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June 16, 2016
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July 28, 2016Moscow Domodedovo Spotting Guide
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- last modified on September 7, 2020
Located 30 km south of the Russian megapolis, Domodedovo Airport is the largest airport in the country and welcomed over 29 Mio. passengers in 2018. It consists of two parallel runways, at the center is the main terminal located. The two parallel runways are numbered 14L-32R at the north and 14R-32L at the south. Northern ruways are generally dedicated to arrivals while the southerns are used for departures. Sometimes, however, will make landings on the southern runways, in this case it is Ural airlines or private aviation that arrive by that track directly to the parking places.
The large airport complex houses day and night flights from all over the world. The S7 airlines companies, Ural, Rusline, Nordavia, Red Wings, Yamal, Vim, Air Azur and Nordstar have a base in Domodedovo. Other flights are operated by other Russian companies with varied and exotic fleets. European major companies and golf are present at DME. From Asia JAL, Vietnam and Singapore Airlines provide daily rotations. Regarding the cargo business, various flights are operated daily. Finally, a maintenance stand hosts various flights mainly charter airlines. Many aircraft at end of life are stored in DME in front of the terminal.
Written by Cédric Valence and Anna Zvereva (last update August 2020)
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| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 14L/32R | 3.800 m (12,467 ft) |
| 14R/32L | 3.500 m (11,483 ft) |
| Terminals | |
| Concourse A | non russian carriers |
| Concourse B | mainly russian carriers |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Not necessery and not recommend to use! |
| Car/Public Transport | There is a train station for spots 1 and 2, also a bus to joint points 3 to 6. You need a car for the other locations. |
| Restrooms | Not availlable directly at the locations. |
| Drinks/Food | Not availlable directly at the locations. |
| Hotels | See “Domodedovo airport” for location and you’ll find some hotels around with different prices |
| Season | Winter ar very cold with snow, best from may to september. |
| Runway Usage | |
| 14L/32R | Mainly for arrivals |
| 14R/32L | Departures and some arrivals |
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Small Road - Approach 14L
| WHERE | There is a street above the final approach runway 14L. From the airport access road A105 you have to turn right next to the Kosmos train station (if cominig from the city you have to make a u-turn at the terminal as you can`t turn left). Park the car on the side of the road and you easly can take pictures of landings. By train reach Kosmos station and walk along the street to the points. Caution because it’s dangerous as you have to cross the A105 which is quiet busy. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on RWY 14L only. |
| TIME | You can stay the whole day there. The light is good from sunrise till 11am at and thereafter from 1pm till sunset. |
| MISC. | There is no shop, no restrooms in this area so take yours dispositions before. In dry weather, note that there may be dust due to the trucks traffic on the street. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Use about 150mm for an A320. It’s not possible to take pictures of the departures 14L. |
Tupoleva street - Approach 14R
| WHERE | The spots are along Tupoleva street on a empty side road. You can reach it if coming from the western side only. U-Turn is a vailable if coming from the airport a bit further down the spot. Park your car at the road of the approach light. The morning side has a clear view of the action. If the sun has turned around you can walk on the grass along the road (not busy) to the other side. You can reach this spot by public transport. Use the same direction as for #3 but don`t exit their and continue and request a stop as marked on the map near the postion. |
| WHAT | Approach for 14R only. |
| TIME | You can stay the whole day there. The light is good from sunrise till 11am at and thereafter from 1pm till sunset. |
| MISC. | There is nothing around. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Use 150mm for a B738 |
Perimeter Fence - Arrivals 14R, departures 32L
| WHERE | This location is good when landings are done from the direction of Moscow city to runway 14R. Also all departing airplanes take position for takeoff right against it. Unfortunately some barbed wire on the perimeter fence may get into frame from lower side and poles may sometimes obstruct the photo. From city center use green metro line until “Domodedovskaya” station, exit to the right, than to the left and upstairs and take minibus 404, get off at stop “Aviagorodok” (Aviation Town). The buses are next to the exit from the metro. The journey will take about 40 minutes. You can ask the driver to stop the bus next to the checkpoint, then go along the perimeter fence, passing it from the right side, according to the drawing. If you come to the bus stop “Aviagorodok”, cross the road at the traffic light and go down to the park, go through it, pass the city lake, cross the new road that is usually lonesome and go straight across the field to the airport perimeter fence. |
| WHAT | Arrivals 14R, departures 32L |
| TIME | From midday untill sunset |
| MISC. | There is nothing around |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 180mm for B767, 400mm for A340, to cover all movements 70 – 300mm will be fine |
Perimeter Fence- Arrivals and departures 14R, departures 32L
| WHERE | Follow the way to the previous location but move forward along the airport perimeter fence for about 1 km. There are some good stumps and a small hand-made bench. Almost no obstructions and you get barbed wire into the frame only if you take the biggest airplanes on the rotation. Here it is excellent to take photos of traffic departing in the direction of Moscow city and in the opposite direction. |
| WHAT | Planes on ground. Arrivals and departures 14R, departures 32L |
| TIME | From midday untill sunset |
| MISC. | There is nothing around |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70mm for B747, 220mm for B738, 105 for A350, to cover all movements 70 – 300mm will be fine |
