10 facts about the Moscow Metro you should know

1. It’s the oldest subway in the post-Soviet space

The Moscow Metro opened for passengers on May 15, 1935. The first line consisted of 13 stations and had a total length of 11.20 km (6.95 mi.). First trains ran from ‘Sokolniki’ to ‘Okhotny Ryad’ stations and then branched out to ‘Park Kultury’ and ‘Smolenskaya’ (the latter today is part of another line). 

The first ideas to build an “underground railroad” appeared in 1913, but the final decree was only issued in 1931 in Soviet Russia. And the first line was built in just four years. Firstly, the Moscow Metro was completely underground, while, over the years, some overground stations began to appear on the outskirts of the city. However, still the subway is, still, predominantly underground. Interestingly, some stations were built via underground boring, while others were built in an open trench and then hidden underground. 

2. The biggest subway system in Eastern Europe

Today, the Moscow Metro has about 471 kilometers, 15 lines (two of them are circle lines) and 271 stations. The new Big Circle Line is the longest line of the subway and the longest circle line in the world! It was also built in record time: 10 new stations were opened on it in 2021 and seven more in 2023. 

Although the subway layout looks threateningly confusing, it's not that difficult to use. We've explained it in detail here. 

3. One of the largest passenger flows in the world

In 2024, the Moscow Metro carried 2.2 billion passengers. And the daily flow is about 6-7 million people. In this sense, the Moscow Metro is behind only the subways of such Asian megalopolises as Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, and Seoul. 

The Moscow Metro accounts for almost 50 percent of all passenger transportation in Moscow. At the same time, a ticket costs less than a dollar. The price at the time of writing is 75 rubles or 63 rubles with a ‘Troika’ card (approx. $0.93 and $0.78 respectively).

4. Bares the name of Vladimir Lenin

To this day, the official name of the subway system is the ‘Vladimir Lenin Moscow Metro’. But, it was not always like that. Initially and up to 1955, the subway was named after Soviet politician Lazar Kaganovich. This close associate of Stalin supervised the construction of the subway and, thus, was awarded for his services. In 1947, several orders were added to the subway title: 'Moscow Order of Lenin and Order of the Red Banner of Labor Metro'. However, after Stalin's death, Kaganovich's name was removed from the name altogether. 

Some stations are also named in honor of the leader of the revolution: 'Biblioteka imeni Lenina' ('Lenin Library') or 'Ploschad Ilyicha' ('Ilyich Square'). Many also are adorned with images and statues of Lenin. Take a look at some of the most impressive ones here.

5. 40 stations are recognized as cultural heritage monuments

The Moscow Metro is not just transportation, but a real underground museum, where crowds of tourists descend every day just to have a look at the numerous mosaics, sculptures, chandeliers and bas-reliefs. In Stalin's time, an individual project was developed for each station with the participation of only the best architects and artists. 

When Khrushchev came to power, he decided to speed up construction and refused “architectural excesses”. Stations built in the 1960s have a more laconic design.

6. Record-breakingly short train intervals

The Moscow Metro surprises foreigners not only with its beauty, but also with its speed. On average, train intervals are only 180 seconds! And, during peak hours, they are as minimal as 90 seconds! This is a world record!

7. During World War II, it served as a bomb shelter

In the 90-year history of the Moscow Metro, there was only one day when it did not work. It happened on October 16, 1941, when the Nazis came dangerously close to Moscow. Lazar Kaganovich was preparing a plan to destroy the subway as a strategic object. There was such a panic and collapse in Moscow that the plan was canceled and, that same evening, the trains started running again. 

The subway continued to operate even during the bombing. Some stations served as bomb shelters and people would often spend the night in the subway. In addition, construction continued during the war and even new stations were opened.

8. Millions of years old fossil shells can be found in the walls of some stations

Columns and walls of stations and passages are lined with natural stone. And, if you look closely, you will see fossil patterns and traces of ancient organisms, such as nautilus and ammonite shells, sea lilies and various brachiopods and gastropods. In total, more than 700 prehistoric fossils from 70 to 300 million years old are hidden in the capital's subway!

9. Stations towards the city center & backwards are announced by different voices 

You may notice that stations on the subway trains are announced by both male and female voices. This is not accidental, but is done for better orientation of blind or visually impaired passengers. 

If you go from the outskirts to the center, you will hear a male voice. The female announces the stations going from the center to the outskirts. On the circle lines, the male voice is heard when traveling clockwise and the female voice is heard when traveling counterclockwise.

10. The Moscow Metro has its own TV & newspaper

Passengers won’t be bored when traveling on the Moscow Metro. If your smartphone is dead (by the way, you can charge it here, as many carriages have numerous USB charging ports), you can watch the subway's own TV on the screens built into the walls of the carriages. On them, you can learn the latest news of the capital, interesting stories from the past, as well as take quizzes. Additionally, at the entrance and exit of some stations, you can pick up a free copy of the Moscow Metro’s daily newspaper with news summaries, cultural announcements, interviews with famous people and sports analysis.