Dobryninskaya Metro Station opened in 1950 on the Circle Line, under the name Serpukhovskaya, and was renamed in 1961 after the Red Guard organizer Pyotr Dobrynin. Dobryninskaya Metro Station mosaics are in its large vestibule, where three smalt panels show Lenin with the coats of arms of the Soviet republics and two parades on Red Square.
The platform hall is unusually bright, with plain white vaults and red marble walls, and a mosaic called Morning of the Cosmic Era closes the hall. A passage links the station to Serpukhovskaya on Line 9. This guide explains what to look for and how the fares work.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Добрынинская |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1950 |
| Architect(s) | Leonid Popov, with M. Zelenin, M. Ilyin and others |
| Address | Serpukhovskaya Square (Dobryninskaya Square), Lyusinovskaya Street, Moscow, Russia OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Zamoskvorechye |
| Interchanges | Dobryninskaya (Line 5 (Koltsevaya, brown), the decorated station of 1950, between Paveletskaya and Oktyabrskaya) Serpukhovskaya (Line 9 (Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya, gray), linked by a transfer passage from the middle of the hall) |
| 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 were not confirmed, so check the Metro's official information (as of October 2026 – check the official site, mosmetro.ru). |
| Best time to visit | Mid-morning and early afternoon on weekdays are calmer, and late evening is quiet. The morning and evening rush hours are the busiest, when the hall and the transfer passage are crowded.
The station works in every season, so it is a good stop on a cold or wet day. |
| Last updated | October 6, 2026 |
Why Visit Dobryninskaya Metro Station?
Dobryninskaya shows how the architect Leonid Popov wanted a bright hall rather than a dark one. The vaults are left plain and white, lit by a zigzag of fluorescent tubes, and the walls have dark red marble below white cylindrical plinths that reflect the light.
At the end of the hall, the present mosaic, Morning of the Cosmic Era, replaced an earlier relief with Stalin’s profile, which was removed in 1961.
The vestibule on Serpukhovskaya Square has three large floor-to-ceiling smalt mosaics, with a monument to Dobrynin in front. The station is also a link to Serpukhovskaya on Line 9, and is a stop on the way to Paveletsky railway station and Zamoskvorechye.
Highlights of Dobryninskaya Metro Station
The bright white vaults
Leonid Popov left the vaults of the platform hall as plain white plaster. They are lit by a zigzag arrangement of horizontal fluorescent tubes, which was an innovation at the time.
The effect is a light, airy hall in a line of otherwise heavy Circle Line stations.
Tip: Look up at the zigzag lighting from the middle of the hall.
Red marble walls and white plinths
The walls of the platform halls are dark red marble, with white cylindrical marble plinths above. Popov designed the plinths to reflect light directly into the eyes of passengers.
The contrast of red and white gives the hall its color.
Tip: Look at the plinths from the platform to see how they catch the light.
Morning of the Cosmic Era
At the end of the hall, a mosaic titled Morning of the Cosmic Era was installed in 1967. It replaced an earlier relief with a profile of Stalin and the Soviet coat of arms, which was removed in 1961.
It is the station's best-known artwork.
Tip: Walk to the end of the hall to see it up close.
Three mosaics in the vestibule
The vestibule interior has three large floor-to-ceiling smalt mosaics, by G. Rublev and B. Iordansky. In the center is a banner with a profile of Lenin and the 16 coats of arms of the Soviet republics.
On the left is a parade of Soviet athletes on Red Square, and on the right a parade of the military.
Tip: Look at the mosaics before you go down, since most passengers hurry past them.
The renamed station
The station opened as Serpukhovskaya, after the square, and was renamed on 6 June 1961 in honor of Pyotr Dobrynin, an organizer of the Red Guard in Zamoskvorechye.
A monument to Dobrynin stands in front of the vestibule.
Tip: Look for the monument outside the vestibule as you arrive.
The transfer to Serpukhovskaya
On 8 November 1983 a transfer passage opened from the middle of the Circle Line hall to Serpukhovskaya on the Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya Line (Line 9).
The new station was also designed by Popov.
Tip: Take the passage from the middle of the hall if you are changing to Line 9.
