it that if you were the check-in agent you wouldn't let me board? The russian immigration rules seem to be quite clear that TWOV in my case is allowed (try nationality/destination/embarkation Germany and transit Russia at Timaticweb (http://www.staralliance.com/de/services/visa-and-health/) which AFAIU all airlines use to determine who to let on board). Do you think that choosing Air Baltic (transit in Riga on the way to LED) would be less of a risk? Apparently, they may even let me interline bags with Lufthansa.

Alexander, not sure what happened in your case, but I just reconfirmed with LH check-in that OLCI should give me a boarding pass complete with barcode and everything for LED as well. Maybe the email that LH sends out after OLCI somehow didn't reach you? Time permitting, I would also be able to get the ex-LED boarding pass in CGN. LH confirmed that as well. So, at least that looks good.

I do not think that transit in Riga increase (or decrease) your chances of being not allowed to board. In fact, I assume you would prefer if it would happen in your home airport of CGN,rather get stranded in RIX. I have never transited in LED, but I have inquired about TWOV procedure with the airline rep based in LED and got quite detailed info (you can search my posts in other threads if needed). I have always assumed that check-in agents have certain discretion re denied boarding for "suspicious" passengers. And since your case is rather erh unusual, I think you at the very least should have some convincing story for the CGN check in agent.

I do not think that transit in Riga increase (or decrease) your chances of being not allowed to board.

You said you would not allow me to board if you were the check-in agent. The only good reason I could come up at the time was that you would not consider me a transit pax since I return to the same country. That's why I thought transferring in Riga would strengthen my case.

I've now called Germanwings (what a let-down). They charged me an arm and a leg, yet still gave no definite answer. "Maybe we will let you board" was the concluding remark after 15 minutes in their 1€-a-minute hotline :td: Based on that experience of bad customer service alone I'm inclined to give my business to Air Baltic who've been just wonderful and replied to my email (!) within a few hours. The rep was cautious in chosing her words but confirmed that I would be let on board and treated as a transit pax as long I can show written proof from Russian immigration about the TWOV rules and have an onward connection. 4U didn't know about the TWOV rules, was too lazy to do the job I was paying them to do from my service fees to look them up and would not even do the minimal of confirming they would treat me as a transit pax instead of a OW pax. Germanwings would be much more convenient but I don't think I should reward them for their bad service.

Alexander, Luetje and everybody else, I hope you don't mind me asking another question out of curiousity; I think I read somewhere that Pulkovo airport and specifically the transit area is shut down at night. Yet, I count about 9 machines arriving between midnight and 6 in the morning (http://www.pulkovoairport.ru/eng/online_serves/online_timetable/arrivals/?p=2). I was wondering if it's possible to land in LED in the evening, remain in the transit area and board a plane the next morning. I'm sure it wouldn't be the most pleasant of experiences, but I wonder if it was possible at all.

Alexander, Luetje and everybody else, I hope you don't mind me asking another question out of curiousity; I think I read somewhere that Pulkovo airport and specifically the transit area is shut down at night. Yet, I count about 9 machines arriving between midnight and 6 in the morning (http://www.pulkovoairport.ru/eng/online_serves/online_timetable/arrivals/?p=2). I was wondering if it's possible to land in LED in the evening, remain in the transit area and board a plane the next morning. I'm sure it wouldn't be the most pleasant of experiences, but I wonder if it was possible at all.

You can but you wouldn't want to. There is a special waiting area/lounge for pax to use but there is a charge involved and I don't believe non visa holders can venture into it.

I don't mean this to sound rude but what exactly are you trying to attempt to do, your schedule seems rather quirky.

jredknapp11, thank you for your information. Don't worry, you don't come across as rude at all. Quite to the contrary. Your information is very much appreciated. Some of my questions are really simply out of curiousity. I transited in Moscow once about 15 years ago, but otherwise have no experience of Russia at all. A visa seems to be a royal pain in the rear to get so I try to avoid that almost at all cost.

First thing you may wonder is "why on earth does he try so hard to transit in LED?". Answer is that it's substantially cheaper for me to start my journey in LED, then transit via FRA and on to my destination than going straight from FRA to my destination. Second question may be "why overnight?". It increases the options for a transit connection, that's all. If one has to leave on the same day, it's early morning flights to LED and afternoon and evening flights from LED only.

If you have more information about that waiting area, I'd be interested to hear about it. Especially if you have some way of confirming that it's airside. Does the transit area get closed down and one has to stay in this designated area? I wouldn't mind a charge as long as it's not outrageous.

Really surprised to hear that LED is the cheapest point to start your trip. I would guess that at least during the busy periods (current peak summer, other holidays,etc) LED2 remains at least formally open 24 hours (i.e. no shops or bars). Indeed, there is at least one flight arriving or departing every hour throughout the night. But it is mainly because of the increase of the charter flights to toursit destinations that are not there during regular schedule. BTW, just wanted to warn you that all (2?) small bars that I saw at airside in LED have signs that you can only pay in cash roubles. And I am sure they all are closed at night.

A visa seems to be a royal pain in the rear to get so I try to avoid that almost at all cost.

Actually, getting a visa for Russia is pretty simple if one uses an agency, and St. Petersburg is well worth a visit :), even just for a day.

Answer is that it's substantially cheaper for me to start my journey in LED, then transit via FRA and on to my destination than going straight from FRA to my destination.

L4ibsch, I would be interested to learn more about the fares - I often go to other places such as LHR, AMS or TLV to start my Lufthansa longhaul journeys there (usually in Z class) which is usually much cheaper than from Germany or Russia - I would love to find an option out of Russia. Ex Moscow used to be sky high, has that changed?

jredknapp11, thank you for your information. Don't worry, you don't come across as rude at all. Quite to the contrary. Your information is very much appreciated. Some of my questions are really simply out of curiousity. I transited in Moscow once about 15 years ago, but otherwise have no experience of Russia at all. A visa seems to be a royal pain in the rear to get so I try to avoid that almost at all cost.

First thing you may wonder is "why on earth does he try so hard to transit in LED?". Answer is that it's substantially cheaper for me to start my journey in LED, then transit via FRA and on to my destination than going straight from FRA to my destination. Second question may be "why overnight?". It increases the options for a transit connection, that's all. If one has to leave on the same day, it's early morning flights to LED and afternoon and evening flights from LED only.

If you have more information about that waiting area, I'd be interested to hear about it. Especially if you have some way of confirming that it's airside. Does the transit area get closed down and one has to stay in this designated area? I wouldn't mind a charge as long as it's not outrageous.


The terminal is open 24 hours but very little is open after 10pm. The lounge I mentioned is open but the amenities are very cut and dry during the overnight shift.

Since you'll be TWOV this lounge and most of the terminal will be off limits to you. I can't say I have done an overnight here but I have been in and out of the terminal about six or so times and those who are TWOV are hurded into their respective gate area's. Don't expect much in terms of anything other then a place to sit and ponder your thoughts.