Hello a.netters and happy new year to all !!!!!

Welcome to my first TR on A.Net. After reading many other TR's I decided to share my experience with you. My trip took me end of November to Moscow. Before I tell you about the trip and my experience I would like to share with you my beginning of interesting in aviation.

More then 30 years ago (a short version):
As a little boy and living that time in Denmark my father took me to the Airport Castrup and was watching the planes take off and land.. The rememberance to the time then is only very little present and was very interesting to me. Very fasinating I watched them again and again.... As we moved back to Switzerland the times watching was in ZRH. The Airport at that time is nothing to compare today. For Christmas and Birthday I wanted books to read, magazin "Aero" that I collected if somebody can remember them. About this magazin there where about 240 Issues to buy, one every month...
With the years it become more and more on books, reading all possible!! I've been in many countries and spotting when possible for sure!! Lately I have been very much flying in the eastern Europe like Ukraine and Russia. To me the russian Aviation of planes got very interesting and to me till today only had the chance to fly a TU-154 from ZRH - PRG many years ago. That was really a experience. As you know much changed to Airbus and Boeing models and the touch of a special way to fly has almost gone.
With some friends that spotted in ZRH and my "new" camera (Nikon D3100) that I bought in August last year I have made many pictures, not only on my trips but in general. Many people today spend time in Facebook, well as I had the account and entered about 1-2 times a month I deactivated it cause my facebook is airliners.net. To me I read much and this every day!!! As found the section of TR's I decided to do mine. I have noticed that there many information that one gathers together on Internet to do a TR!!

Background:
Little more then 6 years ago in December 2005 I was the first time in Moscow. I fell in love with this great and huge City and as I left back to Zurich I knew one day I will be back. From a personal issues in my life last Summer in August I got to know my Girlfriend that lives in Switzerland and she is originally from Russia. We where talking much about our experience on traveling and also I mentioned my trip back in 2005.
One day past October we where deciding about having some day's together and choose Moscow as a destination. Very quick we decided about the dates we will spend together in Russia.

Trip preperation:
I rememberd from my first traveling that a Agency for me did all with flights and visa. Not very lucky about my passport I needed to get a new one, cause due to regulations of the country it wasn't valid long enough from our return. Getting a passport here one has to apply on a website, add the personal information and you are provided with a link that will allow you to choose a date for going to the office to make photo, fingerprints and they will send you the passport within 10 working days! During this time the Agency was looking for fights, also about the hotel. I mentioned that the way from ZRH to MOS is not important. 2 Day's later I got the offer, with AirBerlin via DUS to DME for a very good price at 420CHF (EURO) p/Pers. and the hotel also. So I agreed with the dates and time, casue was little better and there more time together as flying directly with LX or SU.

Our flight was booked as followed: ZRH - DUS - DME - VIE - ZRH

I hope that you don't mind that will split up my report. For sure there will be the continuation on this thread.


24/11/2011

I took the afternoon of work and getting my things ready for our trip. Had also to go to the Agency to collect the visa for me and also our tickets. After needed the passport done new was almost in last moment that all was good. At home packing my little case cause for 4 nights there is really not much that is needed. We decided to do the Evening Check-In before the next morning we fly!!! Arriving to the airport that is only located 10min from my home town I was surprised that there was a fee of 5Euros each. Never mind it was done and we got our selected seats we wanted! 25A & B.
We prefer to take the last row when available that is not only close to toilets but also to the staff if needed anything and mostly more empty if the flight is not full!!!

25/11/2011
The day started at us around 03.30 waking up, getting ready plus checking our documents that all is fine. After a coffee we headed to the station and the first to arrive there. it was actually the first train of the day that took us to the airport 04:52!

Let's go....




All dark and waiting for the first train of the day to bring us to the airport...


All train station was empty!!! prior of the train leaving there where some people around...


my tickets and document map with all infos to our stay in Moscow!!


huge screen after controls of tickets with many shops... sill was little empty of people..


Our Bus Gate B05....


Sorry for the bad quality... after boarding the bus we got out at the stand D to board the AB A320


Not sure if the sister ship was leaving for Berlin or Hamburg but left before us!


Nice option that AB serves with a very realistic map.. there only some moments to leave ZRH..


The flight was quite full.... I guess about 70%. Even the last few rows where quite empty!!!!


we took of from Rwy28 passed through the clouds and see the first ray of light from the sun... a moment that is very special and lovely to see.... there the Alps


Beautiful morning and slight sunrise



Good morning sun...!!!!

InFlight: The service was really good and very friendly staff... The coffee was good and the morning sandwich tasty that had to have another two. Who has been on AB before know about them.....


Our flight track... looks little a longer way... but landed with about 10min delay! But didn't matter at all as we had good little more then 2 hours to our connecting flight...


