New Russian Domestic Airline -- Sky Express

[Mark in CA]

Anyone have any experience with this new domestic Russian carrier? Started service in January, I believe.

I'm heading to St. Petersburg in May and am considering using them to make a quick trip to Moscow and back. They're advertising a 900-ruble fare, each way, which if my math is correct, is less than $40. They fly 737s into Moscow's Vnukovo airport, which is their main hub. From their web site, they seem to be trying to imitate early Southwest Airlines character. www.skyexpress.ru

[BelArgUSA]

Other than Vnukovo terminal being a little crappy, and some 35 km SW of the city, it is probably worth a try. Our friends the Ruskis have gone great strides in getting their act together with airlines and service. And if they inspire theirselves of Southwest, they got the right idea.
xxx
I did a 3 months contract training 747 pilots ground and in-flight in Moscow with TransAero a few years ago, and really was impressed with their efforts and quality in-flight service. Long gone are the old days of the Gulag Airlines.
Enjoy St Pete and MOCKBA, I love both.
xxx
:)
Happy contrails

[JClassPAX]

Read the Russian site. Taken Aeroflot, Pulkovo and Samara many times.
I would say adopt a wait-and-see attitude, and maybe you would be better off taking a train. The money you spend going to and from the airports will prolly run more than any class of train fare, and its somewhat safer, especially at this time of the year. Good luck in Piter and Moskva. Many sad memories there, I prefer to stay in the sunny tropics now :cool:

[Mark in CA]

Thanks for the advice. I am considering the train, too.

Now that you mention it, what are the best options for getting to/from these airports? I was under the impression you can pretty easily get to these airports by train/subway. I've heard about the taxis. In St. Petersburg I may have use of my friend's company limo and driver, as well as the company apartment in Moscow.

[JClassPAX]

Best way to get to the airports would be by car. However, going by the metro would be the cheapest alternative, but its also VERY confusing finding the right stations in both Moscow and Petersburg, not to mention the trouble of tagging your luggage along. If you really want to go by metro, you must figure out the route in advance, and make sure where exactly you're going. If you prefer using the car, best way would be to arrange private transport for the sake of timeliness and possibly costs. Cabs usually charge anywhere from $38 to $50 or more to get to the airports from downtown in both towns, though I also heard that the government wants to clean up the act and lower prices for Moscow. Maybe your friend can also arrange a private vehicle for you in Moscow, and that would be best. If not, you can check out the express buses which go downtown from the airport, and they're cheaper than the cabs anyway. The other thing to take note of is traffic jams and timing. Moscow is HUGE so expect a long drive. Petersburg isn't that big but traffic jams along the southern parts are very common, and since Pulkovo airport is in the south, you might want to take note of that when arranging your departure flights. For the trains, just remember that for the first hour or so going into and out of both towns, they lock the toilets up, and no pleas in the world would make them open it. They call it the "zone", though I have no idea what good it does. :eek: Only good thing is that the trains land you downtown in Petersburg, near Vasstaniya Ploshad, so its pretty convienient. Hope this helps.:)

[Mark in CA]

>For the trains, just remember that for the first hour or so going into and out of both towns, they lock the toilets up, and no pleas in the world would make them open it. They call it the "zone", though I have no idea what good it does.

Could it possibly be that the toilets empty directly onto the tracks?

We'll be traveling light, so bags on the metro is no problem. We do it in Japan all the time. The Sky Express web site makes a big deal of some new train service directly between VKO airport and downtown Moscow. It sounded pretty good.

I traveled extensively through Hungary in the 90s and loved it, but this journey to Russia is already spooking me.

[BelArgUSA]

One thing, learn the Cyrillic alphabet - So at least you can read names and figure a few words.
Easier than the Greek alphabet...
From VKO to Central Moscow (Kremlin) took close to 1 hour's time.
I did it a few times at peak hour. Was a private car. No idea how much the cost is.
xxx
Most important subject - beer - I recommend "Baltika" - excellent lager.
Cheers (say "NA ZDAROVIEH) -
:)
Happy contrails

[JClassPAX]

