Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station opened in 1954, in the last stage that completed the Circle Line, and is named after Krasnaya Presnya Street. Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station reliefs, fourteen in all, commemorate the Moscow Uprising of 1905 in the Presnya area and the revolution of 1917, and they stand above red granite pylons.
A round vestibule on Krasnaya Presnya Street has a sculpture, Combatant, in front of it, and a passage leads to Barrikadnaya on Line 7. This guide explains what to look for, how the transfer works and how the fares work.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Краснопресненская |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1954 |
| Architect(s) | Viktor Yegerev, M. Konstantinov, Felix Novikov and I. Pokrovsky |
| Address | Krasnaya Presnya Street, Moscow, Russia OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Presnensky |
| Interchanges | Krasnopresnenskaya (Line 5 (Koltsevaya, brown), the decorated station of 1954, between Kiyevskaya and Belorusskaya) Barrikadnaya (Line 7 (Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya, purple), linked by a passage; the nearest station for Moscow Zoo and the Planetarium) |
| 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 and weekend afternoons, when families go to the zoo, are the busiest.
The stations work in every season, so the hub is a good stop on a cold or wet day. |
| Last updated | October 6, 2026 |
Why Visit Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station?
The station is a memorial to the revolution of 1905 in the district where the uprising took place. The Presnya area saw barricades and fighting in December 1905, and the decoration of the station commemorates those events.
The pylons are red granite with white marble cornices, and fourteen bas-reliefs by N. Shcherbakov, Yu. Pommer, Yu. Ushakov, V. Fedorov and G. Kolesnikov depict the 1905 Revolution and the October Revolution of 1917.
Outside, a round vestibule stands on Krasnaya Presnya Street, with a sculpture, Combatant, by A. Zelinsky in front. The passage to Barrikadnaya makes the station a convenient link to Moscow Zoo and the Planetarium.
Highlights of Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
Fourteen reliefs of 1905 and 1917
Fourteen bas-reliefs by N. Shcherbakov, Yu. Pommer, Yu. Ushakov, V. Fedorov and G. Kolesnikov depict the 1905 Revolution and the October Revolution of 1917.
The Presnya area was the site of the Moscow Uprising of 1905, so the station is decorated with artwork commemorating its events.
Tip: Walk along the hall to see the reliefs one by one, since each shows a different scene.
Red granite pylons and white marble cornices
The pylons are faced with red granite and topped with white marble cornices.
The red stone gives the hall a strong, dark color that fits its revolutionary theme.
Tip: Look at the contrast between the red granite and the white cornices from the middle of the hall.
The round vestibule
The station's round vestibule stands on the south side of Krasnaya Presnya Street, between Druzhinnikovskaya and Konyushkovskaya streets.
It is a recognizable landmark on the street.
Tip: Look at the vestibule from across the street before you enter.
The Combatant sculpture
In front of the vestibule stands a sculpture, Combatant, by A. Zelinsky, a figure that recalls the fighters of the 1905 uprising.
It marks the station's theme before you go underground.
Tip: Look for the sculpture at street level, where it is easy to pass without noticing.
The station that closed the circle
Krasnopresnenskaya opened on 14 March 1954, in the last stage of the Circle Line, which allowed trains to run continuously around the loop for the first time.
It lies between Kiyevskaya and Belorusskaya.
Tip: Ride the Circle Line to the next station to compare the decoration of the neighboring halls.
The passage to Barrikadnaya
A passage leads from the station to Barrikadnaya on the Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya Line (Line 7), which opened in 1972. The name Barrikadnaya recalls the barricades of 1905 on Krasnaya Presnya Street.
Barrikadnaya is the nearest station for Moscow Zoo and the Planetarium.
Tip: Follow the purple Line 7 signs for the transfer, and allow extra time at rush hour.
Atmosphere
The hall is dark and solemn, with red granite pylons running along both sides and white cornices above them. The reliefs add a sober, memorial note.
Passengers flow between the Circle Line and the passage to Barrikadnaya, and the sound is footsteps, announcements and trains. Visitors on their way to Moscow Zoo and the Planetarium pass through, and a few stop to look at the reliefs.
It is busiest at rush hours and on weekends when families go to the zoo, and calmer in the middle of the day on weekdays and late in the evening.
History of Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
The Presnya area of Moscow was the main center of the Moscow Uprising of December 1905, during the first Russian Revolution, when workers built barricades along Krasnaya Presnya Street. The district kept the memory of the uprising in its street names and monuments.
The Circle Line was built in 1950–1954 as a circle route around central Moscow. Krasnopresnenskaya opened on 14 March 1954, in the last stage, between Belorusskaya and Park Kultury, which allowed trains to run continuously around the loop for the first time.
