MOSCOW BELOW THE SURFACE
Moscow Metro
Find your way around the city, discover remarkable stations and plan your next journey with an up-to-date route planner.
Moscow’s metro can be part of the sightseeing as well as the journey: notice the changing architecture, lighting and decorative details as you travel. Choose a few stations on a useful route, pause away from passenger flows and leave time for the places above ground too.
PLAN WITH CURRENT NETWORK INFORMATION
Where would you like to go?
Open the Moscow scheme in Yandex Metro, choose your departure station and destination, then compare the suggested journey time and transfers. The interactive scheme and route calculation run in Yandex’s service.
Open interactive Yandex Metro ↗
Opens an external service in a new tab. Choose “Откуда” (from) and “Куда” (to). Check the route again before travelling. Journey times are estimates; allow extra time for the walk to and from the station.
Search a station or tap it on the scheme.
Check the line as well as the station name.
Read the time, transfers and direction before setting off.
For a route from a street address, hotel or venue, use a door-to-door public-transport planner. A metro station-to-station estimate does not include every part of that journey.
A SIMPLE FIRST JOURNEY
From the entrance to the right exit.
Before you enter
Save the destination name in Russian and English transliteration. Confirm the line number, direction and interchange. A large station complex may contain several station names and many street exits.
On the platform
Follow the line number, colour and direction signs together. Check the stations shown for that direction before boarding. Keep clear of closing doors and let passengers leave first.
At an interchange
Follow signs for the connecting line. Some interchange passages are long, and connected stations may have different names. Check the route before following an exit sign: leaving the paid area may affect the ticket you need.
At your destination
Choose the exit for your actual street or venue. Allow time for escalators and the walk outside. If you need a lift or assistance, check the exact station entrance and interchange in advance with the operator.
ARCHITECTURE ON YOUR WAY
Six stations to start with.
Use these as a sightseeing shortlist, then check the live scheme to arrange the journey. This is a selection of stations, not a complete network map or a timed tour. Avoid busy commuting periods when possible and keep passageways clear.
6 stations in this shortlist
LINE 5 · KOLTSEVAYA
Komsomolskaya Комсомольская
Look for the monumental yellow hall and ceiling mosaics on the Circle line platforms. Komsomolskaya also has a Line 1 station: choose the Line 5 part of the interchange for this visit.
LINE 2 · ZAMOSKVORETSKAYA
Mayakovskaya Маяковская
Notice the elegant metal-edged columns and the mosaics set into the ceiling recesses. Leave time to look upward while staying out of the flow of passengers.
LINE 3 · ARBATSKO-POKROVSKAYA
Ploshchad Revolyutsii Площадь Революции
Bronze sculptural figures frame the arches along the platforms. This station fits a central sightseeing day; check the right exit for your destination around Red Square and the theatre district.
LINE 3 · ARBATSKO-POKROVSKAYA
Arbatskaya Арбатская
The long vaulted hall is part of the deep Line 3 station. There is another Arbatskaya on Line 4, so the name alone is not enough when planning an architecture stop.
LINE 5 · KOLTSEVAYA
Novoslobodskaya Новослободская
Illuminated stained-glass panels give the station its distinctive character. Combine it with another Circle line stop after checking the current route and interchange arrangements.
LINE 5 · KOLTSEVAYA
Kiyevskaya Киевская
The Circle line hall is known for its mosaics. Kiyevskaya is a multi-line interchange: check that you are visiting the Line 5 platforms rather than another station with the same name.
No stations in this shortlist match. Try a Russian name or clear the search.
TICKETS, TRANSFERS & PRACTICAL DETAILS
Check the product, then travel.
How do I choose a ticket?
Check the operator’s current ticket products and Troika information. Ask at the ticket desk about the journeys you intend to make, including any suburban trains or airport services. Confirm how you can pay before relying on a particular card or contactless method. Fares and product conditions can change.
Are Metro, MCC and MCD the same journey?
The Metro, Moscow Central Circle (MCC) and Moscow Central Diameters (MCD) appear together on many schemes, but ticket and transfer conditions depend on the service, fare zone and product. On MCD, validate your ticket at both the start and end of the journey. Check the official MCD tariff information before travelling beyond the central area.
How long should I allow?
Use the route planner’s current estimate, then add your walk to the entrance, time to reach the platform and the final walk outside. Allow more time with luggage, at unfamiliar interchanges and for fixed appointments. Do not copy a journey time from an old screenshot.
Can I use the map without mobile data?
Prepare your route and save important addresses before leaving Wi-Fi. The Yandex Metro mobile app offers offline map features; check its current help and download the city data before your journey. Live service information still needs a current connection.
What about late journeys and accessibility?
Check the operating arrangements for your actual station and the last useful connection, including transfers. For step-free access or mobility assistance, ask the operator about the complete journey and the exact entrances you need. An interchange shown on a scheme does not by itself confirm an accessible route.
Guide updated 20 October 2026. Route calculations and live network information are provided by Yandex Metro; ticket and operating conditions are set by Moscow Metro and the relevant transport operators. Moscow Welcome is an independent guide.