Moscow Metro — Map, Lines, Route, Hours, Tickets

Moscow Metro Information

Over the years, Moscow’s metro system has truly changed. From its humble beginnings in 1935 to one of the most important means of public transport in Moscow. How has this happened? From a single line serving 13 stations, it is now the busiest metro system outside of Asia. With a length of over 330km, it is no surprise that it is the fifth longest metro system in the world. It now consists of 12 lines serving 200 stations and has an annual ridership of 2.4 billion (2014). Moskovsky Metropoliten is the operator of this massive system.

The Moscow Metro system supports a significant number of daily commuters, with a total of 6,550,000 passengers travelling daily. Unlike some other metro systems, it doesn’t offer a 24-hour service and operates from 5:30am to 1:00am (M-D).

Air conditioning is available, but only on lines 3 and 5, and was introduced in 2009. The system doesn’t allow passengers to walk between platforms and there are no driverless trains. There are no screen doors on the platform.

The average speed of trains on the Moscow metro is about 41.5 km/h. The fare is 64 roubles.

Moscow Metro Map

Map of Moscow Metro showing various lines and stations. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the Moscow Metro map in PDF format.

Lines and Stations

Moscow’s metro system consists of 14 interconnected lines, allowing passengers to travel almost anywhere in the city. Each of these lines has a unique name, code (a combination of numbers or numbers and letters) and colour, making it easier to identify each line and transfer from one to another. While most of Moscow’s metro lines are underground, there are also some surface and elevated stations.

Sokolnicheskaya Line

The Sokolnicheskaya line is Moscow’s oldest metro line, running from Bulvar Rokossovskogo to Salaryevo and crossing the city along the north-east-south-west axis.

Line color: Red
Code: 1
Number of stations: 22
Length: 20.19 mi (32.5 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Zamoskvoretskaya Line

The Zamoskvoretskaya line crosses Moscow from north to south. One of its most beautiful and popular stations is Mayakovskaya.

Line color: Dark green
Code: 2
Number of stations: 23
Length: 20.19 mi (42 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line

The Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line, the second to open in Moscow, is also the city’s longest. Its 22 stations cross Moscow from west to east, connecting the Mitino district and Krasnogorsk with Moscow’s eastern suburbs.

Line color: Dark blue
Code: 3
Number of stations: 22
Length: 28.02 mi (45.1km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Filyovskaya Line

Unlike most lines that cross Moscow from one end to the other, the Filyovskaya line starts in the city centre and connects to the Dorogomilovo and Fili districts in the west.

Line color: Light blue
Code: 4
Number of stations: 13
Length: 9.1 mi (14.7 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Koltsevaya Line

The Koltsevaya line is one of Moscow’s two circular metro lines. Its 12 stations form a ring around the city centre. This line is one of the most famous, as some of its stations still retain the iconic Stalinist architecture.

Line Color: Brown
Code: 5
Number of stations: 12
Length: 12.05 mi (19.4 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Kaluzhsko–Rizhskaya Line

The Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya line crosses Moscow from north to south, connecting Medvedkovo and Novoyasenevskaya.

Line Color: Orange
Code: 6
Number of stations: 24
Length: 23.5 mi (37.8 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Tagansko–Krasnopresnenskaya Line

The Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya line, with 23 stations, crosses Moscow from north-east to south-east and is the most heavily used metro line.

Line Color: Purple
Code: 7
Number of stations: 23
Length: 26.1 mi (42 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Kalininsko–Solntsevskaya Line

The Kalininsko-Solntsevskaya line consists of two separate sections crossing the city from east to west. It is expected that both sections will be connected by 2020.

Line Color: Yellow
Code: 8 and 8a
Number of stations: 8 and 5, respectively
Length: 10.1 mi (16.3 km) and 6.6 mi (10.7 km), respectively
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Serpukhovsko–Timiryazevskaya Line

The Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya line, the second largest metro system in Moscow, crosses the city from one end to the other, connecting Altufyevo and Bulvar Dmitriya Donskogo.

Line Color: Gray
Code: 9
Number of stations: 25
Length: 25.8 mi (41.5 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Lyublinsko–Dmitrovskaya Line

The Lyublinsko-Dmitrovskaya line crosses Moscow from Seligerskaya to Krasnogvardeyskaya.

