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Travel - International
Note: Travel to the Chechen Republic and to the north Caucasus region is not recommended. For further information visitors should seek official advice.
AIR: The national airline is Aeroflot – Russian International Airlines (SU). Other airlines serving the Russian Federation include Air France, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Czech Airlines, El Al, Finnair, Lufthansa and SAS Scandinavian Airlines.
Approximate flight times: From Moscow or St Petersburg to London is 3 hours 45 minutes. From Moscow to Almaty is 4 hours 40 minutes, to Baku is 3 hours 10 minutes, to Bukhara is 3 hours 40 minutes, to Kiev is 1 hour 45 minutes, to Minsk is 1 hour 20 minutes, to Odessa is 2 hours, to Samarkand is 3 hours 50 minutes and to Yerevan is 2 hours 50 minutes.
International airports: Moscow (SVO) (Sheremetyevo) (website: www.sheremetyevo-airport.ru) is 35km (22 miles) northwest of the city. Taxis are available at the airport to the city centre for approximately US$10-15 (travel time – 30-40 minutes). ‘Autoline’ fixed-route taxis and buses are also available. Express coaches depart for the city every 20 minutes (0545-0030). Coaches depart for the airport from the Central Air Terminal in Moscow, 37 Leningradsky Prospekt (travel time – 50 minutes for international flights). Express trains leave every 30 minutes. Airport facilities include outgoing duty-free shops, banks/bureaux de change, post office, car hire, restaurants and first aid. Moscow also has three primarily domestic airports: see Travel – Internal.
St Petersburg (LED) (Pulkovo) is 17km (10.5 miles) south of the city. Buses are available to the city centre 0700-2000 every 10 minutes (travel time – 10 minutes). Taxis are available for roughly US$10 (travel time – 15 minutes). Airport facilities include 24-hour banks/bureaux de change (in arrival hall bureaux de change is open Wed 1030-2030, Sun 1030-2130), 24-hour flight information, duty-free shops (0800-2000), restaurant, bar (1000-2000), snack bar (0800-2000), 24-hour left luggage and 24-hour first aid.
Departure tax: None.
RAIL: There are various connections from London. The sleeper coach to Moscow takes about 53 hours. The main route is: London–Brussels–Cologne/Berlin–Moscow. The journey from London to Brussels can be made by a variety of train and ferry services, or via the Channel Tunnel. Services from Brussels are daily. There are through trains or coaches from other Western and Eastern European cities, from CIS countries, and from Turkey, Iran, Mongolia and China. See also Trans-Siberian Express in Travel – Internal.
ROAD: Foreign tourists may drive their own cars or may hire cars (see Travel – Internal). The speed limit is 60kmph on minor roads, 90kmph on major roads and variable on highways. A road tax is payable upon entry to the country. The following crossing points between Finland and the Russian Federation are available: Vaalima–Torfianovska; Nuijamaa–Brusnichnoye and Rajajooseppi–Lotta. There are also crossing points between the Russian Federation and all neighbouring countries although, at present, there are restrictions on cross-border travel to Georgia and Azerbaijan. Those entering by car should have their visas registered at the hotel, motel or campsite where they will stay for the first night, and must also ensure that the car registration number is recorded in the visa. Travellers should also insure their vehicle with Ingosstrakh, which has offices at all crossing points and in most major cities, and to purchase service coupons at the border. Although motorcyclists can enter Russia, cyclists wishing to cross the Russian border should find out whether this is permissible from the Russian Embassy or their travel agent before departure. Eurolines, departing from Victoria Coach Station in London, serves destinations in the Russian Federation. For further information, contact Eurolines (4 Cardiff Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, L41 1PP; tel: (08705) 143 219; fax: (01582) 400 694; website: www.eurolines.com or www.gobycoach.com).
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
Terms and Conditions apply.
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