I don't know if the toilets lead out onto the tracks, but I know the ones in Malaysia do! :E
Moscow and Piter should be ok, just don't get spooked by the customs officials when you're there. They have a habit sometimes of intimidating people for cash, but if you laugh them off and stand your ground, they'll crawl away quietly.
The usual travel safety applies, make sure you are alert on the streets and that no ones makes off with your passport and cash.
One thing to note is the registration problem in Russian. Under Russian law, all foreigners in Russia must have both visa and registration (registratsi), and Russian cops/militsiya have the authority to stop and check anyone anywhere for their papers. In Moscow, the cops are notorious for shaking down foreigners for exactly those reasons, and since your visa and registration IS in your passport, if you don't have it with you, that means extra revenue for them on the spot. Last I heard, if you don't have your registration with you, its an 800 Rbl payout or they take you to the station. If you don't have your passport and all the other documents, then......:uhoh:
The problem is that most foreigners prefer to keep their passports in their hotel safes, and if you bring it with you, you risk theft on the streets, but if don't have it and a cop stops you, well, that would kinda suck! In Piter the cops are only interested in stopping central asians for that, so you'll generally be ok in that regard. You might wanna check with your hotel or contacts when you're there as to which is better, to carry or not to carry the documents.
My rule is that if I am with my contacts in Moscow, I won't bother carrying them, but if I am alone, I leave it to a last minute decision on that. In Piter, I just won't take it out at all.
As for the beer, I suggest Nevskoye :ok:

[WHBM]

I too would go for the train, as most Russians do. There ae multiple overnight services between Moscow and St Pete, and it saves 2 nights hotel as well. The stations are in the city centres so that avoids airport transits. It's an interestng experience as well. Get someone in Russia to book it for you. Always get a lower level bed, lift the mattress, and put your bag under there and sleep on it.

Yes the toilets do discharge directly on the tracks, as they have done in pretty much every other railway in the world until the last decade. There is no water u-bend so the tracks are visible zooming along a couple of feet underneath your behind !

The metro maps in Moscow and St Pete are changing to show both Cyrillic and western characters together.

Taxis at the airport are still an issue, and in St Pete at least ones you hail on the street have pretty much disappeared.

[Mark in CA]

Thank you all for the tips. They are starting to make my hair curl :). BTW, I grew up in NYC, even drove a taxi there, and although I've lived in CA for more than 20 years, I think I still have some street smarts left. When I travel in Europe, which I do often, I am usually mistaken for a local; even asked for directions a few times. I never carry a wallet, putting my cash and plastic in my front pants pocket. The passport is more difficult. Also, my wife is Japanese, and I am wondering if we should have any concerns about that in Russia.

I have free use of an apartment in Moscow, so overnight train is not really attractive. I have heard there is a high-speed rail service between the two cities. Any experience with that? Cost?

Finally, can I use my ATM card there to get cash? At the airport? Are credit cards pretty widely accepted?

[JClassPAX]

No worries for your missus here. Russians are not racists generally speaking, you guys will be fine in that regard.
There are overnight trains, luxury and high-speed trains that run between the 2 cities, though I am not sure which is which by now. I used to use the "Aurora" express, and it wasn't luxurious, but ok for the prices paid.
The ATMs there are all over the place, and besides the cirrus and plus system, I think some in the hotel districts are also accepting JCB, AMEX etc. I generally have one rule when using ATMs in Russia. First try to use an ATM downtown, in the hotel itself, or at the very least, in a protected enclosure. Sperbank's ATMs are quite ok (They are the most extensive bank in Russia), and some others like AlphaBank are also ok. Just avoid those weird machines sitting in the middle of nowhere from a bank that no one seems to know of. I have also used ATMs located at supermarkets like Ramstor, and so far so good. Don't worry, all should be well in Russia! :cool:

[WHBM]

Western-compatible ATMs are now standard especially in Moscow/St Pete. Be certain to tell your bank you are going, some are so suspicious of transactions suddenly starting to come through from Russia, having had so many bad experiences, they will put a hold on your card and call you at home - which is no good when you are in Russia. Use the ATMs which are inside the bank office - they have good logic and if you insert a western card the questons come up in English.

Credit Card acceptance is still less common.

In comparison to the substantial overnight train service, the daytime high-speed services, at 200 kmh/125 mph are less popular, only one or two a day. They do take about 5-6 hours and like amost all Russian trains are punctual to the minute. The rail cars look little different to standard Russian ones outside but have new seats inside, and are pulled at speed by the standard Czech-built Skoda locomotives which the Russian railway has thousands of. Most daytime passengers seem to be overseas visitors, I guess it's just a Russian tradition to do the trip overnight.

