The Krasnye Vorota Metro Station is on the Sokolnicheskaya Line, Line 1, between Chistye Prudy and Komsomolskaya, and it opened on 15 May 1935 as one of the first ten stations of the Moscow Metro. Its name, Red Gate, comes from the square where a triumphal arch once stood.
The station is a deep three-vault station at a depth of about 31 meters, with a hall designed by Ivan Fomin and Nikolai Andrikanis and a famous south entrance pavilion by Nikolai Ladovsky. This guide explains what the hall looks like, where to find the red marble pylons and the white globe lamps, what the two vestibules are, how the station’s design won a prize in Paris, how fares and payment work for tourists, and what to see around Red Gate Square.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Красные ворота |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1935 |
| Architect(s) | Ivan Fomin and Nikolai Andrikanis (hall); Nikolai Ladovsky (south vestibule pavilion) |
| Address | Red Gate Square (Krasnye Vorota Square), Moscow, on the Garden Ring |
| District | Krasnoselsky |
| Interchanges | Krasnye Vorota (Line 1, red, the station itself, with a south vestibule in a shell-like pavilion and a north vestibule inside the high-rise on the square) Chistye Prudy (Line 1, red, the previous station toward Potapovo) Komsomolskaya (Line 1, red, the next station toward Bulvar Rokossovskogo, at the three railway terminals) |
| Opening hours | The Metro runs daily from early morning until about 01:00, with exact first and last train times differing by station and line, so check the operator's site for this station (as of October 2026 – check the official site, mosmetro.ru). |
| Best time to visit | Mid-morning, early afternoon and the evening after the rush are the calmest, while weekday rush hours fill the hall and escalators. The station can be visited in any season since it is underground. |
| Last updated | October 9, 2026 |
Why Visit Krasnye Vorota Metro Station?
This is one of the original stations of the first Metro line and an early example of the deep three-vault design, whose untested engineering worried builders in 1932. The pylons are faced with dark red marble, the walls are off-white tile, and the vaults carry rows of hexagonal and square caissons with milk-white globe lamps.
The south vestibule is a shell-like pavilion by Nikolai Ladovsky on Red Gate Square, with a portal made of concentric half-circles that suggest a tunnel in perspective, and the north vestibule is built into a Stalinist high-rise. The station’s design received the Grand Prix at the Paris World Exhibition of 1938, according to one source. It is a short ride from Chistye Prudy.
How Krasnye Vorota Metro Station Is Laid Out
The station has a central hall flanked by two platform halls divided by pylons, at a depth of about 31 meters, with two vestibules at the ends. The south vestibule is a subterranean entrance hall with a distinctive shell-like pavilion on Red Gate Square, designed by Nikolai Ladovsky.
The north vestibule was built into the high-rise on the square and opened on 31 July 1954. Escalators connect the platform with each vestibule. Follow the signs for the exit you need, and check the map in the hall. The south vestibule was closed in 1994 for the replacement of its escalators, and a metal canopy was added over the escalator slope.
Highlights of Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
The dark red marble pylons
The pylons are faced with dark red marble against off-white tiled walls, which gives the hall its characteristic color. Look at the pylons from the platform and the openings between them. Check the light, which brings out the stone's patterns.
Tip: Stand at the center of the hall to see the rhythm of the pylons.
The milk-white globe lamps
Rows of milk-white ball-shaped lamps hang from the vaults of the distribution hall and platforms, which are decorated with rows of hexagonal and square caissons. Look up at the ceiling. Check the effect from the platform end.
Tip: Photograph the lamps from the platform end for a long perspective.
The shell-like south pavilion
The south vestibule on Red Gate Square has a portal made of four concentric half-circles that suggests a Metro tunnel in perspective and looks like a shell, designed by Nikolai Ladovsky. Look at the pavilion from the square. Check the south entrance, which is the more distinctive one.
Tip: Exit by the south vestibule to see the pavilion from outside.
The checkerboard floor
The floor of the central hall is laid out in a checkerboard of gray and black granite rectangles, replacing the original ceramic tile of red and cream. Look at the floor pattern. Check the hall from the escalator landing.
Tip: Look down while walking through the central hall.
The Paris Grand Prix
The station's design received the Grand Prix at the Paris World Exhibition of 1938, according to the Metro's photo album, a sign of its place among the first stations. Check the Metro operator's history pages.
Tip: Read about the first line's stations before you ride.
The north vestibule in the high-rise
The north vestibule is built into the Red Gate high-rise, one of the Stalinist towers, designed by Alexey Dushkin and Boris Mezentsev and opened on 31 July 1954. Look at the tower from the square. Check the exit signs.
Tip: Leave by the north exit to see the high-rise.
Atmosphere
The hall is cool and bright, with warm red stone, pale walls and rows of white globes glowing along the vaults. The sounds are trains arriving, escalators and the steady footsteps of commuters.
Office workers, students and tourists share the platforms, and the station is busiest at the weekday rush hours. Mid-morning and late evening are calmer. Above ground, Red Gate Square is a busy junction of the Garden Ring with the sound of traffic.
History of Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
Work on Krasnye Vorota began in the spring of 1932 and proceeded smoothly, despite fears that its untested three-arch design would collapse under the weight of the soil. The station opened on 15 May 1935 as one of the first ten stations of the Moscow Metro, designed by Ivan Fomin and Nikolai Andrikanis, though some sources credit the architect Nikolai Ladovsky for the station, while he is certainly credited with the south vestibule pavilion.
The name Red Gate comes from the square where a triumphal arch once stood. From 1962 to 25 August 1986 the station was named Lermontovskaya after the poet Mikhail Lermontov, and the original name was then restored. In 1952 the first turnstile of the Moscow Metro system was installed at this station.
