Flying Out of Vnukovo: My Experience Getting to Moscow's Smallest Airport

I've flown out of Vnukovo Airport a few times, and I've gotta say, it's one of Moscow's smallest but still pretty convenient airports. In this review, I'll share my experiences getting to the airport, where to eat, and a rundown of duty-free shopping.

Vnukovo Airport So, if your ticket has VKO on it, you're flying out of Vnukovo. Airlines like Pobeda, I Fly, Turkish Airlines, Azur Air, Uzbekistan Airways, and Flydubai operate out of this airport. To get there, you can take a taxi or public transportation.

Now, I used to take the aeroexpress when it was still in operation, but it's not an option anymore. The metro is a convenient way to get to the airport, with the Vnukovo station on the yellow line. The fare is 67 rubles using a Troika card, but it takes a while.

An alternative to the aeroexpress is the regular express train from Kiev Station. Trains run every hour from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, taking 33 minutes to reach the airport. The fare is cheaper than the aeroexpress, at 320 rubles.

You can also take bus 911 from Salaryevo, 272 from Filatov Lug, 579 from Raskazovka, or the night bus N11 from Krasnogorsk.

Vnukovo Airport photo Navigating Vnukovo Airport is pretty straightforward. If you arrive by public transportation, follow the long corridor to the -1 floor, where you'll pass through security checks. Then, take the escalator up and you'll see a bust of Tupolev, after whom the airport is now named.

Vnukovo Airport photo I headed straight to the arrivals area on the ground floor. That's where the taxis and buses stop. It's also where you can find the entrance and exit to the city. There are shops like Magnit, mobile salons, ticket kiosks, car rentals, and currency exchange. Next, we headed up to the second floor - that's the departures area. First things first, we found the flight board, which lists all the flights and their corresponding gate numbers. The board is much smaller than the one at Sheremetyevo Airport.

Vnukovo AirportBefore we checked in for our flight, we grabbed a snack at Krokoshka Kartoshka or Momu. We usually eat at the second Momu, which is located after security.

Momu VnukovoThere's also a pharmacy, ATMs, currency exchange, baggage wrapping, and a water fountain at the check-in counters.

Vnukovo Airport waiting area

Vnukovo Check-in and a weird baggage drop Vnukovo may be small, but the queues for check-in are just as long as everywhere else. Sometimes, things don't go smoothly. When we flew to Dubai, we encountered a situation where the baggage belts at Vnukovo were broken for months. In the end, we were checked in, stickers were applied to our suitcases, and we were told to pick them up and take them to the corner of the hall. It was our first time leaving our suitcases in the middle of the hall, with just our flight number on them. We left them there, and I was worried that they might get confused with suitcases from another flight. Here's what it looked like on the photo - our baggage drop:

Strange baggage drop at VnukovoWell, we trusted the situation and moved on. Passport control in Russia is always a long process. It's nothing like Turkey, where they slap a stamp on your passport without even looking. But it's better than the security check in Egypt, which is pretty harsh. And here's a photo of our suitcases being loaded. When I saw them, I felt a lot better, knowing they hadn't gotten mixed up. Lugging SuitcasesThey usually take the water, leaving the baby juice behind.

Fortunately, the luggage works on arrival.

Luggage Duty-Free Vnukovo

Duty-Free Vnukovo Finally, I can head to Duty-Free. Vnukovo's is smaller than Sheremetyevo's. The first one after control is Reg Staer - it's the largest one, and there will be a few smaller ones in the waiting area. Martinis in Duty-Free VnukovoThere's the usual lot:

Perfume and cosmeticsAlcoholToysSweetsSouvenirs

Duty-Free Vnukovo When it comes to alcohol, I usually check prices for Martinis, Baileys, champagne, and liqueurs, and mini bottles. Prices in the city are always lower than in Duty-Free, but it's worth buying limited-edition bottles that you can't find in stores. For example, Bailey's strawberry, cake, chocolate, and caramel flavors. In 2025, they cost €19 each. Baileys in Duty-Free Martini often has discounts, and the small bottles cost €4 each.

Small bottles from Duty-Free VnukovoChocolates in Duty-Free are always super pricey. Avoid souvenirs, too - they're expensive. Tap water is just €1. SouvenirsYou can actually buy water cheaper - around 70 roubles - in the mini-marts with newspapers and souvenirs in the waiting area. In the vending machines, however, water is more expensive, around 150-200 roubles.

When I arrived at Vnukovo, I noticed a small duty-free shop near the baggage claim.

Duty-free shop at Vnukovo airportWhere to eat at Vnukovo airport

After passing through security, we usually grab a bite to eat at Mumu, but be warned, the prices are double what you'd pay in the city. Burger Hero's also has some tasty burgers.

There are a few business lounges, but they're pretty small. We've always found seats available, and there's a nice fountain in the middle of the airport, plus a mini play area for kids.

I love watching planes take off. The airport navigation is pretty straightforward, with clear signs everywhere. Vnukovo airport The airport is small, but not tiny – we've had flights where we've had to walk a long way to get to the gate. Long corridor for boarding Overall, I think Vnukovo is a decent airport. I'd definitely recommend arriving at least 3 hours before your flight. This time around, we flew with Turkish Airlines, and it was a bit of a madhouse when we landed – multiple flights arrived at the same time, and the passport control queue was massive.