Travel Notes

Domodedovo Breaks Out

Moscow’s older international airport, Sheremetyevo, must yield the title of the country’s busiest. As of this summer, more than 10 foreign airlines, including British Airways and Swiss, have switched their operations to Domodedovo. Passenger traffic at Domodedovo from January to May of this year was 4.509 million, versus 4.276 million for Sheremetyevo. But, with victory comes problems like long lines and nervous staff.

East Line, which manages Domodedovo, admitted that the airport is overloaded, but claimed that this just challenges the administration to grow faster and farther. By this fall, Domodedovo plans to introduce a “fast track” service, which was successfully implemented at Sheremetyevo in 2001. By 2006, East Line said, terminal expansions will increase capacity by 25%. According to tourist.ru and Vedomosti, the expansion project will cost some $500 million.

Estates Tour

A retro-train for tourists has been launched in Moscow. Its route will be a “chain of Russian estates,” taking tourists to historical sites which belonged to nobility and merchants, and which date back as far as the 17th century.

The Nikolayevskaya railway will be a replica of early 20th century trains. According to Mosinform, the train will boast one imperial coach, two second-class and two third-class coaches, and the conductors will wear stylized period uniforms.

Cheap Flights?

In June, Germanwings, a German discount air company, launched a regular Moscow-Cologne flight from Vnukovo airport. According to Oleg Vetvitsky, “Vnukovo-Hendling” Director General, Russia’s Federal Agency of Air Transportation (VAAT) demanded that the ticket price not fall below $100.

VAAT, however, denied this. Acting VAAT chief Alexander Yurchik said that VAAT does not set airfares. But, according to the newspaper Business, the intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Germany provides for certain restrictions, including some on pricing.

Another German company, Germania Express, which planned to operate as a low-cost carrier in Russia, also reportedly had to change its pricing structure. Regardless of restrictions, Germanwings expects to soon top €400 million in sales and to launch new flights to Kiev and Minsk.

Meanwhile, in September the first Russian-based budget airline will begin rolling toward the runway. AirNova was founded by the American Indigo Partners and TPG Aurora, the East European subdivision of Texas Pacific Group. There is still plenty of ground to cover, however: AirNova’s fleet will only be formed next year. And experts are skeptical that a budget airline like AirNova, which will rely primarily on Internet sales, can take off here.

Star Power

Russia will set a unified standard for hotel classifications. “Stars” will be assigned by the Federal Tourism Agency, in compliance with international practice. Undergoing classification is voluntary, but non-certified hotels won’t be able to claim “stars.” The change will make it easier for tourists to discern between hotels’ quality levels and amenities and Russia will find it easier to join the WTO (World Tourist Organization).

Classification criteria take into consideration not just room size and food quality, but also parking, elevators, bathrooms, furniture, etc. Russkaya Gazeta reported that the hotel’s worst room will form the basis for the evaluation. A number of hotels, including some from the provinces, have applied for classification. The Evaluation Commission will be comprised of officials from Rustourism, members of regional administrations and tour operators. Hotels will have to annually defend their ranking.

For Whom the Road Tolls

Traditionally, a la Gogol, Russia complains about its roads and its fools. Paid fools are no better than ones we get for free, but toll roads are something yet to be experienced. According to RIA Novosti, a project to build five toll highways in Russia will become a reality after the Federation Council approves a new Law on Concessions.

Transport Minister Igor Levitin said toll roads are being considered for routes between Moscow and St. Petersburg,  Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Odintsovo, and along the Central Ring Road around the Moscow region. The shares of the road building that will come from state and/or private funding are still unclear. The estimated toll would be one ruble per kilometer for passenger cars and three rubles per kilometer for freight transport.