[SXB]

I would second the comments from BelargUSA with regard to learning the cyrillic alphabet, if you don't then even doing something as simple as reading a street sign is not possible. He's also spot on about Baltika, it's an excellent beer.

As regards the comments by JClasspax....
Russians are not racists generally speaking, you guys will be fine in that regard

Russia has huge problems with racism, violent racist attacks have been increasing over the last few years. Russian nationlism has been on the rise for a while. Most of these attacks are directed against black africans and people from the caucasus. As with most violent crime your chances of being a victim are extremely low but caution should be exercised - just like in any big city.

[SXB]

WHBM
Yes, sorry, you're right. I've not used Sky express so I can't say. One piece of advice I could give is - if you're staying in an apartment ,like you plan, make sure you get your visa registered, normally if you're satying in a hotel it's done by them. If you haven't registered your visa it can lead to problems (financial) when you exit the country. It's quite a while since I last stayed in an apartment so I may be behind on the rules but you always had to register a visa if you were staying longer than three working days - ie Fri-Mon no problem but Mon-Fri required visa registration. Lots of companies offer visa registration for no more than $50 or you can do it yourself if you have the time and know where to go (I didn't so I always paid)

[JClassPAX]

It looks like I have wasted my time writing supposedly-sensible travel comments here for the initial poster. Now just before Tightslot comes home and has a fit at all the above and closes or deletes this thread, does anyone have any notes on Russian travel conditions. Anyone even been on Sky Epress ?


Nah he got it! :D
Not sure about Sky Express in particular, but word from the grapevine is that Moscow Domodedovo/DME is the way to go, avoid Sheremeteevo if possible. Also, there's "express" and VIP entry at DME, and some Russian companies and contacts can line you up at that. I think "express" means the same 3 hour wait at customs and passport control, but you get to sit down, sip coffee and read the papers while you're at it. VIP is basically go-right-through, but I heard its like EURO 500 or something! :eek:
For other cities, its still cross-your-fingers. Trains are another alternative, lots of choices, but best to get a Russian contact to arrange it.
One of the best ways to enter Russia actually is via the train Sibelius Line from Helsinki. Easy passport controls (they take your passport and return it to you after entering Russia), easy customs (One guy just comes up and asks "anything to declare?"), lots of foreigners and Americans onboard, clean and comfy. Same goes for departing Russia. Ride is around 6 hours if I recall properly, but feels like nothing when you step off! :cool:

[TightSlot]

Not sure where all that venom came from guys, but I've zapped the silly stuff - let's try again as this seems to contain some useful info, apart from the stuff that wasn't...

[Mark in CA]

Yes, I am aware of the need to register once landed in Russia. I'll be staying at a hotel (TBD) in S-P, so I assume they can take care of that for us. One mini-hotel that's been recommended to me is the "German Club," which is a bit out of the way (near the airport, actually), but supposedly in a nice neighborhood about 10 km south of the centrum and a good rate (about $100/double). Any recommendations for an inexpensive but decent hotel closer to the center of town? Although American, I'm quite comfortable staying in smaller tourist-class hotels/pensions (but still prefer private toilets/showers).

Next task is to confront the massive Russian bureaucracy to get our visas. I have to say, with all these payments for the "invitation," the visas and to register once there, I can't help having the word "scam" come into my mind. Seems so many have their hands in my pockets already, and I haven't even gotten there yet.

[SXB]

Mark
I checked the rules on registration of visa and it seems they changed about a year ago. Now, the responsibility for registering a visa falls upon the receiving/inviting party - ie the people or company which issued your invitation, this applies only if you're staying in private accommodation, if you're staying in a hotel the responsibility falls upon the hotel. However, if you then visit another part of Russia for more than three working days, the visa needs to be re-registered. If you then go back to your point of origin it needs to be re-registered yet again. You can find the details here (http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1089131236015)

The only hotel I've stayed at in SPB is the Nevsky Palace, I don't remember exactly how much it cost but it was an astronomical amount. If you can find somewhere for $100 per night then you've done well, 10kms is a long way from the city but if it's close to a metro station then maybe that's ok.

