Following our trip to Moscow, I have summarized all the necessary information to be able to move easily in the Moscow capital. The language barrier as well as their Cyrillic alphabet generate for many travelers, an apprehension (understandable) to visit Russia.
Finally, when we are used to taking the metro in Paris, it is very easy to use the one in Moscow! Here is all you need to know about getting around and using the metro in Moscow:
Getting around by metro
This is the most economical, easy and interesting way to visit Moscow. The stations are real architectural masterpieces, you would think you are in Versailles or Peterhof for the analogy with Saint Petersburg.
Some practical information:
- Download the Yandex Metro application to organize your trips.
- Use Google Translate to translate Cyrillic if needed (see my travel applications, for the configuration)
- ake a VPN for this trip, this allows you to connect to your social networks.
- Moscow metro schedule from 5:30am to 1am
- Children under 7 years old travel for free
- The word “метро” means Metro in Russian
- Most of the stations in the historical center have their names with the 2 languages (Russian/English). Thank you for the 2018 World Cup!
- Squeeze in on the right side of the escalators, the left side is reserved for people in a hurry
Ticket prices for 2019
With a trip limit:
- 1 trip: 55 RUB
- 2 trips: 110 RUB
- 20 trips: 747 RUB
- 40 trips: 1494 RUB
- 60 trips: 1765 RUB
Unlimited trips:
- 1 day: 218 RUB
- 3 days: 415 RUB
- 7 days: 830 RUB
- 30 days: 2075 RUB
- 90 days: 5190 RUB
- 365 days: 18900 RUB
90 minutes ticket
This ticket, as its name indicates, gives the right to make one trip in the metro, and an unlimited number of trips in the ground transport during 90 minutes. Not necessarily interesting for a trip to Moscow.
- 1 trip : 75 RUB
- 2 trips: 150 RUB
- 60 trips: 2465 RUB
Otherwise there is the Troika card (50 R), very interesting if you often take the metro. The card can be reloaded and allows you to save money compared to the cards presented above. It is valid for the whole Moscow public transport network.
When you arrive in the metro, go to the automatic ticket machines to buy your ticket. Choose the English language and select the number of trips you want. The machine will issue a ticket for travel in the metro.
To access the platforms, you must swipe your card in front of the card reader which will count the number of trips remaining on your card.
On the platform you have to find the right side of the metro to take. Find the name of your station in relation to the direction of the subway and get on board. Use Google Translate or look at your metro map.
Don’t rush, take your time. There are subways every 1min30!
To get off the metro, count the number of stations to your destination because the announcement on the microphone is only in Russian.
Good to know : For your information, the announcements made in the metro going towards the center of Moscow have a male voice while for the metros going away from the center it is a female voice.
Also for the line 5 which is circular, the male voice indicates that the metro is going clockwise and conversely the female voice indicates the opposite direction.
For the record, the Moscow metro has many secret passages that were used by the KGB. An entire line is said to connect the Kremlin to other strategic sites. This has never been proven, nor confirmed by the Soviet authorities.
The Moscow metro is the world’s largest underground railway system. It has more than a hundred stations and about 4 million passengers daily. The first line was opened in 1935, but it was not until 1960 that the network began to expand.
In the 1970s, the network expanded rapidly with the construction of several new lines. Today, there are four main lines: Red Line, Blue Line, Green Line and Orange Line. The Moscow metro is a symbol of Russia’s modernization and industrialization.
What is the approximate distance between the Red Square and the Kremlin?
The distance between the Red Square and the Kremlin is about 2 km.
The Moscow metro is also one of the most convenient ways to get to the Kremlin.
You can take a bus or a taxi.
How many stations are in the Moscow Metro system?
There are about 100 metro stations in Moscow.
How much does a trip on the Metro cost?
The price of a trip is determined by the distance and by the time you want to travel.
The price of a trip is the same for all passengers, regardless of ticket type.
What are the different types of tickets that are available?
There are three types of tickets:
- Individual tickets (1-100)
- Monthly tickets (1-100)
- Annual tickets (1-100)
What is the Metro system’s capacity?
Moscow metro has a total capacity of 4.5 million passengers per day.
How many stops are there on the Moscow Metro system?
The Moscow metro system has more than 100 stations and covers a distance of about 200 km.
What are the different types of stations on the Moscow Metro system?
There are four types of stations:
- Central stations: These are the largest stations and have two or three tracks. They are located in the center of the city and serve as a hub for all the other metro lines.
- Transfer stations: These are located between two other stations on the same line.The transfer is free.
- Local stations: These are smaller than transfer stations, but serve a larger area than a single station.They usually have one track and one island platform.
- Terminal stations: These are located at the end of a line and are used to connect with other metro lines or buses.They usually have one track and one island platform and no platforms for trains to enter or leave the station.
What are the different types of art that can be found on the walls of the Moscow Metro stations?
The Moscow metro is a great place to find art.
There are paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures and mosaics.
The most popular forms of art in the Moscow Metro are mosaics. Mosaics are found on the walls of the stations and in the tunnels. Mosaics are usually created by artists from all over the world.
They are made from ceramic or stone and have a variety of designs. Some mosaics have beautiful pictures of animals or human figures.
There are also mosaics that depict famous cities and landmarks.