Babushkinskaya Metro Station is on the orange Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line (Line 6) in north-eastern Moscow, one stop before the Medvedkovo terminus. It opened in 1978 and takes its name from Mikhail Babushkin, a polar pilot who was born in a village that is now part of the Babushkinsky District.
This is not one of the palace-style stations that visitors photograph in the centre. The hall is a plain, shallow vault, and the story is told at the platform ends, where metal compositions with stylised flying machines nod to Arctic aviation. It rewards a short stop if you are riding the line north to see the neighbouring stations, or heading for the parks and forest on this side of the city.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Бабушкинская |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1978 |
| Architect(s) | Lev Popov and V. A. Klokov |
| Address | Yeniseyskaya Street area, Babushkinsky District, Moscow (Енисейская улица, Бабушкинский район, Москва) OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Babushkinsky |
| Interchanges | Babushkinskaya (Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line (Line 6), Exit toward Yeniseyskaya Street; Menzhinskogo Street is about a minute's walk) |
| Opening hours | The Moscow Metro normally runs from early morning until around 1:00 at night, and the station is open to passengers during those hours. Exact first and last train times vary by station and direction (as of October 2026 – check the official site). |
| Best time to visit | The station suits any season, because the visit is indoors. For calmer platforms and clearer photos, choose mid-morning or early afternoon on weekdays, or late evening.
If you also plan to see the nearby parks and forest, spring to autumn is the better time, with autumn colour a particular draw. |
| Last updated | October 17, 2026 |
Why Visit Babushkinskaya Metro Station?
The station is a compact lesson in late-1970s Moscow metro design. It is the work of architects Lev Popov and V. A. Klokov, and it is described as the first modern single-vault shallow station in the city, a simpler and cheaper form that later became common.
The decoration is concentrated and easy to read: five-pipe metal compositions above the platform exits show a winged ship, a satellite and an aeroplane, a tribute to the Arctic flights that made Babushkin famous.
It also makes a natural add-on to a ride on Line 6. Botanichesky Sad, Sviblovo, Babushkinskaya and Medvedkovo opened on the same day, and each tells a different story, so one outing covers four stations of the same 1978 extension.
Highlights of Babushkinskaya Metro Station
Mosiychuk's flying-machine compositions
The best-known feature is a set of metal compositions above the exits from the platform, created by the sculptor Anatoly Mosiychuk. Each is built from five metal tubes that recall jet nozzles, carrying schematic images of flying machines: a winged ship, a satellite and, naturally, an aeroplane. The idea is Arctic exploration told through the history of flight. They still look modern decades later, and they are what lifts an otherwise restrained hall into a memorable one.
Tip: Stand at a platform end and look up; the compositions sit above the exits and are easy to miss if you head straight for the stairs.
The Arctic theme and the man behind the name
Mikhail Babushkin was born in 1893 in the village of Bordino, now part of the city, and flew in Arctic aviation from 1923. He took part in the search for Umberto Nobile in 1928, in the Chelyuskin expedition in 1933 and in the flights that supported the drifting station North Pole-1 in 1937. He became a Hero of the Soviet Union and died in a flight accident in 1938. The station, the district and a former town all carry his name.
Tip: Ride one stop north to Medvedkovo, where the northern theme continues in relief panels along the track walls.
A shallow single-vault hall
Babushkinskaya has one island platform, two tracks and a single vault with no columns, about 10 metres below the surface. It is described as the first modern station of this type in Moscow, a design that later spread because it is cheaper to build than column stations. For visitors it means an open view along the whole platform and a short descent compared with the deep stations of the older lines.
Tip: Walk to the middle of the platform for the clearest view down the vault between trains.
Four stations, one opening day
Botanichesky Sad, Babushkinskaya, Sviblovo and Medvedkovo all opened on the same day in 1978, and each has its own look. Botanichesky Sad has a glazed rotunda that resembles a greenhouse and five aluminium panels of plants and fruit. Sviblovo has smalt panels over the stairs at its exits. Medvedkovo was inspired by the halls of the Snow Queen, with track walls that recall ice floes and scenes in the manner of bone carving.
