New Year in Moscow: Red Square, Kremlin Chimes and Holidays

New Year in Moscow is the biggest holiday of the Russian year, bigger than Christmas, and the city dresses for it for weeks: lights on Tverskaya Street, fairs on the squares beside the Kremlin, rinks and a main tree inside the Kremlin on Cathedral Square. The key moment is the Kremlin clock on the Spasskaya Tower striking midnight on 31 December, with toasts and the president’s address broadcast before it.

The official holidays have run from 1 to 8 January since 2013, with Orthodox Christmas on 7 January, so museums, shops and transport keep a holiday rhythm for more than a week. Access to Red Square on New Year’s night has been restricted in recent years, so plan where you will be at midnight. The festive mood continues until the Old New Year in mid-January.

Quick Facts

Russian name	Новый год в Москве
Type	Holiday / observance
When	Every year, with the main night from 31 December to 1 January, public holidays from 1 to 8 January and festive decorations from late autumn into January.
Next occurrence	January 1 (same date every year)
Typical duration	The official holidays run from 1 to 8 January; the festive season in the city is longer, from late autumn to the middle of January.
Public holiday	Yes, a non-working day in Russia
Address	Central Moscow: Red Square, Manezhnaya Square, Revolution Square, Tverskaya Street and the Kremlin OpenStreetMap · Google Maps
District	Tverskoy
Metro	Okhotny Ryad (Sokolnicheskaya Line (Line 1, red), Opens near Manezhnaya Square and the Red Square approach; the walking time was not verified) Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line (Line 3, dark blue), Leads to Revolution Square, where a New Year fair is described; the walking time was not verified) Aleksandrovsky Sad (Filyovskaya Line (Line 4, light blue), Next to the Kremlin wall and Manezhnaya Square; the walking time was not verified)
Admission	Walking the decorated streets is free. Rinks, fairs with paid attractions, concerts and Kremlin museums set their own prices, and access to Red Square on New Year's night has been restricted in recent years, as explained in the booking section.
Best time to visit	The decorations are up from late autumn to mid-January, and the quietest times to see them are on weekday afternoons in December. The night of 31 December is the most crowded, and 1 January is quiet in the morning. Orthodox Christmas on 7 January and the Old New Year on 13 to 14 January have their own, smaller events.
Last updated	October 7, 2026

Dates, programs and prices change from year to year. Always check the official website for the current edition.

Why Visit New Year in Moscow?

Moscow in the holidays is at its most photogenic and most local: snow on the Kremlin walls, illuminated streets, fairs, rinks and fireworks in the districts, with families and friends out on the central squares. It is also one of the few times when the whole country celebrates the same night, with the Kremlin chimes as the shared signal.

It is a good time for visitors who accept cold weather and crowds, since the center is lit, transport has run free through the night in recent years and the long holidays give a lively atmosphere. Practical rules, especially for Red Square, change from year to year, so check the official city sources before you travel.

How New Year in Moscow Is Celebrated

New Year’s Eve is mostly a family evening: a long table, the traditional salad Olivier, champagne, a toast during the president’s address a few minutes before midnight, and then the Kremlin chimes. After midnight people go out to squares and courtyards, light sparklers and watch fireworks, which are usually held in all districts of the city.

In central Moscow the decoration of streets and squares, the fairs with food and crafts, and the rinks draw visitors for weeks. The main tree of the country stands inside the Kremlin on Cathedral Square, and the Kremlin’s Grand Palace hosts the large New Year party for children. The holidays include Orthodox Christmas on 7 January, with church services on the night before, and the Old New Year on 13 to 14 January, which is celebrated more quietly.

Highlights of New Year in Moscow

The Kremlin chimes at midnight

The clock on the Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin strikes midnight on 31 December, and it is broadcast on television and radio, with the national anthem and the president's address before it. Toasts and wishes follow, and many Russians start the new year at this moment. People near Red Square can hear the chimes clearly.

Tip: If Red Square is closed, choose a nearby square such as Revolution Square, from which the chimes may be audible.