Line Color: Light green
Code: 10
Number of stations: 20
Length: 20.8 mi (33.4 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Kakhovskaya Line

The Kakhovskaya Line, the shortest in the Moscow metro system, connects the Grey Line to the Green Line and is only 2.1 mi (3.3 km) long.

Line Color: Aquamarine
Code: 11A
Number of stations: 3
Length: 2.1 mi (3.3 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Butovskaya Line

The Butovskaya line can be seen as an extension of line 6, reaching as far as Buninskaya Alley. It is not an underground line, but an elevated one.

Line Color: Grayish blue
Code: 12
Number of stations: 7
Length: 6.2 mi (10 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Monorail

Although it is a monorail and not a metro, it is considered part of the metro system. Transfers between the metro and the monorail are free within 90 minutes.

Line Color: Blue
Code: 13
Number of stations: 6
Length: 2.3 mi (4.7 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Central Circle

The Central Circle is the second circular line of the Moscow Metro. Its 31 stations encircle all of Moscow’s historical sites.

Line Color: White circle with a double red line
Code: 14
Number of stations: 31
Length: 33.6 mi (54 km)
Schedule: 5:00 am to 1:00 am

Media

Schedules and Frequency

Most Moscow metro stations open at 5:30 a.m. and close at 1:00 a.m. The Monorail (line 13) operates from 7:00 to 23:00 and the Central Circle (line 14) from 5:45 to 12:30. Trains on most lines run every 2 or 3 minutes most of the day, and every 90 seconds at peak times. At night, trains run every 6 to 10 minutes.

Connections with other systems

Moscow’s 14 metro lines intersect at various points along their routes, making it easy to transfer from one line to another. Once your ticket has been validated, you can change between lines 1-12 without any time limit or extra charge.

Transfers between the first 12 lines and Line 13 (the Monorail) and vice versa are free within 90 minutes of first boarding.

Transfers between the first 12 lines and line 14 (Central Circle) and vice versa are free within 90 minutes of first boarding.

Single Metro tickets do not include connections to other modes of transport such as buses or trams.

Troika Card

The Troika card is the most convenient way to pay for public transport in Moscow. This plastic card can be loaded with money and used to purchase any type of ticket available.

The card requires a deposit of 50 rubles (US$0.88), which will be refunded when the card is returned. The Troika card is valid for 5 years and can be used on the metro and other public transport. You can top up your card at station ticket counters, vending machines or via the app.

Prices

Troika card: 57 rubles (US$0.88)
A trip on the metro and monorail: 36 rubles (US$0.63)
A trip on other modes of transportations: 36 rubles (US$0.63)
Unlimited 90-minute connections between metro and other modes of transportation: 56 rubles (US$0.99)

Single tickets

If you do not want to use a Troika card, you can buy a single ticket or a pass, which is issued in the form of a red card. This card can be used on the metro as well as other modes of transport such as buses and trams.

Prices

1 trip (valid for 5 days from the day of purchase): 55 rubles (US$0.97)
2 trips (valid for 5 days from the day of purchase): 110 rubles (US$1.94)
20 trips (valid for 90 days from the day of purchase): 747 rubles (US$13.17)
40 trips (valid for 90 days from the day of purchase): 1494 rubles (US$26.34)
40 trips (valid for 90 days from the day of purchase and only available for purchase with the Troika card): 1765 rubles (US$31.12)

Unlimited trips

Edinaya” passes allow unlimited travel during a specified period. These passes can be used within 10 days of purchase and the validity period starts to count down from the first use. In the future, however, the 30-day passes can only be purchased with a Troika card and are valid from the time of purchase.

Prices

1 day: 218 rubles (US$3.84)
3 days: 415 rubles (US$7.32)
7 days: 830 rubles (US$14.63)
30 days: 2075 rubles (US$36.58)
90 days: 5190 rubles (US$91.5)
365 days: 18900 rubles (US$333.21)

Tips

Although Moscow’s metro system may seem complicated, with 14 lines, planning a trip is easy thanks to the interactive map on the official website and app.
Buying individual tickets is cheaper than buying a Troika card.
If you have money loaded on your Troika card and you are leaving the country, you can go to any of the metro’s main offices and request a refund of the available amount on the card, including the deposit.
Maps in stations and trains show stations in both Russian and Latin alphabets.
The Yandex.Metro app offers bilingual maps and allows you to plan your trip, estimate travel time and take into account connections.
As some of Moscow’s famous metro stations are among the most beautiful in the world, they are also among the busiest. Avoid visiting them during rush hours.