Atmosphere
The platform hall is light and open, with white vaults overhead and red marble walls below. The contrast makes it one of the brighter stations of the Circle Line.
Passengers flow through the middle of the hall to the transfer passage, and the sound is footsteps, announcements and trains. Visitors pause to look at the mosaic at the end and the panels in the vestibule.
It is busiest at rush hours, and calmer in the middle of the day and late in the evening, when the lighting and the mosaics are easy to see.
History of Dobryninskaya Metro Station
The Circle Line station opened on 1 January 1950, with the first segment of the fourth stage of the Moscow Metro. It was called Serpukhovskaya, after Serpukhovskaya Square, which is on the way south from the center toward the city of Serpukhov.
The architect was Leonid Popov, with co-authors including M. Zelenin and M. Ilyin. It is a pylon tri-vault station in the flamboyant architecture of the late 1940s and early 1950s, with some innovations. The platform walls are dark red marble with white cylindrical plinths above, designed to reflect light into the eyes of passengers, and the vaults are plain white plaster, lit by a zigzag arrangement of fluorescent tubes.
At the end of the hall was a relief by Yelena Yanson-Manizer with a large profile of Stalin and the Soviet coat of arms. It was removed in 1961, and replaced in 1967 by the present mosaic, Morning of the Cosmic Era.
On 6 June 1961 the station was renamed Dobryninskaya, after Pyotr Dobrynin, an organizer of the Red Guard in Zamoskvorechye. A monument to Dobrynin was placed in front of the vestibule in 1967.
The large vestibule, at the corner of Lyusinovskaya Street and Serpukhovskaya Square, was co-designed with Tatarzhinskaya. Its interior has three large smalt mosaics, by G. Rublev and B. Iordansky, with Lenin and the 16 Soviet republics’ coats of arms in the center and parades of athletes and the military on the sides.
On 8 November 1983 a transfer passage opened from the middle of the hall to the new Serpukhovskaya station on the Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya Line, also designed by Popov. A renewed vestibule was reopened in 2008, according to one source.
Today the station is a tentative cultural heritage site and a link between the Circle Line and Line 9 in Zamoskvorechye.
Tickets and Booking for Dobryninskaya Metro Station
There is no ticket for the station itself; entering needs a Metro fare. Reports on 2026 fares differ: a budget-level fare (₽) for a single ride with a Troika card, a slightly higher budget-level fare (₽) by contactless bank card and a higher budget-level fare (₽) for a 90-minute ticket, while some sources still give lower prices. Check the current fare on the official Moscow Metro site, mosmetro.ru.
- Troika card: a reusable card sold at ticket windows and top-up machines in station halls and through the official Metro app; the deposit is reported as a small amount (₽), so check the price.
- Foreign cards: reports conflict on whether foreign Visa or Mastercard cards and phone payments work at the turnstiles, so carry rubles in cash and buy a ticket or card at a ticket window.
- Rush hours: the station is busiest in the morning and evening on weekdays, especially at the transfer passage.
Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ. All fares and payment methods are listed on the official site, mosmetro.ru.
Plan and Book
How to Get to Dobryninskaya Metro Station
Dobryninskaya is in Zamoskvorechye District, south of the center of Moscow, at Serpukhovskaya (Dobryninskaya) Square on the Garden Ring.
- Circle Line: Dobryninskaya (Line 5, Koltsevaya, brown), between Paveletskaya and Oktyabrskaya.
- Line 9: Serpukhovskaya (Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya, gray), reached by a transfer passage from the middle of the hall.
The vestibule is at the corner of Lyusinovskaya Street and Serpukhovskaya Square, with a monument in front. A taxi can drop you at the square.
Accessibility
Accessibility details were not confirmed. The station is reached by escalators, and lift availability and step-free access were not verified. Contact the Metro or check mosmetro.ru before traveling if you need step-free access or assistance.
Food Nearby
Serpukhovskaya Square and Lyusinovskaya Street have cafes, canteens and shops. Specific venues were not verified, so check opening hours before you go.
