Metro Travel in Moscow

Metro Travel

The Moscow metro, first opened in 1935, ranks among the world's finest public transportation systems. With more than 200 km (124 mi) of track, the Moscow metro carries an estimated 8 million passengers daily. Even in today's hard economic times, the system continues to run efficiently, with trains every 50 seconds during rush hour. It leaves New Yorkers green with envy.

If you're not traveling with a tour group or if you haven't hired your own driver, taking the metro is the best way to get around the Russian capital. You'll be doing yourself a great favor and saving yourself a lot of frustration if you learn the Russian (Cyrillic) alphabet well enough to be able to transliterate the names of the stations. This will come in especially handy at transfer points, where signs with long lists of the names of metro stations lead you from one major metro line to another. You should also be able to recognize the entrance and exit signs because going the wrong way could earn you a scolding from one of the many red-hatted employees working in the stations.

Pocket maps of the system are available at newspaper kiosks and sometimes from individual vendors at metro stations. Be sure that you obtain a map with English transliterations in addition to Cyrillic. If you can't find one, try any of the major hotels (even if you're not a guest of the hotel they'll probably give you a map). Plan your route beforehand and have your destination written down in Russian and its English transliteration to help you spot the station. As the train approaches each station, the station name will be announced over the train's public-address system; the name of the next station is given before the train moves off. Reminders of interchanges and transfers are also given. Some newer trains do have the transliterated names of stations on line maps in the trains, which are very helpful for non-Russian speakers.

Stations are built deep underground (they were built to double as bomb shelters); the escalators are steep and run fast, so watch your step. If you use the metro during rush hour (8:30-10 AM, 4-6 PM), be prepared for a lot of pushing and shoving. In a crowded train, just before a station, you're likely to be asked, "Vy vykhódíte?," or whether you're getting off at the next station. If not, you're expected to move out of the way. Riders are expected to give up seats for senior citizens and small children.

Note that public displays of affection are frowned upon in the metro, and there's even talk of imposing fines for such behavior.

Fares & Schedules

The metro is easy to use and amazingly inexpensive. Stations are marked with a large illuminated "M" sign and are open daily 5:30 AM to 1 AM. The fare is the same regardless of distance traveled, and there are several stations where lines connect and you may transfer for free. You purchase a magnetic card (available at all stations) for 1, 5, 10, 20, or more journeys and insert it into the slot at the turnstile upon entering. The card will then appear again on the other side of the turnstile. Don't forget to take it. A single ride costs 15R, and discounts are available for multiple-journey cards. A card for 10 trips costs 50R.

You can also purchase a monthly pass (yediny bilyet), which is valid for all modes of public transportation (buses, trams, trolleys). The passes, which work like the magnetic cards, are on sale at the same windows as metro cards. At 500R, they are inexpensive and well worth the added expense for the convenience.