How to buy train tickets at Moscow railway stations: Cash and Passport

This guide explains how to buy train tickets at Moscow railway stations, for travelers from abroad who prefer to pay in person or cannot pay online. Moscow has ten railway terminals, and each long-distance route leaves from a particular one, so the first step is to choose the right station.

The recommended way is to go to the ticket office of the right station with your passport and rubles in cash, where tickets are sold at the official price without commission, according to a 2026 guide. Online options exist, but foreign bank cards cause problems.

Quick answer: Go to the ticket office of the station that serves your route, with your passport and rubles in cash; tickets are sold at the official price without commission. Check the opening hours, which differ between stations.

At a Glance

Total time	About 15 to 45 minutes at the ticket office, depending on the queue
Typical cost	The official fare of the train, without commission, paid in rubles in cash; the price depends on the train and the class
Last updated	Oktober 7, 2026

What You Need Before You Start

• Your passport, since the ticket is issued on the basis of an identity document
• Rubles in cash, since the offices accept cash or a Russian MIR card
• The destination, the date and, if possible, the train number and time, written down
• The name of the right railway station and its metro station
• Time to queue, especially at the busy stations on Komsomolskaya Square

Compare Your Options

Option	Duration	Price	Notes
Station ticket office	About 15 to 45 minutes	The official fare, without commission	The recommended choice: pay in rubles in cash, or with a MIR card, with your passport. The most flexible, but with a queue and opening hours that differ by station.
Russian Railways website	A few minutes	The official fare	Reported to accept only Russian MIR cards and to be blocked in many European countries, so a VPN may be needed. Not practical for most visitors.
RussianTrain	A few minutes	The fare plus a commission	Described by a 2026 guide as an authorized subagent that accepts foreign Visa and Mastercard cards, in English, without a VPN. The rules for foreign cards were not verified here.
Tutu	A few minutes	The fare plus a smaller commission, according to the guide	A guide says it accepts foreign cards through a Belarusian payment platform that charges in Belarusian rubles. Check the current rules before you rely on it.
Ticket office of an agency in the city	Depends on the queue	The fare plus any agency fee	The Moscow Rail Passenger Agency has offices, for example at Maliy Kharitonyevskiy Pereulok 6/11, with hours on weekdays; check the hours before you go.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Find the station for your train

Each long-distance direction has its own station: Leningradsky serves Saint Petersburg and the north-west, Kazansky the east toward Kazan and Ryazan, Yaroslavsky the east, Kursky the south and Nizhny Novgorod, Paveletsky the south-east, Belorussky the west, and Kievsky its own routes. Leningradsky, Kazansky and Yaroslavsky stand together on Komsomolskaya Square. Check the departure station on your timetable before you go.

Tip: The station name is also on the electronic ticket, so check it against the route.

Step 2: Decide between the station and online

At the station you pay the official price with no commission, in rubles in cash or with a MIR card, according to a 2026 guide. Online, the official site is reported not to accept foreign cards, and resellers charge a commission, as the booking section explains. If you prefer to pay on arrival, plan your time for the ticket office, and note that popular trains can sell out.

Tip: Buy early for popular routes and dates.

Step 3: Go to the right station by metro

Each station has a metro station of the same or a similar name: Komsomolskaya for Leningradsky and Yaroslavsky (and Kazansky), Kurskaya for Kursky, Paveletskaya for Paveletsky, Belorusskaya for Belorussky and Kiyevskaya for Kievsky. Allow extra time at Komsomolskaya, the busiest, and avoid the rush hours with luggage; see the metro guides of this site.

Tip: Check the exit that leads to the station, since the metro has several.

Step 4: Find the ticket office

Inside the station, look for the windows marked with the word kassa and the ticket symbol; large stations have several offices, for long-distance and for suburban trains. Hours differ: a 2026 guide says windows are open around the clock, while the Russian Railways page lists offices at Leningradsky from 08:00 to 19:40 and from 11:00 to 22:40 on weekdays, with breaks, and Kievsky round the clock with breaks.

Tip: Check the hours of the office before you go, and avoid the break times.