Last sunrise before landing in DUS.... very impressive !!!!


I can´t resist to switch off the electronic equipment when landed to make some photos of aircraft that you don't see every day.... nice to make some photos from others then only LX and standards that arrive in ZRH.....


after arrived at the gate we disembark and headed to the other terminal... Nice to see a B737 for a change.

In summery the first leg was really good.. all friendly and got some chocolate as my Girlfriend loves it very much we could take a little more...
Now was the time waiting in DUS for our connection. I checked the website of DUS and there was also mentioned that WI-FI is available... but for a reason I couldn't connect with my swiss IPhone or MacBook... With changing some Euros we went to a Restaurant...

Part two will be continued very soon...

Continuing some spotting at DUS I catched some A332 and others...











A very nice Airport and little small I think to ZRH.. but all very clean and soon time was coming to wait for the boarding to the next flight..


Time come to wait at the gate... for the final leg of the trip to Moscow... there where only minutes to board the plane....


















After a good flight with very good service we decent in to Moscow DME airport... flying around the the town from the north I hoped to get a good view for the city. But there was only the clouds that covered the city... a pity really !!!!




After we arrived and left the AB A320 was walking to the customs... with a stop to enjoy the huge view of ac's stored at DME... what a pitty that didn't have more time there... but then saw my favorite and beauty plane:



&



Will be continued......

You have lots of very nice pictures! I look forward to the next parts.

Quoting flyorski (Reply 2): You have lots of very nice pictures! I look forward to the next parts.

thank you flyorsky!! will continue soon...  

Thanks for the trip report!

Just curious - does Air Berlin serve any complimentary snack or meal on the DUS to DME flight?
It used to serve free sandwiches on longer intra-European flights, and I wonder if they provide a heartier meal on the longer flight to Moscow?

Thanks,
Carfield

Hi Carfield

Thank you for you comment to the TR!!! AB did serve a hot meal that you can buy for a couple of Euros.... I had one that was really very good!!! As for general on flight you get the snack a sandwich and beverages all kind... Beer and others are extra to pay!!!

Cheers
B738FlyUIA

Nice report & pictures, thanks for posting.

Not been to Russia yet myself, something I need to change - DME looks like a must visit, any good for landside spotting?

Cheers

Mark

Thanks for this report and the great pictures!

Quoting Carfield (Reply 4): Just curious - does Air Berlin serve any complimentary snack or meal on the DUS to DME flight? It used to serve free sandwiches on longer intra-European flights, and I wonder if they provide a heartier meal on the longer flight to Moscow?

I was wondering the same thing myself!

Resume of the DUS-DME flight from AB:
The flight was very good and can recommend this very much, even for the price of under 400 Euros return!!!! The Crew was very friendly. The only point where I didn't agree was with the announcements from the crew!! The passengers on board where to 95% Russian, me and some empty seats in the back !!! There where only some english and german announcements that I guess the most of the people on board didn't understand!!! But this is really minor!!!

Back in DME: To me almost had my nose pressed to the windows where I saw all the plans and thought that this is really a huge spotting area...!!! But with my Girlfriend next to me had not the chance to do more!!! Sorry guy's!!! But I thought that that must come back and take the chance of spotting... There is so much available!!!!!

Going to customers was really easy, all is signed very well and to my little knowledge of russian due some learning lessons with my Girlfriend I was standing in a column of non russian citizen that took at least 15min... but okay... I got through and the baggages where on the belt.. my Girlfriends luggage arrived and where waiting for mine... Good 20 min passed and there was already the next flight announced on the screen... plus there was a message that don't agree with any people if you need a taxi and there must be defined about the price first!!!! A pity but there is still the corruption with people that make money from tourists that arrive...
Well, my luggage didn't arrive and contacted the Lost&Found. We waited some little time and the assistant there told me that my luggage was not on the flight and must do the report!! I thought: mmmhhh... why now... my luggage always arrived!! One other lady took my report, wanted all information like hotel address, passport copy etc... this took at least 20min and they did all. Only to the end I had to go through the security and get the stamp on documents. I guess by this time the AB flight was getting ready for it's flight back to DUS!!
We finally managed to leave the arrival area and walked a way to the train station of DME!! A walk that is around 5-10min and got the tickets to Moscow City!! The train is "aeroexpress" and about 10Euro for each of us!! A ride in a great and modern train that will take 45min and enter in the Center of Moscow!!!

Arround 2-3 hours after landing we arrived at the hotel "Best Western Vega" that is really close to center and can recommend this very much!! Very clean and safe and we had our room in the 19th floor of 28... A great view from the room.

Enjoy some impressions of Moscow:






Along the Kreml


Arbat Streeet that is famous...




My Girlfriend and I.....  