Tip: Combine Babushkinskaya with Sviblovo or Medvedkovo, since a stop in each costs only a few minutes of riding.
The box beam that carried a water main
Because the station is so shallow, builders could not move a water main about 90 centimetres across that ran across the site. They solved it by building a box-section beam that lets the pipe pass. It is a quiet piece of engineering that explains why the station could not be built deeper or in the usual way, and it is a good example of how a plain-looking hall can hide interesting decisions.
Tip: Nothing marks the beam inside the station, so treat it as background to the design, not something to look for.
The memorial that is no longer there
A monument called Young Metro Builders opened at the south entrance on 1 May 1979. It showed two men and a girl in helmets carrying a flowing banner. The monument was removed in the 1990s and a shopping centre was built on the site. Older descriptions of the station may still mention it, so do not be surprised not to find it at street level today.
Tip: If an old guide mentions the monument, rely on what is on the ground now: a shopping centre by the south entrance.
Atmosphere
Babushkinskaya works as a neighbourhood station, and it feels like one. The hall is a single even vault, so the view runs unbroken along the platform. The decoration is restrained and sits at the ends, which keeps attention on the trains and the people rather than on the walls.
Passengers are mostly residents of the surrounding districts commuting toward the centre. At weekday rush hours the platform fills quickly and the flow is steady, while mid-morning and late evening are calmer. It is a place to look for a couple of details and then move on, not to linger for an hour.
History of Babushkinskaya Metro Station
The Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line grew from the Rizhsky radius, which opened in 1958, and over the following decades it was extended in both directions across the city. In the late 1970s the north-eastern end was pushed out toward Medvedkovo. On 29 September 1978 four stations opened in one day: Botanichesky Sad, Babushkinskaya, Sviblovo and Medvedkovo.
The station is named after the Babushkinsky District, which in turn honours Mikhail Babushkin. He was born in 1893 in the village of Bordino, close to the settlement of Losinoostrovskaya, in a family of modest means. He trained at the Gatchina aviation school and qualified as a pilot in 1915. After service in the Civil War he joined civil aviation in 1923 and flew in the Arctic, landing on ice many times. He took part in the search for the airship expedition of Umberto Nobile in 1928, in the Chelyuskin expedition in 1933 and in the flights that delivered the drifting station North Pole-1 in 1937. He received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union that year and died in a flight accident in 1938.
The settlement near his birthplace took his name in 1939 and was called the town of Babushkin until it was absorbed into Moscow in 1960. The district and the metro station kept the name.
Architecturally, the station was designed by Lev Popov and V. A. Klokov. The late 1970s were a period of more representative metro stations, but Babushkinskaya stayed restrained. It was built as a shallow single-vault hall, a design described as the first modern example of its kind in Moscow. Its shallow depth also created a problem: a water main about 90 centimetres across crossed the site and could not be moved, so builders installed a box-section beam to carry it past.
The art took the Arctic as its theme. Sculptor Anatoly Mosiychuk created metal compositions over the platform exits, each of five tubes bearing stylised images of a winged ship, a satellite and an aeroplane. They link the pilot’s northern flights to the later history of aviation and space.
At the south entrance, a monument to young metro builders opened on 1 May 1979. It showed two men and a girl in helmets carrying a banner. The monument was taken down in the 1990s and a shopping centre was built on the site. The station itself has continued to serve the district as an ordinary working stop on Line 6, one stop short of the terminus.
Legends and Myths about Babushkinskaya Metro Station
The memorial to builders killed on site
Legend – historically unreliable. Some Muscovites came to describe the monument at the south entrance as a memorial to metro builders who died while Babushkinskaya was being built. The story is not supported by the record: according to the city's own historical reporting, nobody was killed during the station's construction. The monument was dedicated to young metro builders in general.
Tickets and Booking for Babushkinskaya Metro Station
The Moscow Metro charges per ride, so you pay when you enter. Check the official site, mosmetro.ru, for current fares and rules (as of October 2026).