The main tree inside the Kremlin

The country's main New Year tree stands inside the Kremlin on Cathedral Square, and a real fir was first placed there on the order of Boris Yeltsin in 1996. The tree is put up in the late autumn and stays until the middle of January, according to a guide, and it can be seen when visiting the Kremlin museums.

Tip: Plan a Kremlin visit rather than looking for the tree on Red Square, where an artificial tree stands.

Manezhnaya Square and Tverskaya Street

The squares beside the Kremlin and Tverskaya Street are decorated with lights and installations, and a large tree has stood on Manezhnaya Square in some years. Fairs are set up at Revolution Square, Manezhnaya Square and near the entrance to Red Square. The programs change each year, so check the city's official sources.

Tip: Walk the area in the early evening, before the late crowds arrive.

Red Square and the GUM rink

Red Square has a winter fair, and the ice rink at GUM works in the season. Red Square is open in the daytime in the holidays, one source gives 10:00 to 23:00 from 2 to 11 January, but on New Year's night it has been closed to free entry from the evening to the morning in recent years. The rink and fair have their own prices.

Tip: See the ice skating guide on this site for rinks and tips.

New Year fireworks

The tradition of fireworks on holidays goes back to the reign of Peter the Great, and the New Year salute is held in most districts of Moscow, often after midnight. Hundreds of thousands of people watch the pyrotechnic show, according to a language-school blog. Locations and times change each year.

Tip: Choose a viewpoint in your own district, since the center is crowded.

Orthodox Christmas night

Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on 7 January, and the night before, from 6 to 7 January, church services take place across the city. In recent years the metro has worked until 02:00 on that night and surface transport until 03:00, with about 15 night routes for those attending services, according to a city news source. Check the current arrangements.

Tip: Dress modestly and be quiet if you enter a church during a service.

What It Means for Your Visit

The official holidays from 1 to 8 January are non-working days, so offices, banks and many shops close for some of the time, while museums, restaurants and entertainment venues often stay open with changed hours. Check each venue’s own site, since hours around 31 December, 1 January and 7 January vary.

The center is very crowded in the evenings, and traffic around Manezhnaya Square and Red Square is restricted. Access to Red Square on New Year’s night has been limited in recent years, in some years from 18:00 on 31 December until the morning of 1 January. Public transport has run free through the night in recent years, and the metro has had extended hours on Orthodox Christmas night. Book hotels, restaurants and tickets for events well in advance, and check the official city sources for the current rules.

Atmosphere

Moscow in the New Year season is lit from late afternoon: strings of lights over streets, glowing trees, the red walls of the Kremlin under snow and the domes of St. Basil’s in floodlight. The sounds are crowds, music from fairs, skates on ice and, on the night itself, fireworks and cheers at midnight.

By day families walk the decorated streets and queue for rinks and fairs, and in the evening groups of friends gather on the squares. The cold is real, usually below freezing, and the central streets are crowded. The mood turns quiet in the early hours of 1 January, when many people go home to sleep.

History of New Year in Moscow

The tradition of New Year fireworks goes back to the reign of Peter the Great. Celebrations in the old days lasted seven days, according to a TASS history of the holiday.

In the Soviet Union Christmas was rejected, so New Year’s Eve became the main traditional festival, with a decorated tree, champagne and Olivier salad as its symbols. The official dates have changed many times: 1 January was declared a non-working day in 1948, and Orthodox Christmas on 7 January became a non-working day in 1990. In 1992 amendments to the labor code made 2 January a non-working day too, and in 2004 the holidays were fixed from 1 to 5 January with 7 January as a day off, though in practice 6 January was also free.

Since 2013 the official New Year holidays have run from 1 to 8 January. Of these eight days, the holidays fall on 1 to 6 and 8 January, and Orthodox Christmas is on 7 January. Weekend days that coincide with the holidays can be moved to other dates by decision of the government, and regional authorities may add non-working days, such as 31 December, for employees of their institutions.