A evening trip took us around Moscow by Night... very impressive...!!!!











After the 5 days in Moscow the time come to leave and go back home!!! From our way back there are no photos as got dark really very soon!!! With HG via Vienna was to very good. Even I thought the Service on board was little better then AB!!! But this just my thought for sure!!! The Flight was very on time... we took of at spot 17.30LT and arrived in VIE at 16.58LT. Connection was good and all signs in VIE clear!!!
Finally after a long day arrived in ZRH just before 20.30LT got our luggage and went home...

On our way back we spoke much about our stay... and about our next trip together!!! My Girlfriend and I so much enjoyed the time together in Moscow and we both had end of 2011 our holidays and planed already our time for Christmas in Russia...

So my next TR will follow soon and thank you for reading and enjoying some special moments. Any comments are welcome.

Thank you

Quoting ba319-131 (Reply 6): Nice report & pictures, thanks for posting. Not been to Russia yet myself, something I need to change - DME looks like a must visit, any good for landside spotting?

Hi Mark

I had the same thought when arrived in DME... here is so much to see and spotting must be great!! To us there was not the time but I'm sure that there are some places!!!
Been thinking if to take some day's and go there... I'm sure worth the trip!!!

Greetz

Fantastic. I thought it's supposed to be freezzzzzing cold in Moscow? Always wanted to go but the terrorism puts me off.

I thought St. Petersburg is the place to go? Thanks.

Quoting lychemsa (Reply 10): Fantastic. I thought it's supposed to be freezzzzzing cold in Moscow? Always wanted to go but the terrorism puts me off. I thought St. Petersburg is the place to go? Thanks.

Thank you... lychemsa!! Temp was okay with about plus 1 max plus 2 at day... Its really a worth for a trip to go there and simply beautiful!!! Sure also for spotting a great place of ac's one doesn't see every day!!!
Don't worry if you will go as there no terrorism!!! If you need some more infos then just PM to me, okay!!

Have a great day!!

Thanks for sharing!

Quoting B738FlyUIA (Thread starter): Arriving to the airport that is only located 10min from my home town I was surprised that there was a fee of 5Euros each. Never mind it was done and we got our selected seats we wanted! 25A & B.

Yes, this is quite common now here in Germany. Most carrier charge for this service, i.e. Condor , TUIFly and airberlin as well.

I must admit I love HG. Their staff is usually very friendly. So much little details: They go through the cabin with Newspapers once you are seated (you don't need to take them yourself). On flights were it's dark outside (even short haul) they wouldn't turn the cabin lights on, which I prefer... Also, they serve you drinks from a tablet... Furthermore their catering is terrific. Usually you will get a huge double decker sandwich which really tastes homemade... While AB is surely not bad, HG offers IMHO a much better service standard, at least in the air. On the ground AB and HG do often lack of profesionalism and organization that you would get from LH/OS or similar. Ever found a staffed AB transit desk other than in DUS...?

Quoting B738FlyUIA (Thread starter): The coffee was good

I'm surprised you said you liked the AB coffee. The last time I travelled with them, in November (BER - CGN) I could have sworn the coffee they had "brewed" (rehydrated) was Nescafé. Compared to LH's Dallmayr offering, it was pretty disappointing.

Hi

Nice first trip report, it was a nice read.
AB clearly gave you a good ride!
Stunning sunrise pics on the ZRH-DUS leg. Looks just simply amazing.
Thanks for sharing the Moscow pics as well!

Greetings
Marc

Hi B738FlyUIA,

congrats on your very nice TR debut with excellent pictures! Keep them coming, trips to/via Russia are rare here   AB looks quite solid here as always.

Quoting B738FlyUIA (Reply 8): Arround 2-3 hours after landing we arrived at the hotel "Best Western Vega" that is really close to center and can recommend this very much!! Very clean and safe and we had our room in the 19th floor of 28... A great view from the room.

A year before you were there I stayed at the same hotel complex, although not in the Best Western, but in the "Beta" block of the Izmaylovo hotels (the "Delta" block is visible in one of your pictures). Those hotels were built for the 1980 Olympics. 26th floor, nice views. And I agree that the metro connection to the center is really quite ok. But the room I had was rather a budget one with all the charm of the socialist early eighties, but breakfast+conference facilities were adequate.

Quoting volvair (Reply 15): congrats on your very nice TR debut with excellent pictures! Keep them coming.....

thank you volvair... my next TR will follow very soon!!!!

Quoting volvair (Reply 15): although not in the Best Western, but in the "Beta" block of the Izmaylovo hotels (the "Delta" block is visible in one of your pictures).

Yes, I do remember that part of the hole complex. From our last night we booked a trip that started there but all is really very huge and wonderful....

Check up soon for my next TR!!