- Paper tickets: single or two-ride tickets are sold at ticket offices and machines and are open to any visitor.
- Troika card: a reloadable transport card sold and topped up at stations; a virtual version can be issued through the Metro Moskvy app.
- QR code, bank card or phone, and biometrics: available at suitably marked turnstiles, but these depend on your phone, your card and, for biometric payment, advance setup in the app.
The sanctions rules of your own country may restrict the use of Russian payment services, so check this yourself before you travel. Weekday mornings and early evenings are the busiest rush hours; mid-morning and late evening are calmer.
Plan and Book
How to Get to Babushkinskaya Metro Station
By metro: take the orange Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line (Line 6) to Babushkinskaya, between Sviblovo and Medvedkovo. Trains toward Medvedkovo run north-east; trains toward Novoyasenevskaya run south-west through the centre.
From the station: leave toward Yeniseyskaya Street. Menzhinskogo Street is about a minute’s walk away, and the residential streets and parks of the Babushkinsky District start from there.
Other transport: the Losinoostrovskaya suburban railway station is nearby, and ground transport serves the district; check a current map app for routes. A taxi from the centre works, but the metro is simpler and not affected by road traffic.
Accessibility
Babushkinskaya has a single island platform with two tracks at shallow depth, about 10 metres, so the descent is short. Lifts and step-free routes vary by entrance, so check the operator's accessibility information on its official site and in the Metro Moskvy app before you travel with a wheelchair or a stroller.
Food Nearby
There are no landmark restaurants at the station. Everyday cafes and bakeries are along Menzhinskogo Street, and shopping centres in the area, including Kondor on Menzhinskogo Street and a Lenta hypermarket on Yaroslavskoye Highway, are practical places for a quick bite or groceries. Check what is open, and for a sit-down meal many visitors prefer to eat back in the centre.
What to Bring
Comfortable shoes if you plan to walk to the parks, a charged phone with a transport app, and a small bag. Security staff at metro entrances can ask to check bags. In late autumn and winter, bring a warm layer for the walk outside.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Babushkinskaya Metro Station
Platform end under the compositions
Looking up at the metal compositions above the exits shows the tubes and stylised flying machines in profile, with the long vault behind you. The setting works because the art is concentrated at the ends.
Best time: Mid-morning on a weekday, when the platform is quieter
Middle of the platform along the vault
A symmetrical view along the single vault with an arriving train. The absence of columns keeps the frame clean and shows the full length of the hall.
Best time: Between trains at off-peak times
Torfyanka Park
A park near the station with a recreation area on the shore of a pond, useful for an outdoor contrast after the underground hall.
Best time: Autumn colour or a clear spring morning
Losiny Ostrov at Poperechny Prosek
A stretch of real forest inside the city limits, a short ride or walk from the station, for photos of trees and paths.
Best time: Autumn for colour, winter for snow
Photography Rules
Handheld photos for personal use are common in the Moscow Metro, but keep clear of the platform edge and do not block passengers. Professional shoots and tripods need permission from the metro operator, so check the rules on its official site before you plan them.
Family Suitability
The station is an easy stop for families: the platform is a single open hall at shallow depth, and a visit takes only a few minutes. For strollers, check lift access at the entrance you plan to use before you travel. Children who like aeroplanes may enjoy the flying-machine compositions, and the nearby parks add space to run around.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Ride one stop north to Medvedkovo to see the Arctic story continue: its track walls are carved with scenes such as a reindeer herder, the northern lights and a polar bear on an ice floe.
- Ride south to Sviblovo and Botanichesky Sad on the same line. Sviblovo has smalt panels over the stairs at its exits, and Botanichesky Sad has a glazed rotunda like a greenhouse.
- Treat the station as a gateway rather than a destination: spend about twenty minutes on the hall and give the rest of the time to Torfyanka Park, Babushkinsky Park or the edge of Losiny Ostrov.
