How to buy a Moscow Metro ticket: Troika Card, Machines and Cash

This guide explains how to buy a Moscow Metro ticket, for travelers who arrive from abroad, do not read Russian and want to avoid a failed payment at the window or the turnstile. It covers the ticket window, the vending machine, the paper ticket and the passes.

The recommended way is a Troika card bought with cash at a ticket window, since foreign bank cards are reported not to work. Fares and rules change, so check the official Metro site before you travel.

Quick answer: Buy a Troika card with cash at a ticket window, saying Troika and the amount, or at a machine with an English option. A ride is reported at ₽, plus a card deposit of ₽.

At a Glance

Total time	About 5 to 10 minutes, longer at busy windows
Typical cost	₽ per ride with a Troika card (reports differ), plus a deposit of ₽
Last updated	Oktober 7, 2026

What You Need Before You Start

• Rubles in cash, since foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work
• Enough for the card deposit and a few rides
• The word Troika, which every clerk knows, and the amount written down or shown on your phone
• A few minutes before you need to enter, as the queue at a window can be long
• A phone with the Metro's official app only if you can use it; it is not required

Compare Your Options

Option	Duration	Price	Notes
Troika card at a ticket window	A few minutes, longer in a queue	₽ per ride, plus a deposit of ₽ (reports differ)	The recommended choice for visitors, since you can ask for help and pay cash. Works on the metro, the Moscow Central Circle, buses and trams.
Troika card at a vending machine	A few minutes	The same fares as above	The machines have an English option and take cash and Russian MIR cards. Foreign cards are reported not to work. Good at a quiet station.
Paper Unified ticket	A few minutes at the window	₽ for one ride and ₽ for two, valid 5 days from purchase (one 2026 source)	For one or two rides without a card. More expensive per ride than the Troika.
1-day or 3-day pass on the Troika	Loaded in a minute	₽ for 1 day and ₽₽ for 3 days (russianmetro.ru)	Worth it only for many rides a day. Loaded on the card at a window or a machine.
Virtual Troika in the Metro app	Setup needed	The same fares as above	Needs the app and a payment method that works for you; guides say a Russian bank account is needed for some functions, so it is not practical for most visitors.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare your cash

Bring rubles in notes, since the machines and windows are reported to take cash and Russian MIR cards, but not foreign Visa or Mastercard cards, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Plan for the card deposit and for several rides, so that you do not need to queue again. The booking section below lists the prices and the payment rules.

Tip: Smaller notes are easier to use than very large ones.

Step 2: Find a ticket window or a machine

Inside the station vestibule, before the turnstiles, look for the windows marked kassa, and for the vending machines. Guides describe the machines as yellow and green, with an English option, though the screen can be slow. A window is the safer choice at your first purchase, since you can ask for help, and the clerk can load a card in under a minute.

Tip: If one window has a long queue, check the other end of the vestibule.

Step 3: Ask for a Troika card at the window

Say Troika to the clerk and show the amount you want to load, with your fingers or on your phone, and hand over the cash. Clerks know the word even if they do not speak English. You receive the card and the loaded balance, and the deposit is included in the price. Ask for a receipt if you want one, and check the balance at once.

Tip: Show the amount written down in numerals, to avoid a misunderstanding.

Step 4: Or use the machine with the English option

At the machine, choose English on the screen, then select the Troika card, either to buy a new one or to top up an existing card. Insert the cash notes, as the machine takes cash and MIR cards, and follow the prompts to load the fare or a pass. The machine dispenses the card or confirms the balance on the reader.

Tip: If the machine rejects your card, do not try several cards; use cash at a window instead.

Step 5: Choose the right fare or pass

A balance in the wallet* pays single rides, and a 90-minute fare is applied automatically when you change from the metro to a surface vehicle. For a day of many rides, a 1-day or a 3-day pass can be loaded on the same card. Ask the clerk or look at the machine's menu, and compare the price with the number of rides you plan.

