Updated May 10th, 2020

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When I was living abroad in Russia I missed many things about my former life in New York. Out of the many aspects of NYC life that I missed, the subway was not one of them! The Moscow subway, called the metro in Russia, is one of the few things I have to say that this city does much better than the Big Apple. 

The metro in Moscow is not only the best way to get around the city, but it also is a work of art. Whether you need to use it for transportation or not, you should take it at least once to admire the beautiful stations and marvel at its efficiency. Continue reading to find out what makes the Moscow metro so great and how to use it.

The Moscow Metro is: 

1. Speedy

When I first started taking the metro I couldn’t believe my luck that a train was always coming right when I arrived. Sometimes I felt they came too quick and I didn’t have enough time to figure out my bearings. Then I learned that every train comes in two minutes or less from the previous train. Many times one or two would go by before I figured out what direction I needed. In my time in Moscow I never experienced any delays or interruptions! In general each stop is very quick and you arrive at your destination at exactly the predicted minute.

2. Sparkling

Like the city as a whole, the metro is very clean. You won’t find critters running around or garbage thrown on the tracks.

3. Grand

Instead of grimy, water leaking platforms, all the stations are full of tile, marble and statues. If you popped into certain stations you might think you are in a historical museum instead of a metro station. 

Other stations give more of a modern airport feel.

4. Cheap

You can get metro passes in various amounts. I describe the types of tickets more below, but it is around $15 for 20 rides!  

5. Manageable

All the Russians think the Metro system is in English and so easy to use. I disagree that it is fully in English. Apparently it is better than only a couple years ago, but it isn’t 100% yet. I wouldn’t quite say easy to use either, but I would let “fairly” easy slide. There are many places where the only signs I can find are in Russian. If you have experience using a metro system and know which number & color line to take as well as the name of your destination you should be okay. At a station with only one train line all you have to do is figure out which direction to go in. The stations with multiple lines are a little more confusing and you have to look for the numbers on the ground that point you to the correct line.

Update: Now that the World Cup took place in Moscow there is a little more English signage in the metro stations.

Some of the trains make verbal and written announcements in both Russian & English, others just use Russian. I live on a line that announces in both languages. I have the metro map app downloaded on my phone. It gives me exact timings so I can always time the stops if necessary on other lines. Also counting the number of stops is helpful.

6. Deep

This doesn’t necessarily make it better than other metros, but just an interesting detail nevertheless. Almost all of the stations have escalators because it is so far underground. It takes several minutes just to ride the escalator. At 275.6 feet underground, Park Pobedy has the third deepest metro station in the world. That is approximately 25 stories underground and a 3 minute ride!

How to Use the Moscow Metro:

1. Download the Yandex Metro App

Use this app to figure out which lines to take and what stop to get off at.

2. Buy a Metro Ticket

There are three options to pay your metro fare. If you have a contactless credit card you can tap it at the turnstiles and enter without paying for an additional ticket. The fare will be charged directly to your credit card.

If you are only using it once or twice you can buy a single use card. When I lived in Moscow you could put additional rides on these cards. Now if you are going to ride the metro frequently or for a longer period of time (more than a week vacation) you need to buy a Troika card. This is a reusable card that can be topped off as often as you like. There are three different kinds of fares that you can put on the card.

To buy your tickets go up to the “Kacca” and say the number of rides you want. If you don’t speak Russian hold up your fingers or show the written number and they will know what you mean. Make sure to say “Troika” if you would like to buy that card. Check the fares and have the correct amount of money so they know what kind of fare you are putting on the card. You can also buy from the automatic ticket machines that now have English translation.

2. Go Through the Gates

Occasionally you will be pulled aside to have a security wand waved over you. This only happened to me when I was traveling with luggage. Tap your card on top of the console reader and the gates will open. The number that pops up is how many trips you have left or your remaining balance, not including your current trip.

3. Figure out Which Way to Go

If you are at a big station you need to find which line to go on. Each line has a color and a number. Often times the numbers are in a colored circle on the ground. They point which way to go.

Once you get to the platform of the correct line, check for the sign hanging from the ceiling. It shows which stops are which direction.

Using a translator (I used Yandex Translate) figure out the name of your stop in Russian and look for it on the board.

4. Get Off at the Correct Stop

Each metro line is different, but many announce the stops in both Russian and English. Worst case scenario, just count the stops and follow along with a map.

FYI

The metros have wifi, at least on the platforms, so you will be able to use the Yandex Metro App.

Once I learned, more or less, the Russian alphabet it made finding my stop and which direction to go, much easier.

Like all metros in large cities, people move fast. When figuring out where to go, stay out of the way!

I always felt very safe using the Metro, but of course have common sense.

Overall the Moscow metro is safe and efficient and I highly recommend taking it when you visit the city. It is so beautiful that there are even specific Moscow Metro Tours! If you don’t need to take the metro a tour is a great way to still see it and learn about it without needing to figure out how to do it on your own. 

More About Russia

• Moscow Things to Do: The Must See Sights, Unique Things to Do, Spartak Stadium
• Moscow Markets: Danilovsky Market, Izmailovsky Market
• Moscow Museums: Moscow City Museum, Victory Museum, Museum of the Patriotic War in 1812, State Historical Museum,
• Moscow Life: Moving to Moscow, Malls, Christmas in Moscow, Learning Spanish, My Russian Apartment, What is Life Really Like in Russia, FiFa World Cup, Russian Winters, and more posts about life abroad in Russia.
• St Petersburg: St. Petersburg Guide, The Hermitage Museum, Kayaking the Rivers & Canals, Peterhof Palace

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