Next task is to confront the massive Russian bureaucracy to get our visas. I have to say, with all these payments for the "invitation," the visas and to register once there, I can't help having the word "scam" come into my mind. Seems so many have their hands in my pockets already, and I haven't even gotten there yet.

Welcome to Russia ! Trying to separate you from your money is an art form in Russia

[Mark in CA]

Wow, thanks for pointing that out to me. I was not aware of this requirement (when changing location within Russia). I am sure the hotel that will register our visas when we first arrive in St. P. will charge us a fee for this, too.

There may be a further complication in that we are traveling on "tourist" visas, but when we go to Moscow, we will be staying at my friend's company's apartment. Maybe we can call this a "rental" to get around this issue so we do not have any problem registering our visas (again) in that city.

BTW, when I went to the Russian Consulate yesterday here in San Francisco, the fellow who took our applications was actually pleasant. So far, everything is going smoothly, and we should have our visas ready in just ten days!

[SXB]

The hotel in SPB won't charge you for registering your visa, they are legally obliged to do so.

You will need to register your visa in Moscow if you're staying in an apartment, there is no legal way around that if you are staying more than 3 working days. You will also need some proof that you're actually staying at the apartment you say you are (letter from owner) I've added the address of the registration office at the bottom of this post, expect to spend at least 4 hours queuing and filling out forms.

One way around all of this is to check into a cheap hostel or hotel when you arrive in Moscow, dorm style accommodation can be had for about €15 a day, they will then register your visa for the duration of your booking, they will not care that you aren't actually staying at the hostel, in fact they may not even notice. However, this is not strictly legal but it's what I would do.

If you don't register your visa and you're caught you can be fined up to 5000 rubles, if you're caught a second time you'll probably be deported and will never obtain a visa again. Whether you get caught or not is down to luck, in years gone by I have stayed in Russia in private accommodation and didn't register my visa, I was never caught and passport control never said a word. They may be more strict now, I don't
know.
Good luck !

Address: #29, Leninsky Prospect, office 100 (first floor)
(Metro station "Leninsky Prospekt", corner of Leninsky prospekt and Stasova st.)
Phone: (095) 956-4422.
Open hours: Monday to Friday 9:30-6:00 p.m.
Registration price: only assistance with registration is provided (free), you'll have to register your visa by yourself

[WHBM]

Certainly at St Petersburg airport at the passport check on departure (unlike western airports this is as substantial as the passport check on arrival) you are fined (in US $) if your registration is not in order.

There are a number of travel agents in the city who wll arrange for a hotel stamp if you are not using a proper hotel. Costs about US$30 for the service. The exit checkers are not concerned about where you actually stayed at all, they just want to see paperwork complied with. Russian bureaucracy is ever so.

It would appear that the requirements have recently changed again (they seem to do so every year) so registration can now be done at a post office rather than at the Ministry office (where a 4 hour wait would be good going).

[Mark in CA]

Well, I've booked room at the Hotel German Club, which is about 10km south of the city center, not far from LED. Was recommended to me by my friend in S-P. Those not familiar with it should check it out. Prices are quite reasonable, and the place is very nice. An Austrian partnership. Owner speaks English, very helpful, and will fill me in on the best way to handle the registration in Moscow. U.S. Embassy confirms post office registration now available. And Sky Express airfare to Moscow only 1700 ruble return!

[SXB]

Mark
Have a great time in Russia, let us know if you enjoy your trip.

[Mark in CA]

Picked up our visas today from the Russian Consulate. Everything going fairly smoothly now. Booked flights on SkyExpress via their web site. A bit clunky, and at least one glitch -- regardless of what I selected when ordering the tix, they show us as both having Russian Federation passports. Will need to get on the phone with them to clear this up, I think. Thank goodness for Skype. Trip itself is still a couple months off, so plenty of time.

Will report back after we return end of May. Thanks for your good wishes. This should be an adventure.

