I've never been a fan of Sheremetyevo, and I try to avoid it whenever possible. The airport's got some nice touches, but it's also got some major drawbacks. This summer, I had to use the new Terminal C, and it was a disappointment.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024Sheremetyevo Airport is the country's largest, with a whopping 36 million passengers per year. The majority of those passengers use Terminal C, which was opened in 2018 after a renovation. I usually use Terminal B and F, but this time I had to try out Terminal C.

The first thing that stood out to me was the lack of a Duty Free catalog on the Sheremetyevo website. I like to browse the assortment online, make a pre-order, and get a discount - 5% to 20% depending on the departure airport. But Sheremetyevo doesn't have a catalog, so there's no pre-order option, and they won't have it in the future, according to the airport staff.

Fast-forwarding a bit, I'll mention that the Duty Free in Sheremetyevo is great, and the prices are lower than in Turkey, Egypt, and Europe. I recommend spending some time there. You can check the current prices and special offers in my separate review on Duty Free Sheremetyevo.

✈ GENERAL INFORMATION:

Location:

Sheremetyevo Airport is located in the northwest of Moscow, in the city of Khimki. It's not exactly the most convenient location, but it's not the worst either.

Address:

Moscow Region, Khimki, International Avenue, 1A

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024

How to get to Sheremetyevo Airport?

The best way to get to Terminal C in Sheremetyevo is to take the aeroexpress from Belorussky Vokzal, st. m. Belorusskaya. The aeroexpress runs to the airport every half hour, so you can avoid traffic jams and arrive on time.

The cost of the aeroexpress to Sheremetyevo at the time of writing this review is 550 rubles.

Sheremetyevo how to get thereThis time, I decided to take a taxi. I left from the center of Moscow (Tret'yakovskaya metro) at 11 am and got stuck in traffic in the center and on Leningradsky Prospekt. The journey took an hour and a half, and the cost was around 1300 rubles.

✈ CHECK-IN:

The approach to the terminal is very convenient, but there are no seats available near the entrance. You can grab a free trolley and head to the first security check at the terminal entrance.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024The first security check was standard and took no more than ten minutes. You need to put your upper clothes in a container, take out your laptop, put all your belongings on the moving belt, and pass through the metal detector gates.

Following the travolator, we ended up in the international flights check-in hall.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024Sheremetyevo's interiors are breathtakingly luxurious and grand. The massive video screens covering the walls and modern art installations are a constant reminder of how Moscow has improved over the past 14 years.

I found myself thinking for a second that I wasn't in Sheremetyevo, but rather in Singapore's Changi Airport...but only for a second - the harsh reality check quickly brought me back to the fact that not everything that glitters is gold.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024I couldn't find a single working water fountain before or after passport control. It's something you'd expect to find in every airport, but in Sheremetyevo, you can't rely on free water.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024The absence of faucets in several toilets is also not normal, especially for an airport that consistently holds five stars on Skytrax and has been recognized as Europe's best airport for several years.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024One thing that really stood out to me about Terminal C at Sheremetyevo was how little seating there was, considering the massive size of the terminal. I mean, there were hardly any spots where you could just sit down and take a load off. But, on the other hand, there were a ton of restaurants with super high prices, mostly empty, which was pretty weird.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024Before you get to customs, there's a currency exchange, a capsule hotel, and a baggage wrapping station. I only noticed the kids' play area in the check-in hall:

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024You can get free Wi-Fi in Terminal C, but only if you've got a Russian phone number and have authorized yourself on Gosuslugi or got an SMS. That's just how it is.

Wi-Fi in SheremetyevoThe Wi-Fi worked differently in different parts of the terminal - it was fine before customs, but once you got to the gates, it was basically unusable.

✈ CHECK-IN FOR YOUR FLIGHT:

My Corendon flight was supposed to leave at 2:50 PM, but online check-in wasn't an option. Check-in at the desks started three and a half hours beforehand. Keep in mind that check-in times can vary depending on your flight, so it's a good idea to check the official website ahead of time.

There wasn't any kind of check-in chaos, and everything went pretty smoothly. The staff at the check-in desks were friendly and helpful.

You don't need to print out your boarding pass at Sheremetyevo - just show your passport and have your electronic boarding pass handy, just in case.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024

✈ CUSTOMS:

After check-in, you'll need to go through customs. If you've got anything to declare, you'll need to go through the red channel. I was asked for the exact amount of foreign currency I was bringing out of the country - not just once, but twice, so it's a good idea to know the exact amount in both rubles and the currency you're bringing out.

