How to use the Moscow Metro as a tourist: Tickets, Fares and Lines

This guide explains how to use the Moscow Metro as a tourist, for travelers who do not read Russian and have not used the system before. It covers the tickets, the payment problems for foreign cards, the signs and maps, and the steps from the street to the platform and back.

The recommended way is a Troika card bought with cash at a ticket window, since foreign bank cards and phone wallets* 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 or a machine, top it up, and tap it at the turnstile. A ride is reported at ₽ with the card; foreign bank cards do not work, so carry rubles.

At a Glance

Total time	About 10 minutes to buy a card and enter; most rides across the center take 15 to 40 minutes
Typical cost	₽ per ride with a Troika card (reports differ), plus a card deposit of ₽
Last updated	Oktober 7, 2026

What You Need Before You Start

• Rubles in cash, since foreign Visa and Mastercard cards and phone wallets are reported not to work
• A deposit for the Troika card, reported ₽ in recent sources
• A map or a navigation app, with the Metro's official app if you can use it
• The names of your start and end stations written in Latin script
• Time to avoid the rush hours with large luggage

Compare Your Options

Option	Duration	Price	Notes
Troika card loaded with cash	A few minutes to buy	₽ per ride, plus a deposit of ₽ (reports differ)	The recommended choice. Works on the metro, the Moscow Central Circle, buses and trams, and gives free transfers within 90 minutes. Buy at a window or a machine.
Paper Unified ticket	A few minutes at the ticket window	₽ for one ride, and ₽ for two, valid 5 days from purchase (one 2026 source)	For one or two rides, if you do not want a card. More expensive per ride than the Troika.
Unlimited passes on the Troika	Valid for 1 or 3 days or longer	₽ for 1 day and ₽₽ for 3 days (russianmetro.ru)	Good for a day of many rides. Loaded on the Troika card; check the current prices.
Contactless bank card at the turnstile	Immediate	₽ per ride (russianmetro.ru)	Works only with some Russian cards. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards and phone wallets are reported not to work, so do not rely on it.
Face Pay and the Metro app	Setup needed in advance	₽ per ride for Face Pay (russianmetro.ru)	Needs a Russian bank account and the app. Not practical for most visitors.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Find the entrance

Look for the red letter M sign above the entrance, often in a small building or a passage under a street. The Metro runs from about 05:30 to 01:00, and the station entrances close at 01:00, when the last trains leave the end stations. Inside, signs are in Russian and English, and the station name is written in both scripts at the entrance and on the platform walls.

Tip: Some stations have several entrances; check the exit numbers on a map to pick the nearest one.

Step 2: Buy a Troika card

At a ticket window, say Troika and the amount you want to load; clerks know the word even if they do not speak English. The card costs a deposit, reported ₽ in recent sources, and works on the metro, the Moscow Central Circle, buses, trams and the Central Diameters. Machines in the vestibules have an English option, and take cash and Russian MIR cards.

Tip: Load enough for several rides, since you can only top up at windows, machines or the app.

Step 3: Choose the right fare

The card works as a wallet, with a single ride reported at ₽. When you change from the metro to a bus or tram within 90 minutes, a 90-minute fare of ₽ is applied automatically and covers one metro or Moscow Central Circle ride plus unlimited surface transfers. For several days, passes are loaded on the same card.

Tip: Check the balance at a machine or in the app before a long day.

Step 4: Tap at the turnstile

Hold the Troika card flat on the round reader on top of the turnstile until you hear a beep and the light shows green, then walk through. Gates are narrow, so with a large suitcase look for a wider gate beside the main row, or ask an attendant. Do not tap twice, and leave a gap behind the person in front, since the gate closes on the next person.

Tip: Keep the card out of a wallet with other cards, which can confuse the reader.

Step 5: Read the map and the direction

Each line has a number and a color, and the direction is shown by the name of the last station on the line. Find your line on the map at the platform or in the vestibule, and follow the arrow for the direction. The Ring Line, line 5 in brown, runs clockwise and anticlockwise, and some station names are shared by several stations, so check the line color too.

Tip: Use the map in the train car to count the stops to your station.

