The Moscow metro is one of the most beautiful in the world. It was created as a showcase for the Soviet Union, and serves as a living museum with its stations adorned with mosaics, marble statues and stained glass that document the story of the Communist state. There are 12 lines and 223 stations on the network and I’ve listed below a selection of my favourites, some of which you might like to take a look at whilst visiting Moscow. Navigating the metro is easy with announcements now also made in English. A male voice can be heard on journeys towards the city centre whilst female voices are used on travel out of the city centre. Likewise, on the circle line, male announcements can be heard whilst travelling in a clockwise direction and female announcements anti-clockwise.
Komsomolskaya (Circle Line 5) Brown
This beautiful station was constructed as a gateway to Moscow due to its location beneath its three busiest rail terminals. The station represents the peak of the Stalinist empire style with its elegant chandeliers, marble arches and mosaics. Eight mosaic panels depict Russian warriors, commanders and of the revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin.
Park Kultury (Circle Line 5) Brown
This station is adjacent to Gorky Park and its mosaics depict leisure activities of the Soviet people including those played in the nearby park such as flying a model plane and skating.
Prospekt Mira (Circle Line 5) Brown
The design and theme of this lavish station reflects the nearby Botanical Gardens of Moscow State University. The station opened in 1952 and features white pillars decorated with pretty floral friezes, grand chandeliers and a grey chequered floor.
Kiyevskaya (Circle Line 5) Brown
This white marble station features elaborate artwork frescoes and mosaics depicting life in the Ukraine and of soldiers during the October Revolution and Civil War. It was built as a monument to Ukraine’s contribution to the creation of Soviet Russia.
Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Line 3) Blue
Ploshchad Revolyutsii lies close to Red Square and is devoted to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. There are 72 life size bronze statues all placed in alcoves along the platform and these depict soldiers, sailors, workers, peasants and animals. It’s said to be good luck to rub the dog’s nose and one can see that it has been stroked countless times as it is now very shiny.
Arbatskaya (Line 3) Blue
This station was built by Leonid Polyakov the architect who designed one of the seven Stalinist skyscrapers. Its granite slab floor creates a carpet like pattern and its pillars are adorned with ceramic bouquets and chandeliers of gilded bronze.
Park Pobedy (Line 3) Blue
This striking station celebrates the great victories of the Russian people and is the deepest on the Moscow metro and the 4th deepest in the world. It contains the longest set of escalators in Europe with each one 126m (413 ft). The platforms are faced in red and grey marble with distinctive large mosaics at the end of the platforms.
Taganskaya (Circle Line 5) Brown
This station opened in 1950 and is named after Taganka Square. It has a war theme depicting images of Russia’s famous battles. Its immense pillars are made from light coloured marble and decorated with details of ships, knights and warriors.
Novoslobodskaya (Circle Line 5) Brown
This station has 32 stained glass panels giving it the appearance of a vast church. Six of the panels depict people with different professions including musicians and architects whilst the remaining 26 panels contain intricate geometric patterns and stars.
Novokuznetskaya (Line 2) Green
This station honours Russian war heroes. Its central hallway decorations include octagonal ceiling mosaics on the theme of wartime, depicting the Red Army in combat.
Slavyansky Bulvar (Line 3) Blue
One of Moscow’s newest stations, having only been opened since 2008. Although new, it’s still strikingly beautiful with its metal trees, branches and leaves adorning the platforms. It has a light and airy feel and I particularly liked its wooden benches with their flower inspired trellises between the seats.
Tsvetnoy-Bulvar (Line 9) Grey
This station is located close to the Moscow Circus and its proximity is reflected in the grey stained glass above the stairs featuring images of clowns. As with Novoslobodskaya there are stained glass panes but at this station they are much smaller.
Aviamotornaya (Line 8) Yellow
This station is dedicated to aviation designs with a large sculpture at the end of the station hall of Icarus. The ceiling is unusual as it consists of small golden anodised pyramids.
VDNKh (Line 6) Orange
This station leads into the vast Exhibition of Achievement of the National Economy and is faced in white marble with green painted archways.