- Check the direction sign before boarding: trains toward Medvedkovo go north-east and trains toward Novoyasenevskaya go south-west toward the centre.
- Older guides may still mention a monument at the south entrance; it is gone, so do not use it as a meeting point.
Explore Nearby Babushkinskaya Metro Station
Metro stations near Babushkinskaya Metro Station
Botanichesky Sad Metro Stationabout 3.2 km awayMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Moscow Metro Tour: Most Beautiful Stations Itinerary: 5 StationsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: More in Babushkinsky · All Metro Stations · All Other Hubs
FAQ: Babushkinskaya Metro Station
Who is Babushkinskaya Metro Station named after?
It is named after the Babushkinsky District, which honours the polar pilot Mikhail Babushkin. He was born in a village that is now part of Moscow and flew in the Arctic from 1923. The Arctic theme of the station's art refers to his career.
What is the art in the station?
The main feature is a set of metal compositions by the sculptor Anatoly Mosiychuk above the platform exits. Each has five tubes with stylised images of a winged ship, a satellite and an aeroplane. There are no large mosaics or chandeliers.
Is Babushkinskaya worth a detour?
It is a modest station, so it is best as part of a ride along Line 6 or on the way to the nearby parks. If you want lavish halls, the centre has more. See the Moscow Metro Tour itinerary.
Is Babushkinskaya an interchange station?
No. It is on the Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line only, between Sviblovo and Medvedkovo. To change to another line, ride along Line 6 to a station with a transfer and check the metro map for the best option.
Which direction do I take to reach the city centre?
Take a train toward Novoyasenevskaya, the south-western end of the line, which passes through the centre. Trains in the other direction go one stop to Medvedkovo, the north-eastern terminus.
Is there a railway station nearby?
Yes. The Losinoostrovskaya suburban railway station is nearby and gives access to suburban trains. Check a current map app for the walking route and for train times.
What can I visit near the station?
Nearby green spaces include Babushkinsky Park, Torfyanka Park and the edge of Losiny Ostrov National Park, which has real forest inside the city limits. There are no major museums at the station itself.
How does it compare with the stations in the centre?
It is plainer than the famous halls of the old radial lines. Its interest is the Arctic-themed art, the single-vault design and the story of the pilot behind the name. The centre offers marble, mosaics and chandeliers instead.
Discover More of Moscow with Our Travel Tips
Get practical Moscow travel tips, new destination guides and useful updates on attractions, opening hours and prices. Plan your visit with clear, helpful information delivered to your inbox.
Moscow Vibes is a one-person project. A coffee keeps it going
Last updated: October 17, 2026.
How we research and update our guides
About this guide: AI assistance and accuracy
This guide is created with the help of AI and is based on official sources where available. Mistakes can still happen. Opening hours, prices, rules and other details are given to the best of our knowledge as of the date shown and can change without notice. It offers general recommendations only, not professional, legal or travel advice. Please confirm important details with the official source before you travel; you are responsible for your own plans and decisions.
International sanctions affect payments between Russia and many other countries. In practice, cards issued in the EU, the UK, the US and several other countries often do not work in Russia, Russian cards usually do not work abroad, and some booking platforms, airlines and payment providers limit or suspend their services for Russia. The situation changes frequently. We do not give legal or financial advice, and this site does not encourage anyone to break or circumvent sanctions. Whatever you plan, you are responsible for following the laws and regulations that apply to you, including those of your country of residence and citizenship. Many travelers still organise their stay lawfully. It is worth asking your bank or payment provider what is currently permitted, contacting hotels, tour operators and carriers directly about the payment methods they accept, and checking which services are open to customers from your country. Clarify payment, cancellation and refund terms before you commit to a booking, and keep your plans flexible. Partner links on this site may not be available in every country, and prices, availability and rules in our guides can differ from what you see when you book.Paying for your trip: please read
* Affiliate link: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Report an issue on this page
Take this guide with you
Get a free PDF of this guide to print or read offline: key facts, tips and a map link on a few clean pages.