[WHBM]

I normally wouldn't recommend a hotel outside the city centre in St Pete to visitors as it then can be difficult for a non-native to get around, but this one appears close to the Moscovskaya Metro station which will take you in to the city in about 15-20 mnutes, at many times of day much faster than you can drive. Get a 10-journey ticket for the Metro, it'sthe best way to go. That Metro station is also a vast hub for the independent Marshrutka minibuses from all the area to the south of St Pete, including one out to Pushkin for the palace there. You just need to know the number (hotel will tell you). The buses to the airport go separately to the domestic (known as Pulkovo 1) and international (known as Pulkovo 2) and there is no way between them (other than coming all the way back to Moscovskaya and starting again).

The Metro, as in Moscow, is a delight of efficiency, just practice reading the Cyrillic for the station names and keep up with where you are. The maps now appear with translations underneath but the station signs do not. As ever in Russia, walk around briskly and confidently as if you know the place and all will be fine.

[Mark in CA]

Thanks for the tips, WHBM! I grew up in New York City, and so "walking around briskly and confidently as if you know the place" comes naturally :) I've also spent a lot of time in Budapest -- lived there half time for five years -- and used the metro frequently. It's also of Russian design -- VERY deep underground with long, fast escalators. I thought getting used to reading Hungarian was hard, but the Cyrillic will really be a challenge. All part of the adventure.

[WHBM]

If you know the Budapest Metro then the cars used in St Petersburg will also look very familiar to you - because they are the same standardised Soviet designs, even the same blue colour. You find the same in Moscow and indeed in all the othe Soviet cities that got a Metro, all were built in the Vagonmash factory in St Petersburg.

The stations in St Petersburg are even deeper, some are the deepest in the world. I have timed them at up to 4 minutes to get you to the bottom, they probably came from the same escalator factory as Budapest's as well. I've also had to walk up when the escalator has been stopped :( . It is a St Petersburg tradition to read books as you are being carried down, quite literary ones of course this being St Pete compared to what the infidels from Moscow might have ! Standing on the escalator reading poetry by Pushkin would really make you fit in.

All the citizens were spun a line when it was built (mainly 1950s-80s) that it needed to be so deep because of a groundwater condition in the city. I presume in Moscow and Budapest similar excuses were used. I amuse myself however when there spotting the nuclear blast doors fitted round the station entrances, you can still see them nowadays if you look carefully.

[Mark in CA]

Do the local authorities get agitated if you start snapping photos in places like the Metro or at the airport? Anything definitely off limits I should know about besides obvious things like military stuff?

[Mark in CA]

Looks like this might have been the flight I'll be taking between Frankfurt and St. Petersburg. Something to look forward to:

Drunk passenger causes emergency landing in Poland

A Lufthansa passenger jet made an emergency landing in the southern Polish city of Katowice on Monday after a drunk, unruly passenger began shouting that he was a terrorist, border guards said.

The middle-aged, Russian-speaking passenger offered no resistance when an anti-terrorist squad boarded the plane to remove him, border guard spokesman Cezary Zaborski said. The passenger was due to be questioned later when he sobered up.

The Lufthansa Airbus A320 with 118 people on board continued its journey after a one-hour delay.

[Mark in CA]

Just returned from my trip to St. Petersburg/Moscow using SkyExpress between these two cities. It all went very well, although I have to say that checking in at an airport in Russia is a bit confusing (nothing to do with SkyExpress).

The SkyExpress service felt pretty much like any Western airline. The planes seemed to be in pretty good shape, the cabin crew proficient and food terrible (instant coffee! for a fee!). Vnukovo was easy to reach by metro to/from the apartment I was staying at in Moscow. The AeroExpress service from the airport costs 120 ruble and takes 35 minutes to get to Kievsky Station. Trains don't run too often though -- hourly mornings and afternoons, less often (1 1/2 hours) midday. Then just one stop on the circle line to Park Kultury and connect to the red line one stop to Frunzenskya. Pretty simple, actually.

Took a cab to Pulkovo from my hotel in S-P for 350 ruble. On the return, the cabbies at the airport were asking 1000 ruble, which is nuts, so we took a city bus that just happened by for 16 ruble and it let us off at the metro station closest to the hotel.

Total cost after fuel surcharges was 2800 ruble, return, or about $120. Not bad.

We happened to be in Moscow at the same time as the Final Cup soccer match between Manchester and Chelsea, and the whole city was packed with Brits (estimates were 50,000) and cops. The stadium was just just two metro stops further down the line from my apartment, so every restaurant in the neighborhood was packed with beer guzzling fans.