Dinamo (Line 2) Blue
The main focus of this station relates to sporting activities. The station is named after the Dinamo stadium outside its entrance, since re-named the VTB Arena. Its platforms are are decorated with porcelain medallions depicting sports and competitions.
Vorobyovy Gory (Line 1) Red
This station is unusual in that it is built over a bridge crossing the Moskva River. Its large platform is used for temporary exhibitions of fashion, porcelain, art work and dolls.
Mayakovskaya (Line 2) Green
This station features art-deco stainless steel columns and was used as a bomb shelter during the Second World War.
If you have enjoyed reading this post, you may also be interested in reading more about my visit to Moscow.
Moscow: the ultimate winter break
Love Travelling Blog 
Pingback: Day 6. Sokolniki Park, Moscow – Love Travelling Blog
Pingback: Day 5. Exploring more of Moscow – Love Travelling Blog
Pingback: Day 1. Our Moscow adventure – Love Travelling Blog
Pingback: Day 2. Red Square and the Kremlin, Moscow – Love Travelling Blog
Pingback: Day 4. Moscow VDNKh Park – Love Travelling Blog
Pingback: Day 7. Moscow – Sokolniki Park – Love Travelling Blog
It’s nice
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, the Moscow metro is really beautiful.
LikeLike
Pingback: Day 5. Exploring Helsinki – Love Travelling Blog
Wow.
Spectacular Images.
Now I have to go there.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Moscow is a beautiful, safe city. I hope you get an opportunity to visit sometime soon.
LikeLike
i’m most taken with the photo:
Slavyansky Bulvar metro station
those metal lamps, you call trees are like a wild cross between Bernini Columns and some whimsical Salvatore Dali.
Devastatingly beautiful.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Exactly what I thought !
LikeLiked by 1 person
on a different note, do they have turnstiles/gates like in NYC, or is it open and timestamped ‘honor’ system, say like Munich?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a touch in turnstile but as the entire metro is in a single zone passengers don’t need to touch out. A very cheap network as we only spent £10 on public transport all week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
FAB PHOTOS.
LikeLiked by 5 people
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed seeing them.
LikeLike
These posts bring back memories. I had an exchange trip to the USSR I’m the early summer of 1991.
LikeLiked by 4 people
How wonderful to have been on an exchange trip to USSR, that must have been amazing.
LikeLike
It was an experience that forever changed me in multiple ways. The most immediate was because I was a farm kid with fundamentalist Christian parents. They didn’t homeschool me but the little time between classes during the school day was my only social contact other than family and I was kept on a short leash outside of that. Obviously, the chaperones on the trip kept us on tight restrictions as well but it was much looser than my parents. Another part was that my world ceased to be only a few square miles of New England.
LikeLiked by 2 people
How fascinating!
LikeLike
like a museum, not a metro station:) so cool
LikeLiked by 4 people
The stations are absolutely stunning and so well cared for, no litter, clean and very safe.
LikeLike
they are so awesome. I remember Park Kulutry (think I went through that quite a few times in 2017) and Prospect Mira. Great post!
LikeLiked by 5 people
Thanks Andy for your kind words. The stations are stunning, so pleased you got to visit some as well.
LikeLike
These are simply stunning.
I suspect that if I went to Moscow I would just spend my entire time jumping on and off the Metro taking pictures and not actually see anything at gorund level.
I was once told that Gant’s Hill station on the Central Line in London was modelled on a Moscow Metro Station and whilst it is impressive it is not a patch on these places.
LikeLiked by 5 people
The stations are absolutely stunning and all unique. You can ride around to your heart’s content for an entire week for only £10 but it’s pretty decent above ground too! Not been to Gant’s Hill, will look on the Tube map and see where it is next time I’m in London. Thanks for taking an interest in this post,
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is pretty far out East on the Central Line and there is absolutely nothing worth seeing there. Unless you have a specific reason to visit, I wouldn’t bother.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s obviously why I hadn’t heard of it! Thanks for the info.
LikeLiked by 1 person
These stations are truly beautiful Marion. There are clearly so many beautiful things to see in Russia.
