Rapid Travel Chai

Saint Petersburg Pulkovo Airport’s quirky old Terminal 1 is being phased out for the new Terminal 1, itself a twisting tale of the way things are done in post-Soviet Russia.

I experienced old Pulkovo 1 in October on a Rossiya flight to Kaliningrad. Up, down, under, around and back again. Packed platforms of activity feeding underground to satellite terminals with no restrooms. Now that’s an airport experience to savor, once, only once.

Buzzing panorama

Russian know how to wait

Self service check-in is the only hope

Lounging on the mid-levels

Underground to the satellite gates

Out to the satellite

Up we go

Satellite with bus gates

Wrapped in one-way glass

No dumping here