Tip: Do the sum before you buy a pass: it pays off only with several rides a day.

Step 6: Test the card at the turnstile

Go to a turnstile and hold the card flat on the round reader on top; a beep and a green light show that it works. If the light is red, step aside, and check the balance on a machine or at the window. Once it works, you can use the same card on the Moscow Central Circle, buses and trams.

Tip: Do not hold the card in a wallet with other cards, which can confuse the reader.

Step 7: Top up and return the card

Top up the balance at any window or machine, or in the official app if it works for you. At the end of the trip, a Troika can be returned at a ticket window to recover the deposit, within the period set by the operator, reported as five years from the purchase. Check the conditions at the window, and keep the card if you plan to come back.

Tip: Do not leave a large balance on the card on your last day.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Trying to pay with a foreign bank card or a phone wallet at the window, the machine or the turnstile: guides report that they do not work, so carry cash.
• Asking only for a ticket: the clerk will offer a single paper ticket, so say Troika if you want a card.
• Buying a pass without counting the rides: a 1-day pass needs about six rides to pay off at the reported prices.
• Losing a paper ticket: it is valid for a set number of rides within five days, and cannot be replaced, so keep it until the last ride.
• Leaving the purchase to the last minute before the entrances close at the end of the day: the windows may close, so buy earlier.
• Putting the card on the wrong part of the turnstile: use the round reader on top, and wait for the green light.

Tickets, Payment and Booking

Tickets and Troika cards are sold at the ticket windows of any metro station, at the vending machines in the vestibules and at some kiosks. The machines have an English option and take cash and Russian MIR cards. The official Metro site and app, mosmetro.ru, list the current fares.

• Foreign cards: as of October 2026, guides report that Visa and Mastercard cards issued outside Russia, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay do not work at windows, machines or turnstiles; pay in rubles in cash.
• Prices: reports give ₽ per ride with a Troika, ₽ by bank card, ₽ by Face Pay and ₽ for a paper ticket, a 90-minute fare of ₽, and a card deposit of ₽.
• Resellers: buy only at stations or in the official app; people who sell cards or rides in the street are not official.

All the current fares and the ticket types are on mosmetro.ru.

Moscow Vibes Tips

• Buy the card at a quiet station, such as the one near your hotel, rather than at a station with a long queue, such as a main railway terminal.
• A Troika can be shared by two people on separate rides only with separate cards; one card is read once per tap, so each traveler needs a card.
• If your hotel is far from the center, buy the card at the airport station or on arrival, since the Aeroexpress ticket offices also sell Troika cards, according to one guide.
• A card bought as a souvenir, with a design, may cost more; the plain card at the window costs only the standard deposit.
• Take a photo of the card's number and the receipt in case you lose it, and need to ask the staff for help.
• At the reported prices, a 1-day pass needs about six rides, and a 3-day pass about eleven, to beat single rides.

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FAQ

Where can I buy a Moscow Metro ticket?

At the ticket windows of any station, at the vending machines in the vestibules, and at some kiosks. The Troika card is the best choice.

Can I pay with a foreign bank card?

Guides report that foreign Visa and Mastercard cards and phone wallets do not work. Pay in cash.

How much is a Moscow Metro ticket?

₽ per ride with a Troika, and ₽ for a paper ticket, according to 2026 reports. Check mosmetro.ru.

What is the deposit for the Troika?

₽ in recent sources; older guides gave ₽. It is refundable under the operator's rules.

Do the machines speak English?

Yes, the machines have an English option, and take cash and Russian MIR cards.

Can I buy a ticket online?

The official app can load a virtual Troika, but payment and registration may need a Russian bank account, so most visitors buy at a station.

Is there a tourist pass?

There are 1-day and 3-day passes for the Troika, at ₽–₽₽ in the sources; check the current prices.

What if the card does not work at the turnstile?

Step aside and check the balance at a machine or a window; staff can help, and a window can replace a faulty card.

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