Step 5: Ask for your ticket

At the window, give the destination, the date, the train number or the time, the number of passengers and the class, and show your passport; the clerk enters the passport details, which are printed on the ticket. Write the details on a piece of paper in Latin script and Russian, since the clerk may not speak English. Pay in rubles in cash.

Tip: Show a note with the route; it saves a misunderstanding.

Step 6: Check the ticket

Before you leave the window, check the name, which must match the passport, the train number, the date, the time, the departure station, the car and the seat. A mistake is hard to fix later. Electronic tickets show the departure station, and the names of small and large stations may differ, so check the Moscow station name as well.

Tip: Take a photo of the ticket for your records.

Step 7: Keep the passport and the ticket for boarding

Keep your passport and the ticket with you, since the passport details are checked when you board the train, according to a guide. Find the platform on the departure board shortly before the departure, and go to the car number on the ticket. If you bought the return ticket as well, store it separately, so that you do not mix up the dates.

Tip: Do not pack the passport in the luggage on the rack.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Going to the wrong station: each route has its own, and three stand on Komsomolskaya Square, so check the departure station.
• Arriving without a passport: the ticket is issued on the basis of an identity document, so bring it.
• Paying with a foreign bank card at the window: the offices accept rubles in cash or a MIR card, so carry cash.
• Assuming that every window is open around the clock: hours differ, with breaks, so check them.
• Not checking the name on the ticket: it must match the passport, or you may be refused at boarding.
• Buying from a person in the station hall: use the official windows or an authorized site, since touts can charge more.

Tickets, Payment and Booking

At the station, tickets are sold at the ticket offices of Russian Railways at the official price, with no commission, for rubles in cash or with a Russian MIR card, according to a 2026 guide. Foreign bank cards are not accepted. Bring your passport; the passport details are printed on the ticket and checked at boarding.

• Online: the official site, rzd.ru, is reported to reject foreign Visa and Mastercard cards and to be blocked in many European countries. Resellers such as RussianTrain and Tutu are described as accepting foreign cards for a commission; these rules were not verified here.
• Touts: do not buy from people in the station hall.

Check the current fares and the timetable on rzd.ru.

Moscow Vibes Tips

• A ticket is bought for a station name that may differ from the small station's name on the route, so check the Moscow station on the ticket.
• Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky and Kazansky stand on one square, so a wrong turn costs minutes, not hours, but check the name on the board.
• The Moscow Rail Passenger Agency has offices outside the stations with weekday hours, which can be quieter.
• If you plan to use the Aeroexpress or the suburban trains, the tickets are separate, as the airport guides of this site explain.
• Buy the return ticket in Saint Petersburg only if the sales window is open; check the booking window before you leave.
• Many stations have luggage storage nearby, as the luggage guide of this site explains, which helps if your train is in the evening.

Explore Nearby How to buy train tickets at Moscow railway stations

Metro stations near How to buy train tickets at Moscow railway stations

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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Komsomolskaya Metro Station
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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Kurskaya Metro Station
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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Paveletskaya Metro Station
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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Belorusskaya Metro Station
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  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Kiyevskaya Metro Station

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Browse more: All How-To · All Tickets and Payments

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FAQ

Can I buy train tickets at the station in Moscow?

Yes, at the ticket offices, at the official price without commission, for rubles in cash or with a MIR card.

Do I need my passport?

Yes. The ticket is issued on the basis of an identity document, and the passport details are checked at boarding.

Can I pay with a foreign card at the station?

No, the offices accept rubles in cash or a MIR card. Carry cash.

Which station do I use for Saint Petersburg?

Leningradsky, on Komsomolskaya Square; see the train guide of this site.

Are the ticket offices open 24 hours?

A 2026 guide says so, but the Russian Railways page lists hours with breaks at several offices, so check.

Is there a commission?

Not at the station. Resellers charge one, according to the guides.

Can I buy online instead?

The official site is reported to reject foreign cards. Resellers may accept them for a commission.

Can I speak English at the window?

Not always, so show a written note with the route and your passport.

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