Hill - Arrivals and departures 32L, taxiway M
| WHERE | Take bus # 404 from Domodedovskaya metro station or bus # 26 from Domodedovo airport terminal. Exit at “Lyamtsino” stop. Go through Lyamtsino village and the field towards the airport. Please note that roads across the field change from year to year depending on agriculture. When you reach the forest find the road going along its border and turning into is towards the perimeter fence. Follow this road. You will see a small hill near a birch tree on your left. Climb the hill to be above the fence and have good view of runway 32L touchdown zone as well as most of taxiway M and nearby parking area. If you pass about 300m along the fence in the direction of runway 32L threshold you will also see a small hill. A narrow pass is going there through the bushes. You can climb this hill to have a view of taxiway A11 where the holding point to 32L is located. If you exit the forest back to the field and follow the road along the field edge to the norhwestern direction (towards opposite threshold of the runway 32L) you will find an open area with several birch trees from where you will be able to see the runway in the part where heavy departures from 14R usually rotate as well as central taxiways H1 and H2. |
| WHAT | Arrivals and departures 32L, taxiway M |
| TIME | From midday untill sunset |
| MISC. | There is nothing around |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 170mm for B738, 105mm for Yak-42, to cover all movements 70 – 300mm will be fine |
Hill - Arrivals 32L, departures 32L at taxiway A11
| WHERE | Follow the way to spot 5 but take another road across the field that leads further to the south along the forest border. Climb the hill and you will have a good view on airplanes approaching 32L as well as taxiway A11. |
| WHAT | Arrivals 32L, departures 32L at taxiway A11 |
| TIME | From midday untill sunset |
| MISC. | There is nothing around |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 170mm for Thai Airways, 235mm for IL-76, to cover all movements 150 – 300mm will be fine |
Street A107 - Landings 32L
| WHERE |
We didn’t tried landings at runway 32L because it’s seems difficult. Just a picture through the car’s window during driving. Park your car at gaz station at intersection between “Obaztrovo” and A107 and walk about 25min along the street on the grass. Dont walk to close to the road as there is a fast traffic on the A107 and it’s not safe. |
| WHAT | Approach runway 32L shots, but you have to hurry up cause the space between the trees is short. |
| TIME | Point 5 is good from 2pm till sunset. |
| MISC. | This is noisily and bad conditions of spotting for finally a light result. Not possible to park along the A107 street. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | You’ll shoot about 300mm for a B738 |
A107 street - Arrivals 32R PM
| WHERE | This one is located along the A107. Park the car along the A107 on the grass just after the bus stop or along the fence of the farm (tagged on the map) and walk along the street to the photo position |
| WHAT | You’ll find a place for landings 32R and shoot between the trees. Airplanes are a little far and high, but it’s better than nothing. |
| TIME | Point 4 is good from 2pm till sunset. |
| MISC. | It’s impossible to park along the A107 at another place than the one detailed before.There is nothing around for shopping or restrooms. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Use about 250mm for an A320 |
Small street - Arrivals 32R
| WHERE | Under the approach there is a bus stop, but its much easier if you use a car. Drive on the A107 till Pestovo. Then turn left on a little street and park along the road until you’ll find a field without trees. |
| WHAT | In the case of 32 are in use, 32R is dedicated to the landings. We observed that some Ruslines or Ural landed on 32L due to proximity of their terminal at the end of this runway. Airplanes are a little bit high but this is a solution when airplanes are landing there. |
| TIME | Light is good from sunrise till 11AM. |
| MISC. | North-East of DME airport is a military area, so don’t try to explore the forest at this side. There is nothing around, prepare your trip. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Use about 250mm for an A320. |
11 Comments
I Want to contact local spotter at Domodedovo but i can t find any of them on the web so if you have emails of these spotters can you help me thank you
Hello!I’m here! From Moscow 🙂
renov@ya.ru
ill be ging there in July next year (2018) any one a suggestion where to go and where to stay safe, and stay out of trouble of police ?
Spot #9 (Terminal) no longer usable (visited August 2017). Entrance to the security on departures level was pulled forward and windows on ground floor behind check-in are no longer accessible due to construction work. So any airside views only possible behind security for departing passengers.
Thanks for the info Andreas, we have just updated the guide.
-Julian-
Please immediately delete point 7 and 8,I was catched by the Russian Police today.They let me go because I am only 16.
Hi Mason Wang!
That are really bad news. We updated our guide and now we are warning of the danger!
Thanks for the news…
Regards,
Severin (Spotterguides.net-Team)
Thanks!The Tupoleva street now is a four lanes busy highway,it has two more traffic lane than before.I think the morning point #7 is safe.There is a bus station named Stroitel,404 bus can arrive there from Metro Domodedovskaya,spotters can stay behind the station so the patrol can not see.
Spot 6 should be removed – Fence has sensors and going to the fence is EXACTLY what you should NOT do at DME if you don’t want to ruin the spotting there for the locals
We updated the guide. Is there an altnative to photograph 32L or how do the locals so?
That RW is a pain indeed. Long walks, flooded areas and indeed there’s nothing around so plan food in advance.
I did DME like 7 times, never had a car so you don’t need one (and Moscow’s traffic is a nightmare anyway)
If in a remore area, the best thing is to call Uber that will drive you back to the closest metro station. Cheap and very efficient.
Please contact locals (always a great advice…) and see what spot they will give you. There’s indeed way better spots than the ones published here but I’m not sure they would like to see them published here.