Holidays to Europe can cost and arm and a leg when it comes to airfares. But consider flying to Moscow and then to Bucharest Romania on Aeroflot Russian Airlines. We chose this trip because it’s the most economical way to get from Vietnam to Europe; actually it was cheap as chips.
How to Choose the Best European Holiday Destination
So picture this. We are in Vietnam having kind of a long holiday. And we have an bright idea to go to Greece next, just because we’ve always wanted to go to Greece. But sadly when we check our favorite app Skyscanner, tickets cost an arm and a leg. But tickets to Moscow on Aeroflot Russian Airlines are very cheap in comparison. And Moscow is a major hub for Eastern Europe. Moscow it is.
Our next choice is how to get from Moscow to Greece. We search on Skyscanner and find some very cheap flights to Bucharest, Romania. And getting from Bucharest to Greece is very easy; there are loads of cheap regional flights to choose from.
So getting from Hanoi to Europe turns out to be cheap and easy, flying Aeroflot to Moscow and then to Bucharest Romania.
Noi Bai Airport Dining Hack
Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam is one of my favorite airports because it’s brand new, it’s modern and it’s super clean. After all, it was just opened in 2015. After an early start we arrived at the airport 3 hours early for our 10:15 AM flight. And then after checking in, and before going through security, we went upstairs for some breakfast.
This is a great hack at Noi Bai airport, the meals before security cost around two or three dollars for a solid Vietnamese style meal. But if you buy inside the departure area past security, meals cost 4 to 5 times that amount. And as a bonus there are about 10 or 15 great Vietnamese restaurants to choose from.
Who doesn’t like a nice bowl of Vietnamese Pho? Time for one last Pho before hitting Moscow.
Flying from Hanoi to Moscow
Our first flight to Moscow was over 9 hours, and overall very comfortable flight. We were on an Airbus A330, loaded up with a great entertainment system. What I really like is that the movie descriptions include IMDB ratings out of 10. This tells you which movies are awesome and which ones are not really worth watching. I’ve never seen this on any other airline. It’s a great help to decide which movies to enjoy.
The other thing I really like is that the menus have detailed nutritional information like fat content and calories. This is shown for each meal portion as well. This is important if you’re on a low-fat diet, so you can easily see which meals to choose with the lowest fat content.
And the meals are super yummy, we were all very happy with the two meals given in our Aeroflot economy section. There were even ice creams issued in between meals, which always makes for a great flight.
Arriving at Moscow SVO Sheremetyevo Airport
We arrived in Moscow and had a 4 hour stop over. This was my second time to Moscow airport. My first trip was a bit rough. Back then in 2017 it took about 40 minutes to get through the first security just to enter the airport. And then another 40 minutes to get through the second security, just to board the plane!
Thankfully this time the first line was about one minute and there was no second line! Overall it was a very easy transfer, one of the fastest I’ve ever done. Good job Sheremetyevo Airport!
We stopped at a café for a snack and a cuppa, and a bit surprised with a whopping US$35 bill. Anyway it was a great airport and interesting to look around at all the shopping.
Flying from Moscow to Bucharest, Romania
Next flight was from Moscow to Bucharest aboard Aeroflot. It was quite funny because we had to catch a bus across the tarmac to our plane. But as it turned out we were treated a scenic tour of Moscow along the way, because the bus had to travel right around the end of the runway across to the other side which took about 20 minutes. So it was some great views of Moscow with a nice sunset as a backdrop.
When we boarded our plane we were surprised to find it was not a Boeing or Airbus. Instead it was a Russian made jet plane called a Sukhoi Super JRRJ 95. It was much the same as smaller Airbus 320 or a Boeing 737: two rows of three seats and no in-flight entertainment.
Overall it was a pleasant flight taking two hours and 40 minutes which we slept most of the way. The meal was much more basic than the first flight, and most of the passengers seem to be Romanian. Very few western tourists on this flight! We had a laugh thinking how rare we must be for Australians to fly this route. It is quite off the normal tourist beat.
Arriving in Bucharest, Romania
Arriving in Bucharest it is very simple getting through customs. Lines were short and it took us only about five minutes. I worried that they would ask for our ongoing ticket out of Romania, because I had packed it in our check-in luggage, but in the end it was not required.
When it was time to pick up our check-in luggage at the baggage carousel, we discovered that our luggage never turned up. We had to spend about 15 minutes filling out paperwork to hopefully pick it up the next day. Not what you need after close to 24 hours of travelling!
Mozio to the Rescue
One of my new favorite apps is Mozio. This allows you to book airport transfers ahead. They are so quick and easy the whole process takes around 5 minutes, and is paid up front so there’s no chance of having to argue with some money hungry taxi driver.
So we exited the main door into the arrivals area to meet our Mozio driver to take us to our Airbnb apartment. He directed us where to buy a SIM card at a news agent in the arrivals area. We purchased two Orange SIM cards for 120 Romanian Lae for the pair of them. These come preloaded with 6 GB data and 300 minutes talk time so it’s quite economical.
During our 20 minute drive to our Airbnb in Bucharest Old Town our friendly driver told us all about the major attractions Bucharest, Romania. He also laughed and told us that late luggage from Moscow is very common.
Airbnb in Bucharest
The Airbnb was great; all we had to do was enter a number into the keypad at the front door. Then enter another number to a lock box at the door of the apartment to get the key. It couldn’t have been easier.
Aeroflot Economy Class Review
Overall I rate our first trip from Hanoi to Moscow in Aeroflot economy class 9.5 out of 10. It was an outstanding flight which I couldn’t fault. Food was great, entertainment system was top class, cabin crew was marvelous, seats were comfortable, and it was on time. What more could you ask for in economy class?
Second flight from Moscow to Bucharest in Aeroflot economy class I rate 7 out of 10. It was a comfortable flight with friendly cabin staff. The plane was not as fancy as the A330. The seats were not quite as comfortable. We had no entertainment system on the plan, thus it loses a few points. And there was no nutritional information available on the menu for our in-flight meals. Although it was no frills, it was far better than a budget carrier.
I haven’t deducted points for luggage, since that was no fault of the flight itself. As a bonus though, the bags arrived at 7pm the following day and a courier dropped them off to our apartment. Communication was good through the whole process, and it was a happy ending.
Exploring Bucharest
After a long Aeroflot flight it’s time for a good night’s sleep. We couldn’t wait to explore Bucharest, especially since we were staying right in Bucharest Old Town. Next stop is definitely the biggest attraction in town, the Palace of the Parliament.
If you’re looking for a place to start your European vacation, I can definitely recommend you give Aeroflot a try from Moscow to Bucharest.
How Much Does it Cost to Fly to Bucharest Romania?
We always go to the ingenious website/app Skyscanner.com. This site compares loads of different sellers and gives you the best price possible. If you’re not using Skyscanner, you’re not getting the best deal. Click below to find the cheapest flights to Bucharest Romania… or anywhere else on the planet!
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