Interesting Facts

Moscow’s metro is famous for its stations decorated with murals, mosaics, chandeliers and works of art. These beautiful stations have become one of Moscow’s tourist attractions, with tours explaining the art and history of the stations.
The Moscow Metro was one of the first metro systems in the Soviet Union.
It is the sixth largest metro system in the world.
The Park Pobedy station is one of the deepest in the world at 276 feet (84 metres). It also has one of the longest escalators in Europe.
Since 1 December 2014, all metro lines have free Wi-Fi, thanks to the company Maxima Telecom.
With more than nine million passengers a day, Moscow’s metro is one of the busiest in the world.
Although it hasn’t been confirmed, there is speculation that a secret metro system exists beneath some of the regular lines. This system, known as D-6, was supposedly created to evacuate a select group of influential people in the event of an emergency, such as a nuclear attack during the Cold War. It is believed that this secret metro is run by the army.

Future expansions

Although Moscow’s metro is extensive, reaching out to the city limits and connecting with surrounding districts, it is in constant need of expansion and modernisation to meet growing demand. Some of the stations on Line 1, which was first opened, are among the oldest in the system and require modernisation.

While significant extensions have been completed in recent years, major expansions of the Moscow metro are currently underway. Currently, several lines are planned to be extended by a total of 93 miles (150 kilometres) by 2020. Key expansion projects will add 5.9 miles (9.5 kilometres) to the Lyublinsko-Dmitrovskaya line and extend the metro system to the Solntsevo district and suburbs of Moscow.

Connection to the airport

Moscow has three international airports, each 19 to 25 miles (30 to 40 kilometres) from the city centre. It’s possible to get to any of them by a combination of metro and bus, but bear in mind that this may not be the best option if you’re travelling with a lot of luggage, as the bus will drop you off in the suburbs, where you’ll then have to take a metro into downtown Moscow.

If you are travelling with a lot of luggage, the best option is to take a taxi or the Aeroexpress, a train that connects the airports with downtown Moscow.

If you’re not travelling with a lot of luggage or are looking for the cheapest option, it’s possible to get to the city centre by bus or metro. Here’s how:

From Domodedovo Airport: You can take the 308 bus to Domodedovskaya station on the Green Line (Line 2) and from there take one of the metro lines to your destination. The journey from the airport to the Green Line takes 30-40 minutes. Express buses cost 100 roubles (US$1.76), while 24-hour buses cost 120 roubles (US$2.11).
From Sheremetyevo Airport: Several bus lines take you from the airport to Rechnoy Vokzal station on the Green Line (Line 2) or to Planernaya station on the Purple Line (Line 7). The journey to either station takes between 40 and 50 minutes. A 90-minute ticket, which includes bus travel, metro entry and unlimited connections during the 90 minutes, costs 50 roubles. (US$0.88).
From Vnukovo Airport: Take the N611 bus to Yugo-Zapadnaya station on the Red Line (Line 1). The trip costs 50 roubles (US$0.88) and takes about 40 minutes. You can buy a 90-minute ticket, which includes the bus ride, metro entry and unlimited connections during the 90 minutes.

Sights to see via Moscow’s metro

St Basil’s Cathedral: This iconic cathedral is a landmark not only in Moscow, but in all of Russia. This Orthodox church, unique in its architecture and famous for its colourful domes, is located on Red Square and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cathedral is a 10-minute walk from Ploshchad Revolyutsii metro station (Line 3) and Teatral’naya metro station (Line 2).

Red Square: In addition to St Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square is home to the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian President, the Monument to Minin and Pozharsky, and Lenin’s Mausoleum. To get to the square, take metro line 3 to Ploshchad Revolyutsii station or line 2 to Teatral’naya station.

Metro Stations: With their chandeliers, murals and mosaics, metro stations are a tourist attraction in their own right. Some of the most famous and beautiful are

On Line 5: Kievskaya, Belorusskaya, Komsomolskaya, Novoslobodskaya and Park Kultury.
On line 3: Ploshchad Revolutsii, Elektrozavodskaya, Kurskaya, Park Pobedy and Slavyansky Bulvar
On line 2: Mayakovskaya

Tretyakov Gallery: This is one of the most famous art museums in Moscow. It houses the largest collection of Russian works in the world. The gallery is a five-minute walk from Tretyakovskaya metro station on Line 6.