Connection at Sheremetyevo
 

I'm flying Aeroflot round trip from JFK to EVN with transfers at SVO each way. I know that all my flights arrive at/depart from Terminal D at SVO. My layovers are both well under 24 hours. That means I don't need a transit visa from the Russian Federation right? At any rate, do I have to go through Passport control? And is smoking allowed in the airport anywhere? Also, does anyone know how Aeroflot is about bags (i.e. do they lose them as often as Delta and Air France? Thanks.

You don't need a visa if you are not going to leave the airport. You will pass through a connecting passenger station, where they will check your tickets/passport then let you back in to the international departures section.

I've flown Aeroflot quite a lot and never had a bag lost (realizing that this has now probably cursed me to lose a bag on my next flight).

There is free wifi throughout Terminal D - quite nice for a layover.

-One more question, I normally bring my backpack (Personal Item) and a roll-aboard (carry-on) with me into the passenger compartment. Will that be ok on Aeroflot? I know it is on AF and DL. Also, does anyone know where you can smoke in SVO?

There are smoking areas in Terminal D. You can see at least one marked on this map near gate 31:

http://wwww.aeroflot.ru/download/svo-3-departure.pdf

For the carry on bags, they probably won't bother you when you're connecting. But when you leave Yerevan you might have a problem if your carry on is too heavy or large:

http://www.aeroflot.ru/cms/en/before...rry_on_baggage

Isn't the whole airport a de facto smoking area.

Isn't the whole country :eek:ne?!

I've personally checked into various moscow hotels, (Lotte, PH to name a few)
and ALWAYS found an ash tray in a NON SMOKING room.

The irony...

Certainly not.

Is there still a way to transit from SVOC to SVOD/E with no visa? I'm traveling with some non visa holders from DOK to JFK via SVO in August and would love to not have to get them visas. Is there still a sterile way from the other side of the complex over to the new terminal?

Anyone have experience missing their connection at SVO? I'm choosing between a 65 minute and a 19 hour layover to get from Seoul ICN to Stockholm ARN. The website says the minimum layover is 50 minutes but the ICN-SVO leg is only 60% on time.

Go for a 65 minutes connection. There's a good chance you will make it - D is not a very big terminal and if your first flight arrives on time you will have enough time to clear security and be at your gate 10 minutes before departure.

In case you miss it, they'll put you in a hotel and give you a food voucher. Their airside hotel is not a great place to stay but better than hanging around at the airport.

If you book a 19 hours connection you'll have to fend for yourself. Airline will be under no obligation to accomodate you at the hotel - this will be your very own decision to linger at the airport for 19 hours.

No and I don't believe there has ever been one.

Well people smoke all over the place in terminal F. They are probably more stringent in E and D with smoking lounges. I am so happy that all passengers have access to all terminals within security and airside. Being stuck in F is not fun at all. The terminal should be totally renovated and reorganized. Many gates are virtually stuck in between shops creating chaotic situations while boarding.

Well I would go for the 19 hr connection and obtain a transit visa and go into Moscow if one got the time.

Not that I expect SVO to be a bastion of common sense but wouldn't having a transit option at one commercial terminal kinda assume you'd need it for all commercial terminals?

Suggestions for what to do here? I have two US passengers who will have no visa connecting from a Ukraine flight to a US bound flight at SVO-D. We'll have about 3 hours to make the jaunt.

Does that VIP International service that meets you plane side still work in the SVOs? That might be an option. I think we just need to find a way to stay airside and get from C to D/E.

Just when I thought I had every oddity figured out, SVO strikes again!

Updated response from SVO BUT they seem to not definitively say anything about SVO C. I know when I think of SVO I think of all terminals but do they? Their response:


Мы признательны Вам за обращение на наш сайт и сообщаем, что транзитные пассажиры могут находиться в транзитной зоне Международного Аэропорта Шереметьево не более 24 часов, не оформляя транзитной визы.

С уважением, Иванова Иванна

Всего Вам доброго!