The Botanichesky Sad Metro Station is on the Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line, Line 6, between VDNKh and Sviblovo, and it opened on 29 September 1978 as part of an extension of the northern radius. It stands near the Main Botanical Garden on Wilhelm Pieck Street, though the garden is a longer walk than the name suggests.
The station is a shallow column hall at a depth of about 7 meters, designed by N. I. Demchinsky and Yu. A. Kolesnikova, with a theme of nature. This guide explains what to look for in the hall and the round vestibule, how to transfer to the Moscow Central Circle station of the same name, why the name can mislead visitors who want the garden, how fares and payment work for tourists, and when the station is calm.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Ботанический сад |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1978 |
| Architect(s) | N. I. Demchinsky and Yu. A. Kolesnikova |
| Address | Wilhelm Pieck Street (Vilgelma Pika), Moscow, near the Main Botanical Garden OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Rostokino |
| Interchanges | Botanichesky Sad (Line 6, orange, the station itself, with a round vestibule on Wilhelm Pieck Street) Botanichesky Sad (Line 14, Moscow Central Circle, a separate station reached by a free out-of-station transfer) Vladykino (Line 9, light gray, the station nearest the Main Botanical Garden entrance, about a 10 to 15 minute walk from here) |
| Opening hours | The Metro runs daily from early morning until about 01:00, with exact first and last train times differing by station and line, so check the operator's site for this station (as of October 2026 – check the official site, mosmetro.ru). |
| Best time to visit | Mid-morning, early afternoon and the evening after the rush are the calmest, while weekday rush hours are busier. The station can be visited in any season since it is underground. |
| Last updated | October 9, 2026 |
Why Visit Botanichesky Sad Metro Station?
The hall carries a botanical theme chosen for the nearby garden: the track walls of light marble are decorated with backlit metal panels of stylized flowers, grasses and fruit, while the ceiling across the full width of the station is covered with cells of anodized aluminum. Two rows of columns are faced with white marble, and the floor is gray granite with labradorite.
The round vestibule on Wilhelm Pieck Street holds sculptural flowerbeds of glazed ceramic by N. P. Masteropulo. The station has low traffic, so it is calm outside rush hours, and it links to the Moscow Central Circle for onward trips. It is a short Metro ride from VDNKh.
How Botanichesky Sad Metro Station Is Laid Out
The station is a shallow column hall with two rows of columns, at a depth of about 7 meters, with a round vestibule above ground on Wilhelm Pieck Street and escalators linking it to the platform. The Moscow Central Circle station of the same name lies beside it, as the station was built under the circular railway and planned as a future transfer.
The free transfer is out of station, meaning you leave one station and walk to the other. The Main Botanical Garden is not at this station’s exit: its entrance is near Vladykino, and a guide says it is a 10 to 15 minute walk from here. Check the signs and a map before you set out.
Highlights of Botanichesky Sad Metro Station
The backlit metal flower panels
Artistic panels on the track walls, made of metal with lighting, show compositions of stylized flowers, grasses and fruit against light marble. They fit the station's botanical theme. Look at the panels from the platform. Check the lighting and the view along the hall.
Tip: Look at the panels from across the tracks for the full composition.
The aluminum cell ceiling
The ceiling across the full width of the station is covered with cells of anodized aluminum, a common feature of the 1970s. Look up from the central part of the hall. Check how the light reflects.
Tip: Stand in the center of the hall to see the ceiling pattern.
The white marble columns
Two rows of columns in the station hall are faced with white marble, giving a light, airy look beside the gray granite and labradorite floor. Look at the rows of columns along the platform. Check the floor pattern.
Tip: Look along the columns for the perspective.
The ceramic flowerbeds in the vestibule
The round vestibule contains sculptural flowerbeds of glazed ceramic by N. P. Masteropulo, a decorative touch linked to the botanical theme. Look at the flowerbeds as you enter. Check the vestibule on Wilhelm Pieck Street.
Tip: Look at the flowerbeds before you go down to the platform.
The Moscow Central Circle transfer
The Moscow Central Circle station of the same name opened in 2016 and offers a free out-of-station transfer to this one, since the station lies under the circular rail line. Check the signs for the transfer if you want to use the circle.
Tip: Allow a few minutes to walk between the stations.
The name that misleads
The Main Botanical Garden is near the Vladykino station, not here, and it takes a 10 to 15 minute walk to reach it from this station, according to a guide. Check the route before you set out, or use Vladykino.
Tip: Use Vladykino Metro if you want the garden's entrance.
Atmosphere
The hall is pale and quiet, with white columns, soft backlit panels of leaves and flowers and a ceiling of silver cells. The sounds are trains, the echo of footsteps and the hum of escalators.
Commuters from the surrounding districts, garden visitors and passengers on their way to the circle share the platforms, and the station has comparatively low traffic, so it is calm outside the rush hours. Above ground, the round vestibule stands on a wide street near the garden.
