experience traveling to Ukraine via Moscow??

[cherokee]

My wife and I are going to Kiev and I have the option of flying Aeroflot, but i have to go thru Moscow and then to Kiev. Do I need a transit visa? if so how much and do I have to have an invitation letter? BTW it's $587 roundtrip from the East coast.
Thanks

[Johninm]

... in response to experience traveling to Ukraine via Mosc..., posted by cherokee on Jan 18, 2002

I wouldn`t go through Moscow. Some of my employees from Ukraine were goin` through that city back home to Ukraine..they were "pissed of" by Russian customs..and "all that hassle" at Moscow airports . Actually , the capitol city of Russia is famous for that .    My 2 kopyeykas    Johny

[MarkInTx]

... in response to experience traveling to Ukraine via Mosc..., posted by cherokee on Jan 18, 2002

That's a pretty good rate.

But you go thru Moscow? Really?

[Rags]

... in response to experience traveling to Ukraine via Mosc..., posted by cherokee on Jan 18, 2002

Don't do it!!!

First, your flight into Moscow will be so late that you will probably miss your connecting flight. (Mine was 4.5 hrs late last time.)

Second, YES you do need double entry transit visas at $120 a pop (plus two week turn around from Embassy). So much for your cheap fare. Nice of Aeroflot to point this out, eh? You do not need an invite, just copies of your tickets with the "Status : OK".

Third, Aeroflot counter employees are unhelpful, rude, and incompetent IMHO. They will tell you anything just to get you to go away and leave them alone. At least that has been my expirience(S) with them at SFO and SVO.

[wsbill]

... in response to Re: experience traveling to Ukraine via ..., posted by Rags on Jan 18, 2002

Go back into the Archives and read his tale...  You won't even think twice next time about flying Aeroflop.

[RW]

... in response to Re: experience traveling to Ukraine via ..., posted by Rags on Jan 18, 2002

Even though I don't have to worry about visas, I would not travel through Moscow. I paid extra last summer to go to Vladivostok through Seoul rather than through Moscow because you don't have to worry about going through Moscow customs, changing airports (from International to Domestic), fighting through aggressive taxi drivers and all other fun things. The last thing you will want to be faced with is getting stuck at the airport because of delayed flights - that is even worse.

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Re: experience traveling to Ukraine via ..., posted by Rags on Jan 18, 2002

And I thought the DFW airport taxes were bad.

Sheesh!

Thanks for the info

[Rags]

... in response to Re: experience traveling to Ukraine via ..., posted by Rags on Jan 18, 2002

I forgot the cost of three photos per visa and now that I think about it, it's $160 for the ten day turn around.

Not worth it at any price. Try LOT or KLM.

[Rags]

... in response to Re: experience traveling to Ukraine via ..., posted by Rags on Jan 18, 2002

Oh yeah, $18.50 for the FED EX return (you hope, right Oatmeal?) envelope for your visas required by the Russian Embassy.

[cherokee]

... in response to Re: experience traveling to Ukraine via ..., posted by Rags on Jan 18, 2002

wow! looks like the big NO for Aeroflop
thanks for advice.
it's appreciated.