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Triggar · Frequent Guest Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Posts: 13

I am going to Moscow this Friday and spending a week there. I am travelling alone and have a basic understanding of the Russian alphabet and language, but the one thing that I am very worried about is getting around using the metro.

I have lived in London and New York and understand that each city has their own system for buying tickets and then validating them for travel around the city. In Manhattan, you buy your metrocard at an electronic kiosk and then swipe your metrocard through the turnstile to get onto the trains. In London, you insert your underground pass into the turnstile to get through.

I know this sounds like a silly and simple question to ask, but could someone who is familiar with the system run me through it from start to finish, and point out any things that would confuse a non-Russian speaking tourist? If you live in the city and see tourists make these mistakes constantly, please tell me about them! Thank you!

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 741 Location: Moscow

Relax, you'll be fine. The Moscow Metro is very easy to navigate and intuitively easy to understand. A particularly brilliant element of the design is the brown "circle line" which goes round in a circle and connects to all other lines. And with a basic grasp of the Cyrillic alphabet, you have no worries.

Buying a Metro ticket: Wait in line at ticket window. 10 ride tickets are a good deal, all Metro stops/destinations are one ride price. 10 rides are 125 rubles. Try to have exact change for the ticket babushki (they hate big bills). Say "deeset pajolsta" (ten please).

Watch other patrons feed tickets into entry gates. Just slip the ticket arrow side and down facing you into the slot. When you remove the ticket the gate will turn a green light till you pass through.

Presuming that you know where you're going.....upon entering read the overhead signs and choose the correct metro line. They're all color coded but not all reds and oranges were created equal. Identify your desired station on the overhead sign. When you reach the end of the escalator look overhead at the sign to determine which side of the platform your train will be on.

Most inner city stations have more than one Metro line connected by a system of "perehods" (tunnels). If you need to transfer lines, just follow the signs clearly marked connecting to other lines.

It's really just about that simple. Riding the Metro is easy. Two tips: the doors of the trains are vicious, never dare to dash through as they're closing, you'll be squashed. And try not to touch stuff in the trains like handrails etc. Wear gloves (I do!). You'll be sick in 2 days if you're touching things. I mean it. Your system isn't used to the plethora of nasty Moscow germs.

More problematic than actually riding the Metro is navigating the multitude of entry and exit and connecting perehods. Moscow is a rat's nest of tunnels everywhere. The worst nest of tunnels and connecting perehods is downtown at Ploshad Revolutsi/Okhotny Ryad/Teatralnaya stations. They all have many entrances and exits and connecting perehods and trails that lead round and round. Sometimes it's just easier to come above ground at the first opportunity where you can see where you're going, rather than go around in umpteen hallways of tunnels trying to come out 3 blocks closer to your destination. I've lived here 3 years and been there hundreds of times and still have trouble finding my way in those burrows.

Rest assured that you will get lost. It's ok, seems everybody here is lost. Every day some Russian asks me where this or that is or how to get to some street or other. They're all lost. Get a good street map. Also the free "Passport" magazine, in English and found all over Moscow, in every issue has a Metro map and useful downtown map. http://www.passportmagazine.ru/#0

You'll be fine. I started riding the Metro 3 days after I got here and didn't recognize an iota of Cyrillic. If I can do it you can do it.

Triggar · Frequent Guest Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Posts: 13

You are my hero. Thank you so much!

wu687 · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:41 am Post subject:

Carry a small pocket compass, it makes it easier when you surface. Before the train arrives, have a look at the back wall of the tunnel, you will a list of stations that the train is heading for, know how many stops until you get off and count your stops. Announcements are made on the train but you may have a hard time hearing or understanding them.

Rick · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:01 pm Post subject:

Wu's right: counting is the key to the metro: if you can count you can buy tickets and get anywhere you need. You can learn to read some cyrillic in a short time: it's only little over 30 characters.
If you start to hear what they are saying, beware that in the metro they announce both the next stop and the current one. This can be confusing in the beginning.

mediashark · Moderator Joined: 04 Nov 2004 Posts: 1599

I got lost in the metro the very first time I came to Moscow at the Kievskaya mess where the light blue and dark blue lines converge (the blues look the same!)... I still get lost at that particular area. Smile

Aside from the fact that you'll be staring a lot at the map--no worries. Just make sure you print one out. I think the ones with both English and Cryllic help better as you can compare the signs.

Interactive map with Russian and English names: http://mosmetro.ru/flash/scheme01.html just click on the station markers to find a route and travel time. Or click on the station names for info on that station. It was my favourite map.

mr-barley · Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 8:58 am Post subject:

My wife and I were in Moscow for an international adoption trip 2 years ago and we little problem with the Metro. We kind of got abandoned in Moscow by our agency for a couple weeks and we had to make due with what we could. On our 3rd day in Moscow we decided to conquer the Metro. It was either that or stay in our hotel for 2 weeks or walk everywhere. We went down into Kievskaya Metro station and just observed for a bit and went for it. We purchase metro tickets knowing very little Russian and watched how people used the turnstiles and went for our first ride. Of coarse with our limited grasp of the russian language/ alphabet, we started going the wrong direction. I noticed this within 2 stops so we got off and grabbed another Metro going the other way. We beacame quite proficient on the Metro after a couple days and spent alot of time cruising around Moscow. Not bad for 2 people who haved lived their whole lives in a town of 13,000 people.We love the Metro!

Rick · Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:11 am Post subject:

That's the way Columbus worked: just sail out and deal with what you encounter on the way.

nikir · Frequent Guest Joined: 17 Mar 2010 Posts: 54

The great thing is you can ride it all day till you find your way. It does not cost you any more!

Triggar · Frequent Guest Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Posts: 13

One thing that I learned now that I'm here, that newbies might need to know -

In New York and London and Paris, each metro station has one name regardless of the line it is travelling on. In Moscow, one station can be called two or three different things depending on the line on which it is travelling. I thought that was interesting!

Miami · WayToRussified Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 340

They have good artwork in the Metro.

danbrew · Just Starting Joined: 17 Mar 2010 Posts: 8

Like everybody else has said - counting is the way to go. If you can pick up a bit of the alphabet you'll be fine. It's pretty easy to get about if you're willing to takea few minutes with a metro map and don't mind standing in the metro station looking up at the signs. Another tip for the cyrillic alphabet challenged - you can also count the number of characters in the station name and compare it to the metro map. You'll figure it out in short order. Buying tickets is easy - simply walk up to the booth and hold up five or ten fingers.

Smile

wsenglish · Frequent Guest Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 17

the price of the metro went up this year. now it costs 17 ru for a one way ticket. Sad

ArtVanderlay · Just Starting Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 2

I've used the excellent Metro system in Moscow before and as a completely non-russian speaker I managed to work it out. It was a little confusing at first so perhaps allow a little more time to get where you're going initilally, but you'll be fine! As someone mentioned before, make sure you have a map, a compass and a metro map on you at all times. Its a big help! This is from someone that manages to get lost when emerging from the underground in my homecity of London!

dmndxalin

I WATCHED DISCOVERY DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE METRO IN MOSCOW AND THEY ARE TAKING PICTURES INSIDE THE METRO STATION, AND THE POLICE SAID IF THEY HAVE A SPECIAL PERMISION TO TAKE PICTURES.
THIS IS TRUE? OR THE OFFICERS JUST WANTED EASY MONEY>>>>
IF..... WHERE CAN I GET THAT PERMISSION.

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