Moscow Subway (Underground), called the Metro for "Metropoliten", is the fastest and cheapest way to reach many points in Moscow with 10 radial lines and one circular (more are being constructed) and over 200 kilometers of track. It operates from 5:30 A.M. to 1:00 A.M. Metro stations are identified by the red (M) signs. Trains run at intervals of 2-4 minutes, 1-2 minutes during rush hours. The loud speakers announce (in Russian of course) the next coming stop and the stop you are on. The doors open and close automatically.
Every station has a police post, a first-aid station and telephones - local and international. The local (city) and international.
Transfer points (perekhody) close at 1 A.M. Watch the time; you might get stuck in the middle of the night.
Magnet tickets/cards (Bilyety dlya proyezda v metropolitene) cost 5 rubles. To enter the metro, place a magnet ticket or a transportation card in the turnstiles, or use a monthly pass.
Magnet Tickets/Cards (proezdnoy) cost 5 rubles for a ride as of May 15, 2002 (2 rides-10 rubles - they operate for three days since the first
ride; 5 rides - 20 rubles, 10 rides - 35 rubles, 20 rides - 70 rubles, 60 rides - 150 rubles - these cards operate for 30 days since the first ride).A
monthly metro ticket/card costs 160 rubles and is limited to 70 rides.
There are also transportation cards of the following catagories -for 30 days -200 rubles (plus deposit - 30 rubles), for 90 days - 540 rubles (plus deposit) and 365 days -
21 000 rubles (plus deposit). There are special metro cards/tickets for school children and students which cost 48 rubles. To enter the metro, place the metro card into
a slot of one of the machines with automatic gates. Monthly passes go on sale two weeks before the beginning of the next month at metro
stations. The last type of transportation passes, called "Unified City Transport Pass" (edinyy bilet) costs 320 rubles as of May 15, 2002, but it is limited to 70 rides. Buy a edinyy bilet once a month, then travel on any form of transportation.
There's also a new Unified Transport Pass which can be used both in suburban commuter trains and in the metro. It can be bought (i.e. the deposit for the card) for 50 roubles at any metro or RR station ticket office. But the fares for the two means of transportation should be payed for separately. The costs for Metro rides will be the following: 30 days - 200 rubles, 90 days - 540 roubles, 365 days - 2100 rubles.
After date of expiry the pass can be prolonged at any RR or metro ticket office. If the passanger doesn’t want to use the card any more he must hand it in to the ticket office and get his deposit money back.
History and sights. The Moscow metro was constructed in the early 1930's and is famous for its palatial marble stations with mosaics, chandeliers and precious materials. Particularly notable stations are: Komsomolskaya (1952), Kievskaya (1954), Mayakovskaya (1938-39), Novoslobodskaya (1950), Ploshchad Revolutsii (1939). The Museum on the History of the Metro is at the entrance of Metro Sportivnaya.