I was a bit surprised that the checks and questions were selective - not everyone got asked the same questions.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024 Security screening was a breeze. No X-ray machines here, and I didn't have to remove my shoes this time, but they did ask me to turn on my laptop. The whole process took no more than 10 minutes, but I've had longer waits at this airport before.

✈ Passport Control

Sheremetyevo has always been my worst experience with passport control. I get that there are peak hours and I try to plan accordingly, but my May flight was a disaster. South Wind Airlines had a ton of passengers, and I waited over an hour and a half to get through. People who flew in last night had an even longer wait – around three hours.

What really threw me off was the combined lines for Russian citizens and migrant workers from Central Asia. I get that their border crossing takes longer, but why not separate the lines and avoid the chaos?

My June flight was a different story – passport control took no more than 10 minutes, so I'm guessing it's just a lottery at this point.

✈ Flight Delay

My flight was delayed by almost three hours, and we only found out after we'd already gone through passport control. I've flown enough to know the drill – free food, drinks, and a place to sleep. But in this case, we didn't get any freebies.

Did you know that according to international aviation rules, passengers are entitled to:

• If the flight is delayed by more than two hours, passengers are entitled to a cool drink, two phone calls, or two emails.

• If the flight is delayed by more than four hours, passengers are entitled to hot food. Further food is provided every six hours during the day and every eight hours at night.

• If the flight is delayed by more than six hours at night or more than eight hours during the day, passengers are entitled to accommodation, as well as transportation to and from the hotel.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024 In the case of a flight delay, the airport usually makes an announcement about which café passengers can go to with their boarding pass to get free drinks and food. Unfortunately, we weren't offered any freebies this time.

✈ ARRIVAL

Terminal S's arrivals hall is located on the first floor of the airport and can be accessed from the departures hall via an escalator. I won't go into the details of how it's set up, but from the time our flight landed to when we left the airport, it took around two and a half hours.

Sheremetyevo Terminal S reviews 2024We spent around 15 minutes waiting for the bus, over an hour on passport control, and another hour waiting for our luggage.

Sheremetyevo Terminal S reviews 2024✈ WHERE TO EAT IN SHEREMETYEVO AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS?

After passport control, you can find restaurants to suit every taste in the 'clean' zone of Sheremetyevo. The price range is roughly the same everywhere, but the 'Caucasus Canteen' and the Italian restaurant 'Il Patio' seemed to be a bit pricier than the rest.

Sheremetyevo Terminal S reviews 2024

Sheremetyevo Terminal S reviews 2024

Sheremetyevo Terminal S reviews 2024

Sheremetyevo Terminal S reviews 2024

Restaurants in Sheremetyevo prices 2024

Sheremetyevo Terminal S reviews 2024 Sheremetyevo Terminal S reviews 2024 Sheremetyevo Terminal S reviews 2024Our meal at 'Mumu' cafe for 800 rubles was worse than any in-flight meal on our flight. Not recommended.

Sheremetyevo Terminal S reviews 2024

I have to say, the coffee at the DUTY FREE in Terminal C was a pleasant surprise. The prices were significantly lower than what I'm used to at other airports.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024The smoking room in Terminal C is located on the first floor. It's spacious, well-equipped, and the ventilation system works flawlessly.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024The vending machine in the smoking room serves a decent cup of coffee that's actually cheaper than what I mentioned earlier.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024

The area after passport control in Terminal C is well-equipped: there are power outlets and enough seating areas near each gate.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024Boarding the plane via jetway was quick, and the taxiing before takeoff took around 10 minutes.

Sheremetyevo Terminal C reviews 2024

✈ IMPRESSIONS:

Sheremetyevo could be a great airport if they prioritized passenger comfort and convenience as much as they did the exterior design.

Terminal C's new design looks amazing, but an airport is not a museum of modern art, and I always want to minimize my time there. And if I do have to wait, I'd rather not deal with hour-long queues at passport control, broken and dirty toilets, overpriced and tasteless food, and no free water at the drinking fountains.

The time spent on customs formalities and border crossing is a lottery, and you can't predict it. The only thing you can do is check the airport's schedule and the number of flights departing at the same time on the official website and plan your time accordingly.

Three stars, not recommended, and thanks for reading my review.

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Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg

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