The north vestibule, built into the high-rise on the square by Alexey Dushkin and Boris Mezentsev, opened on 31 July 1954. In 1994 the south vestibule was closed for the replacement of old escalators, and a metal canopy was added over the slope, and in 2011 it was closed again briefly for repairs. The station’s design won the Grand Prix at the Paris World Exhibition of 1938, according to one source. Dates and details should be checked against the Metro operator’s official sources, and this history is shorter than requested because few facts could be verified; sources differ on the architects and the depth.
Tickets and Booking for Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
Fares. The fare is the same for any length of ride and any number of transfers within the central zone, and sources give the price of one trip at a budget price level (₽) depending on the payment method, with a prepaid Troika card cheaper than a single ticket; because prices change, check the current tariff on the operator’s site mosmetro.ru. Troika cards and tickets can be bought at ticket offices and ticket machines in Metro vestibules, and one guide notes that the machines may take only cash.
Payment. Contactless bank cards and smartphone payment are accepted at turnstiles, but some foreign cards may not work, and your country’s sanctions rules may restrict some payment services, so check this yourself; a Troika card topped up with rubles is the most reliable option. Rush hours are the weekday mornings and evenings, when the hall is busy.
Plan and Book
How to Get to Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
The station is on Red Gate Square at the Garden Ring, on the red Line 1 between Chistye Prudy and Komsomolskaya. The south exit comes out in the shell-like pavilion and the north exit in the high-rise.
- By Metro: ride Line 1 to Krasnye Vorota; Komsomolskaya is the next station for the three railway terminals.
- On foot: Chistye Prudy and Myasnitskaya are a short walk from the square, and Turgenevskaya is nearby on the Boulevard Ring.
- By taxi: ask for Red Gate Square (Krasnye Vorota).
Accessibility
The station has escalators between the platform and both vestibules; lifts and step-free routes at this station were not verified, so check mosmetro.ru or ask Metro staff before you travel.
Food Nearby
Myasnitskaya, Chistye Prudy and the streets around Red Gate Square have many cafes and restaurants; the exact venues were not verified. See the Moscow Food Tour: Russian Cuisine and Local Specialties itinerary.
What to Bring
Bring a charged phone with a map, cash in rubles for a ticket or a Troika card, and comfortable shoes.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
The platform hall along the lamps
A long perspective of red pylons and white globe lamps.
Best time: Mid-morning, outside rush hour.
The south pavilion on Red Gate Square
The shell-like portal of concentric half-circles from outside.
Best time: Overcast days or dusk.
The checkerboard floor
The gray and black granite pattern under the lights.
Best time: Off-peak hours.
The high-rise on the square
The Stalinist tower housing the north vestibule.
Best time: Golden hour.
Photography Rules
Photography in the Metro is generally allowed for personal use without flash, but tripods and professional filming may need permission; do not block passengers or take photographs of staff.
Family Suitability
Suitable for families as part of a Metro ride, but the station is busy at rush hour and has long escalators; hold children's hands and keep strollers away from the platform edge. Lifts were not verified.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Exit by the south pavilion to see Ladovsky's shell-like portal from outside.
- Ride one stop to Chistye Prudy to see another of the first ten stations.
- Visit between the rush hours for time to look at the lamps.
- Note that the station was named Lermontovskaya from 1962 to 1986.
- Look at the Red Gate high-rise, one of the Stalinist towers, after leaving by the north exit.
- Combine the station with Turgenevskaya and the Boulevard Ring walk.
Explore Nearby Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
Sights near Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
Bauman Garden Moscowabout 650 m away (~10 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Transport Museumabout 1.2 km away (~19 min walk) · typical visit: About 2 to 3 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Apothecary Garden Moscowabout 1.4 km away (~23 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
Turgenevskaya Metro Stationabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Krasnoselskaya Metro Stationabout 1.7 km away (~28 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Chistye Prudy Metro Stationabout 700 m away (~12 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Train stations and river piers near Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
Kazansky Railway Terminalabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Leningradsky Railway Terminalabout 950 m away (~15 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Yaroslavsky Railway Terminalabout 1.0 km away (~17 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
Ollucoabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
+39 Trattoria & Pizzeriaabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
Hilton Moscow Leningradskayaabout 600 m away (~9 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Philadelphia Hotel Moscowabout 850 m away (~14 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Jackpot Energy Hotelabout 1000 m away (~16 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Myasnitskaya: Moscow’s Butchers‘ Street, Tea House and Post OfficeMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Chistye Prudy: Clean Pond, Boulevard and Menshikov TowerMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Chistye Prudy, Myasnitskaya and Sretenka Walking Itinerary: RouteMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Metro Tour: Most Beautiful Stations Itinerary: 5 StationsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Insider Bar: Sretenka’s Cocktail Lab, Hours and Entry TipsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: More in Krasnoselsky · All Metro Stations · All Other Hubs
FAQ: Krasnye Vorota Metro Station
When did the station open?
On 15 May 1935, among the first ten stations.
Who designed it?
Ivan Fomin and Nikolai Andrikanis; Nikolai Ladovsky designed the south pavilion.
What does the name mean?
Red Gate, after a triumphal arch that once stood on the square.
What are the pylons made of?
They are faced with dark red marble.
How deep is it?
About 31 meters, according to one source; others differ.
Was it renamed?
Yes, it was Lermontovskaya from 1962 to 1986.
Is it busy?
Yes at weekday rush hours; calmer at other times.
Can I pay with a foreign card?
Some foreign cards may not work, so carry cash in rubles; see the fares section for sanctions rules.
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Last updated: October 9, 2026.
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