History of Botanichesky Sad Metro Station
The Botanichesky Sad station opened on 29 September 1978 together with a northward extension of the Rizhsky radius, which became part of the Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line from VDNKh to Medvedkovo. It was designed by the architects N. I. Demchinsky and Yu. A. Kolesnikova and built by a Mosmetrostroy construction unit.
The station is a shallow column hall at a depth of about 7 meters. It is named after the nearby Main Botanical Garden, although the garden’s entrance is closer to the Vladykino station. Because the station is under Moscow’s circular railway, it was foreseen as a possible future transfer point. The Moscow Central Circle station of the same name opened on 10 September 2016, with a free out-of-station transfer to this station.
The vestibule holds sculptural flowerbeds of glazed ceramic by N. P. Masteropulo. A source notes the station’s low daily traffic of 28,650 passengers, partly because of the empty surrounding area. Dates and details should be checked against the Metro operator’s official sources, and this history is shorter than requested because few facts could be verified; the traffic figure is dated.
Tickets and Booking for Botanichesky Sad Metro Station
Fares. The fare is the same for any length of ride and any number of transfers within the central zone, and sources give the price of one trip at a budget price level (₽) depending on the payment method, with a prepaid Troika card cheaper than a single ticket; because prices change, check the current tariff on the operator’s site mosmetro.ru. Troika cards and tickets can be bought at ticket offices and ticket machines in Metro vestibules, and one guide notes that the machines may take only cash.
Payment. Contactless bank cards and smartphone payment are accepted at turnstiles, but some foreign cards may not work, and your country’s sanctions rules may restrict some payment services, so check this yourself; a Troika card topped up with rubles is the most reliable option. Rush hours are the weekday mornings and evenings, but this station is usually calm outside them.
Plan and Book
How to Get to Botanichesky Sad Metro Station
Take the Metro to Botanichesky Sad on the orange Line 6, between VDNKh and Sviblovo, or reach it from the Moscow Central Circle (Line 14) by the free out-of-station transfer. The vestibule is on Wilhelm Pieck Street.
- To the Main Botanical Garden: use Vladykino (Line 9, light gray) or walk 10 to 15 minutes from here.
- By taxi: ask for Botanichesky Sad Metro on Wilhelm Pieck Street.
- Orientation: look for the round vestibule near the garden.
Accessibility
The station has escalators between the vestibule and the platform; lifts and step-free routes at this station and the out-of-station transfer were not verified, so check mosmetro.ru or ask Metro staff before you travel.
Food Nearby
The streets around Botanichesky Sad and VDNKh have shops and cafes; the exact venues were not verified. See the Moscow Food Tour: Russian Cuisine and Local Specialties itinerary.
What to Bring
Bring a charged phone with a map, cash in rubles for a ticket or a Troika card, and comfortable shoes if you plan to walk to the garden.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Botanichesky Sad Metro Station
The track-wall flower panels
Backlit metal panels of stylized flowers against light marble.
Best time: Mid-morning, outside rush hour.
The aluminum ceiling cells
A silver ceiling pattern across the full width of the hall.
Best time: Off-peak hours.
The column rows
White marble columns receding along the platform.
Best time: Late evening.
The round vestibule
Ceramic flowerbeds inside the round entrance hall.
Best time: Daytime.
Photography Rules
Photography in the Metro is generally allowed for personal use without flash, but tripods and professional filming may need permission; do not block passengers or take photographs of staff.
Family Suitability
Suitable for families as part of a ride to the Main Botanical Garden or VDNKh, and calm outside the rush hours; the station has escalators and a transfer on foot, so hold children's hands. Lifts were not verified.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Use Vladykino Metro for the Main Botanical Garden, since this station is a longer walk away.
- Allow a few minutes for the out-of-station transfer to the circle.
- Look at the metal panels from the opposite platform edge.
- Visit between the rush hours for a quiet hall.
- Combine the station with VDNKh, one stop away.
- Check the Moscow Metro Tour: Most Beautiful Stations Itinerary for more stations.
Explore Nearby Botanichesky Sad Metro Station
Sights near Botanichesky Sad Metro Station
Main Botanical Garden Moscowabout 3.0 km away · typical visit: About 2 to 4 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Botanichesky Sad Metro Station
Botanichesky Sad MCC Stationabout 100 m away (~2 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Botanichesky Sad Metro Station
City Hotel Baykalabout 900 m away (~15 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Botanichesky Sad Metro Station
When did the station open?
On 29 September 1978.
Who designed it?
The architects N. I. Demchinsky and Yu. A. Kolesnikova.
Is it next to the Botanical Garden?
No; the garden's entrance is nearer Vladykino, a 10 to 15 minute walk from here.
What is special about it?
Backlit metal panels of flowers and an aluminum cell ceiling.
Can I transfer to the Moscow Central Circle?
Yes, by a free out-of-station transfer.
How deep is it?
About 7 meters; it is a shallow station.
Is it busy?
Not especially; it has comparatively low traffic.
Can I pay with a foreign card?
Some foreign cards may not work, so carry cash in rubles; see the fares section for sanctions rules.
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Last updated: October 9, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
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