What to Bring
Bring a camera and some rubles in cash for a ticket or a Troika card.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Dobryninskaya Metro Station
Middle of the platform hall
The white vaults with the zigzag lighting over the red marble walls and white plinths, receding along the hall.
Best time: Late evening or mid-morning, when the hall is quieter
Morning of the Cosmic Era mosaic
The mosaic at the end of the hall, seen straight on from the platform.
Best time: Between trains, with the platform clear
Vestibule mosaics
The three floor-to-ceiling smalt mosaics with Lenin, the republics' coats of arms and the parades.
Best time: Quiet moments in the middle of the day
Dobrynin monument and the vestibule exterior
The monument in front of the large vestibule at the corner of Lyusinovskaya Street.
Best time: Daylight
Photography Rules
Photography rules in the station were not confirmed. Taking photographs on the platform is common, but tripods and flash can be restricted, and the station is busy, so stand clear of the platform edge. Drone rules in Moscow are strict and change.
Family Suitability
The station is a short stop that suits families on the way to Zamoskvorechye, and the bright hall is easy for children to enjoy. It is a busy working station, so keep children close and away from the platform edge. Strollers need the escalator or a lift, and lift access was not confirmed.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Look up at the plain white vaults and the zigzag lights, which were a deliberate departure from heavier halls.
- Step into the vestibule before you go down; its three mosaics are the best artwork of the station.
- Do not mix up the names: Serpukhovskaya was this station's first name and is now the Line 9 station.
- Look for the monument to Dobrynin outside, which was added in 1967.
- Take the transfer passage from the middle of the hall if you are changing to Line 9.
- Visit in the middle of the day or late in the evening to avoid the rush hours.
Explore Nearby Dobryninskaya Metro Station
Sights near Dobryninskaya Metro Station
Tretyakov Gallery Moscowabout 1.4 km away (~22 min walk) · typical visit: 2–3 hours per building
Gorky Park Moscowabout 1.3 km away (~22 min walk) · typical visit: 2–4 hours
Donskoy Monastery Moscowabout 1.7 km away (~27 min walk) · typical visit: 1–1.5 hours
Moscow Metro · typical visit: 1.5–3 hours for a tour of showcase stations
Sergey Yesenin Museum Moscowabout 600 m away (~9 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 1.5 hours
Metro stations near Dobryninskaya Metro Station
Serpukhovskaya Metro Stationabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)
Oktyabrskaya Metro Stationabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)
Paveletskaya Metro Stationabout 1000 m away (~16 min walk)
Train stations and river piers near Dobryninskaya Metro Station
Paveletsky Railway Terminalabout 1.1 km away (~17 min walk)
Novospassky River Pierabout 1.9 km away (~31 min walk)
Restaurants and cafes near Dobryninskaya Metro Station
Oblomovabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)
Hotels near Dobryninskaya Metro Station
Ibis Moscow Centre Bakhrushinaabout 1.1 km away (~18 min walk)
Swissotel Krasnye Holmy Moscowabout 1.4 km away (~23 min walk)
Events and traditions near Dobryninskaya Metro Station
Moscow Summer Fairabout 1.7 km away (~27 min walk)
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FAQ: Dobryninskaya Metro Station
Why was it called Serpukhovskaya?
After Serpukhovskaya Square. The station was renamed Dobryninskaya on 6 June 1961 after Pyotr Dobrynin.
Who designed the station?
The architect Leonid Popov, with co-authors including M. Zelenin and M. Ilyin.
What is the mosaic at the end of the hall?
Morning of the Cosmic Era, installed in 1967 to replace an earlier relief that was removed in 1961.
What is in the vestibule?
Three floor-to-ceiling smalt mosaics: Lenin with the 16 republics' coats of arms in the center, and parades on Red Square on the sides.
Which line can I change to?
Line 9, the Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya Line, at Serpukhovskaya, by a passage from the middle of the hall.
Do I need a ticket to see it?
Yes, a Metro fare is needed to enter. See the fares and payment section.
Why is the hall so bright?
The vaults are plain white plaster with zigzag fluorescent lighting, and the white plinths reflect the light.
How long do I need?
About 10 minutes to see the vestibule and the hall.
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