Step 6: Board and ride

Wait until passengers have left the car, then board. Announcements are mainly in Russian, with some stations announced in English on some lines, so follow the station names on the map in the car and the screens. Escalators at deep stations are long, and standing on the right and walking on the left is the normal custom, so leave the left side free.

Tip: Keep your bag in front of you in crowded cars.

Step 7: Change lines and exit

At a transfer station, follow the signs with the number and color of your line; transfers can be long passages. To exit, look for the exit numbers and street names on the signs, and choose the one nearest to your destination. You do not need to tap your card when you leave, and a card can be returned at a window for the deposit within the period set by the operator.

Tip: Check the exit before you go up; a wrong exit can mean a long walk*.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Trying to pay at the turnstile with a foreign bank card or a phone wallet: guides report that they do not work, so buy a Troika with cash.
• Buying a paper ticket for every ride: it costs more per ride than the Troika, so use the card if you ride more than twice.
• Arriving after 01:00: the entrances close, and the metro reopens at about 05:30.
• Choosing the line by color only: several stations share a name on different lines, so check the line number too.
• Taking the wrong direction on the Ring Line: it runs both ways, so check the last station name on the sign.
• Standing on the left of an escalator: the left side is for walking, so stand on the right.
• Not allowing time for long transfers and deep escalators: they can take many minutes, so add a buffer.

Tickets, Payment and Booking

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. A card costs a deposit, reported ₽ in recent sources, and is loaded with credit or passes. The official Metro site and app, mosmetro.ru, list the current fares.

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

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

Moscow Vibes Tips

• The Troika also works on the Moscow Central Circle, which is a surface railway, so you can link it with the metro within the 90 minutes.
• The most beautiful stations are on the Ring Line and the first lines; combine a few of them in one trip, such as Komsomolskaya, Kiyevskaya and Mayakovskaya, which have their own articles.
• Station names are usually announced and written in both scripts, so keep the Latin names of your stops in your phone notes.
• Midday and evenings after the rush are calmer; the morning and evening rush hours fill the cars on the main lines.
• Take a photo of the metro map at a platform, since the map in the app needs data.
• At the end of your trip, you can return the Troika at a ticket window to get the deposit back, according to the operator's rules; check the current conditions.

Explore Nearby How to use the Moscow Metro as a tourist

Sights near How to use the Moscow Metro as a tourist

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Moscow Metro · typical visit: 1.5–3 hours for a tour of showcase stations

Metro stations near How to use the Moscow Metro as a tourist

• 
  AI

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

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Mayakovskaya Metro Station
• 
  AI

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

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Ploshchad Revolyutsii Metro Station

Related guides

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  How to get from Sheremetyevo Airport to central Moscow: Train, Bus
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Pechatniki River Pier: Electric Boats, Metro Walk and Park
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  ZIL River Pier: Electric Boats, MCC Access and Routes 2 and 3
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Southern River Station: Cruises, Reopened Terminal and Access
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Northern River Station: Cruises, Metro Access and Park

Browse more: All How-To · All Metro and Trains

?

FAQ

How much does a Moscow Metro ride cost?

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

Can I pay with a foreign bank card?

Guides report that foreign Visa and Mastercard cards and phone wallets do not work. Pay with cash for a Troika card.

What is the Troika card?

A rechargeable card for the metro, the Moscow Central Circle, buses and trams, bought with a deposit at a window or a machine.

When does the metro run?

From about 05:30 to 01:00. The station entrances close at 01:00.

Are there signs in English?

Yes, the stations have signs in English, and the machines have an English option. Announcements are mainly in Russian.

Is the metro safe?

It is widely used and busy; keep an eye on your bag in crowded cars, as in any big city.

Can I use the metro with luggage or a stroller?

It is possible, but there are many stairs and long escalators, and lifts are limited; check the accessibility information on the official site.

Is it worth buying a pass?

A 1-day or 3-day pass can pay off if you ride many times a day; compare the prices with single rides before you buy.

Report an issue on this page

What is it about?
Opening hours or pricesDirections or metroClosed or movedWrong factSomething else

What is wrong?

The correct information (optional)

Send report

* Affiliate link: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.