LikeLiked by 4 people
It’s a fascinating country to visit and the metro stations are stunning Sue.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post! I’ve never been to Moscow, but I find its beautiful metro stations fascinating.
LikeLiked by 5 people
Thanks for your much appreciated thoughts. The metro stations are like a living museum, run like clockwork and are spotlessly clean.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It would be hard to find a more beautiful station looking around the world.
LikeLiked by 5 people
I don’t think there is anywhere else to compare with the Moscow metro but I’ve read that North Korea also has some grand stations but that’s not exactly somewhere we will likely be heading!
LikeLiked by 1 person
its really nice…i always wanted to visit this place but now definitely I will ..
LikeLiked by 5 people
That’s really great to read. I do so hope you make it to Moscow soon
LikeLike
Wow, these are incredible! When I was in St Petersburg I heard that they wanted to make the metro stations look like a palace – and they definitely did!! Thanks a lot for sharing your recommendations 😊
LikeLiked by 3 people
I’m so pleased to read that you enjoyed my review of Moscow’s metro stations. They are more like palaces than stations and very clean and safe to use.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post! It made me inspire to plan a trip to Moscow.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Wow! It looks spectacular. Moscow is definitely on my list of places to visit, so this will come in handy. Thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m so pleased you found my guide helpful. Thanks for taking an interest in my blog it’s much appreciated.
LikeLike
The amount of detail is impressive!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for your kind words. The Moscow metro stations were so beautiful that I thought it would be helpful to create a guide to them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great photos
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, I’m pleased you enjoyed viewing the Moscow metro.
LikeLike
Wow! That is amazing! I had no idea they had such beautiful metro stations!
LikeLiked by 3 people
The stations are absolutely wonderful and you can get an unlimited pass to visit as many as you want for less than £10 for a week. Thanks for taking an interest in my post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow!!! What a great way to see something super unique!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly, I do hope you have an opportunity to see them for yourself one day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very beautiful stations. If you want people to travel en masse, you need to give them good service and beautiful surroundings. Thanks for sharing. Allan
LikeLiked by 3 people
They’re incredible.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, the metro resembles a living museum!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Incredible aren’t they? Exploring the Moscow metro is a trip all in itself. The last one at Mayakovskaya looks fantastic.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Jonno, they are all beautiful in their own ways. Hope I’ve tempted you into seeing them yourself one day.
LikeLike
Beautiful!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks Megan for taking an interest in this post and for your much appreciated thoughts.
LikeLike
By the way, you can consider saving some money by purchasing Troika Metro Cards for limited period validity (24 h, 48 h, 72 h and so on).. I purchased one card for 1 “sutki” (day) validity at RUB 218.. Works on Buses, Monorail and Trams as well.. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
All the metro station are beautiful, they look more like a museum to me. And all the photos are amazing and unique.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Terrific post. It’s on my bucket list to someday visit as many of the stations as I can, but I admit it’s a daunting task to see them all…
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you for your kind words Brian. I hope you get an opportunity to visit some of these beautiful stations as they are unbelievably stunning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Russia should try to charge a fee and attract tourists specifically to its Metro Stations. They don’t look like they are meant for public commute. Rather they appear to be meant for use as Palaces or Art Galleries..!!
I loved Russian Metro Stations the Most out of all Metro Stations worldwide which I visited. I don’t think anyone else can ever beat these Art Galleries. I personally liked Prospect Mira and Taganskaya the most.
Thank you so much Madam once again for sharing..!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s my pleasure, I’m so pleased to read you enjoyed this series of posts on Moscow and that you have had an opportunity to visit some of them yourself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you once again Madam for sharing..!! I love Russia, and its elegance in Cold.. And your post is well crafted, supplemented by breathtaking pictures..!! 🙂
Loved your blog.. Will check out more.. 🙂
You can visit my blog as well.. Have written a few articles on Russia.. Would love your feedback.. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks again for your much appreciated feedback. I’ll enjoy taking a look at your own articles on Russia as soon as I have a few minutes to spare.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sure Madam.. 🙂 Waiting for your expert comments..!!
Thank you so much once again.. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person