Aeroflot Awards Now Bookable On Delta.com

I have flown Aeroflot over 40 times since 1977. My flights on Aeroflot have taken me to over 20 different cities around the world, including Santiago, Berlin, Magadan, Hanoi, New York, Volgograd and Beirut. Every flight was on-time! I fly business class and it is very obvious why Aeroflot was upgraded to a 4 star airline. Their flight attendants are extremely professional and probably the best dressed crew members anywhere. The meal service is superior to any U.S. airline business class and the presentation of the meal and set-ups are very well done. The flight attendants go out of their way to make you feel welcomed the minute you enter the aircraft.

@ flyingfish: There are many Chinese people here (and North Koreans, for that matter). But, English is more common than Chinese. Overall, however, it feels like you are in Europe when in Vlad. As far as tour guide, not a chance, ha. I will defend my master's thesis in June, then I plan to return to the US to begin the "fun" process of looking for a job as a new graduate. @Adam K: I would stay in the vicinity of the city if you will only be here for 3 days. I would recommend one day exploring Russky Island (accessible by bridge), as there is the FEFU campus and many forts and breathtaking hikes, and two days enjoying the city. Just curious, how will you go to Irkutsk and Yakutsk? Train, or by air?

Hi Jesse, I am actually planning on spending a few days in Vladivostok this summer and I very much appreciate your writeup on the city. I'll have about 3 days to spend in Vladivostok, and for that amount of time would you recommend staying in the city or venturing elsewhere? I'll be continuing onward to Irkutsk and Yakutsk afterward, so will hopefully get additional chances to experience the beautiful Siberian landscape.

@Jesse Thomas Wow, thanks for your detailed write-up on VVO! It looks like a very challenging city to visit at the moment. Maybe you can be a tour-guide for VVO, given your knowledge of the city and fluency in English, and I believe Russian as well. Does anyone in VVO speak Chinese? I thought that city used to be part of China. If you intend to set up something in VVO for tourist, do let me know here. I will certainly reach out to you if I can find a good way to visit VVO!

@flyingfish VVO is not suitable for transit or positioning. Though it is a new terminal, it is very small, with very few amenities and very few gates (NO restaurants airside, last time I was there). And you for sure will need a visa.There is no airport hotel ( a few motor lodges nearby that resemble a Motel 6 in backwoods Alabama). The city is 50 km from the airport. The best option is to take the train directly from the airport. Until 1 March, Aeroexpress ran an almost hourly express train to Vlad from the airport, and vice-versa, but they discontinued it. Now, Express Primorye owns the route, and it runs a limited schedule (Expect to spend only around $5 for the train or bus.....***the current train schedule on the VVO website is outdated and wildly inaccurate).There are buses and taxis, as well. However, Vlad traffic is atrocious, and is always jammed. Rule #1: never trust a Russian taxi driver. The taxis here are mostly non-metered, and they like to screw foreigners. They know just enough English to screw you. If you must get one, go to the "Taxi" desk at the airport and pay a flat fee (around 1500 RUB (~$25) to the city center), as they are the licensed companies. Vladivostok really beefed up its infrastructure ahead of the APEC 2012 summit held here, as seen with the new bridges, roads, and new campus of Far Easter Federal University on Russky Island (where I live and study). However, there are scars left, as there are many projects that were meant to be completed for the summit, but did not make the deadline, and were abandoned. For example, a Hyatt and a Hyatt Regency sit half-completed and empty, with all the markings, but in a sad state of neglect and inactivity. The new aquarium never opened, and is going to waste. The new roads are falling into disrepair due to poor maintenance. That said, the city is gorgeous, and a must-visit. The mix of pre-Soviet architecture in the center, and Soviet architecture mixed in, make it a gorgeous city. The sea and the rugged coastline are what dreams are made of. There are NO chain hotels here. But, I would recommend the Hyundai Hotel, which is the only "Western" hotel, and has a GREAT location in the center, and great views of the Golden Horn Bay and the bridge. Also, check Trip Adviser, as they list the several hotels in the city. All of the bus stops and street signs are in both Russian and English, but don't expect to find many people who speak fluent English (busses also do not announce the stops in English, only in Russian). This is not Moscow, and very few expats live here. As far as exploring the Far East, do it by train. It is an unbelievable experience. Of course it is not glamorous, but the experience is one I can't describe. Vlad is the terminus of the Trans-Siberian railway, so many trains depart and arrive here. I have visited Artem, Arsenyev, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk, Belogorsk, and Blagoveshchensk in the Far East. Each unique. There are many nature preserves to explore in Primor'ye, home of the Siberian Tiger. There is so much to do here, especially if you are a lover of nature. So, to summarize, it is not a very "touristy" place. In fact, it is difficult to be a tourist here without a guide and/or translator. But, the experience is "Russia" as many never experience it. Don't count on transiting or positioning from the airport here, as it is virtually impossible. But, please come visit. I can't say enough how much this place changed this backwoods Alabama redneck's perspective on the world. Just don't expect an "easy, stress-free" visit.