The station was designed by Viktor Yegerev, M. Konstantinov, Felix Novikov and I. Pokrovsky. It is a deep pylon tri-span station, named after Krasnaya Presnya Street, on which it is situated.
The station is decorated to commemorate the events of 1905. It has red granite pylons with white marble cornices and fourteen bas-reliefs, by N. Shcherbakov, Yu. Pommer, Yu. Ushakov, V. Fedorov and G. Kolesnikov, which depict the 1905 Revolution and the October Revolution of 1917.
The round vestibule is on the south side of Krasnaya Presnya Street, with a sculpture, Combatant, by A. Zelinsky in front of it.
In 1972 Barrikadnaya opened on the Krasnopresnensky radius, named for the barricades of 1905, and a passage was built to link it to the Circle Line station.
Today the station is a working hub in the Presnensky District, and the first stop on the Circle Line for visitors heading for Moscow Zoo and the Planetarium.
Tickets and Booking for Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
There is no ticket for the stations themselves; 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, and on weekends when families head for the zoo.
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 Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
Krasnopresnenskaya is in the Presnensky District, north-west of the center of Moscow, on Krasnaya Presnya Street.
- Circle Line: Krasnopresnenskaya (Line 5, Koltsevaya, brown), between Kiyevskaya and Belorusskaya.
- Line 7: Barrikadnaya (Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya, purple), reached by a passage, and the nearest station to Moscow Zoo and the Planetarium.
The round vestibule is on the south side of Krasnaya Presnya Street, between Druzhinnikovskaya and Konyushkovskaya streets. For the zoo, walk from Barrikadnaya; the walking time was not verified. A taxi can drop you at the vestibule.
Accessibility
Accessibility details were not confirmed. The station is deep and 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
Krasnaya Presnya Street and the streets around Barrikadnaya have cafes, restaurants 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 Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
Middle of the Circle Line hall
The row of red granite pylons with white cornices and the reliefs receding along the hall.
Best time: Late evening or mid-morning, when the hall is quieter
A single bas-relief
One of the reliefs of 1905 or 1917 in close detail, above a red granite pylon.
Best time: Between trains, with the platform clear
Round vestibule and the Combatant
The round vestibule on Krasnaya Presnya Street with the sculpture in front.
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 Moscow Zoo and the Planetarium. 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 at the reliefs for the barricade scenes of 1905, which connect the station to the street above.
- Check the line color before you transfer; Krasnopresnenskaya is on Line 5 and Barrikadnaya on Line 7.
- Use Barrikadnaya, not this station, when you head for Moscow Zoo and the Planetarium.
- Look for the Combatant sculpture in front of the round vestibule when you leave.
- Compare the red granite here with the white marble halls of the neighboring Circle Line stations.
- Avoid weekend afternoons if you want a quiet hall, since families heading for the zoo fill the passage.
Explore Nearby Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
Sights near Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
Moscow Zooabout 100 m away (~2 min walk) · typical visit: 2–4 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Planetariumabout 200 m away (~3 min walk) · typical visit: 1.5–3 hoursMain 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 stationsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Immaculate Conception Cathedral Moscowabout 750 m away (~12 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Patriarch's Ponds Moscowabout 950 m away (~15 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
Barrikadnaya Metro Stationabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Ulitsa 1905 Goda Metro Stationabout 1.1 km away (~18 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Train stations and river piers near Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
Kievsky River Pierabout 1.1 km away (~18 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Belorussky Railway Terminalabout 1.8 km away (~30 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
Selfieabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Mr. Leeabout 650 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
Q-block Capsule Hotelabout 900 m away (~14 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Arbat House Hotelabout 1.2 km away (~20 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Lotte Hotel Moscowabout 1.3 km away (~21 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
Pushkin Day and Russian Language Day in Moscowabout 1.7 km away (~28 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Tea Party Festivalabout 2.0 km away (~32 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station
When did Krasnopresnenskaya open?
On 14 March 1954, in the last stage that completed the Circle Line.
Who designed it?
Viktor Yegerev, M. Konstantinov, Felix Novikov and I. Pokrovsky.
What do the reliefs show?
Fourteen bas-reliefs depict the 1905 Revolution and the October Revolution of 1917.
Why is it named Krasnopresnenskaya?
After Krasnaya Presnya Street, where it stands, in the area of the 1905 uprising.
Which station is nearest to Moscow Zoo?
Barrikadnaya, which is linked to the Circle Line station by a passage.
Do I need a ticket to see it?
Yes, a Metro fare is needed to enter. See the fares and payment section.
What is in front of the vestibule?
A sculpture, Combatant, by A. Zelinsky.
How long do I need?
About 10 minutes to walk the hall and see the reliefs.
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Last updated: October 6, 2026.
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