A real fir tree was placed on Cathedral Square inside the Kremlin on the order of President Boris Yeltsin in 1996, and the so-called presidential New Year party is held at the Grand Kremlin Palace. On New Year’s Eve the president gives an address, and television and radio broadcast the clock of the Spasskaya Tower and the national anthem. Russia also marks the Old New Year on 14 January, according to the Julian calendar.

Tickets and Booking for New Year in Moscow

Most of New Year in Moscow is free to enjoy: the decorated streets, the squares and the fireworks need no ticket. Rinks, concerts, fairs with paid attractions and Kremlin museums sell their own tickets, usually online on the venue’s own site, and popular dates fill up in advance. Details change every year, so no prices or program are given here.

• Red Square on New Year’s night: in recent years access was restricted from the evening of 31 December until the morning of 1 January, and some reports mention ticketed entry in certain years; check the current rules before you plan to be there.
• Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict some Russian payment services, so check this yourself.

Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ at most venues, so check the official city portal, mos.ru, and each organizer’s own page for the current edition.

How to Get to New Year in Moscow

The center is reached by metro: Okhotny Ryad (Line 1) for Manezhnaya Square and Red Square, Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Line 3) for Revolution Square and Aleksandrovsky Sad (Line 4) beside the Kremlin wall. The walking times were not verified.

• Metro and buses: in recent years public transport has run free of charge through New Year’s night, from 20:00 on 31 December to 06:00 on 1 January, according to a city news source; check the current arrangement, and see the metro guides on this site.
• Taxi: the streets around the Kremlin are closed in the evening, so taxis are slow; the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options.

Accessibility

No accessibility information was found for the events as a whole. Central squares are paved and mostly level, as far as is known, but crowds, closures and security zones around the Kremlin can make movement difficult, so allow extra time and check the access for each event.

Food Nearby

Cafes, restaurants and fair stalls with hot drinks and snacks are around the central squares and on Tverskaya Street. No individual venue was verified for this guide, and restaurants fill up on 31 December, so check opening hours and book ahead.

What to Bring

Very warm clothing, a hat, gloves* and shoes with grip for ice and snow, and a power bank* for the phone in the cold. Bring rubles in cash for fairs, since foreign cards are reported not to work.

Best Views and Photo Spots of New Year in Moscow

Manezhnaya Square with the Kremlin wall

Illuminated trees and installations with the red Kremlin wall and towers behind. The lights and the wall make a strong evening frame.

Best time: Early evening, before the late crowds.

Tverskaya Street and Pushkin Square

Strings of lights above the street and the decorated area around the Pushkin monument. The long perspective of lights is the point.

Best time: After dark.

Revolution Square and the approach to Red Square

The fair stalls and lights with the entrance to Red Square beyond. It shows the festive crowd in one frame.

Best time: Dusk.

The Kremlin's main tree on Cathedral Square

The tall tree among the cathedrals inside the Kremlin, seen on a museum visit. The golden domes behind it give a rare frame.

Best time: Daytime visit.

Photography Rules

No general photography rules for the festive areas were found. Security zones around the Kremlin and Red Square can restrict photography and the use of tripods*, and drone rules in Moscow are strict and were not checked, so follow signs and instructions from officers.

Family Suitability

The decorated streets, rinks and fairs suit families, and children often enjoy the lights and the Kremlin's tree. The cold and the crowds are the main limits, and the night of 31 December is not suited to small children in the center. Stroller access on the busy squares and at fairs is difficult.

Moscow Vibes Tips

• Plan your midnight location in advance, since Red Square has been closed to free entry on New Year's night in recent years.
• Look for the real tree inside the Kremlin, not on Red Square; it can be seen on a Kremlin museum visit.
• Visit the central squares in the early evening, when the lights are on and the crowd is thinner.
• Do not rely on taxis in the center in the evening of 31 December; use the metro, which has run free all night in recent years.
• Book restaurants and rinks well ahead for the period from 31 December to 8 January.
• Come on 6 to 7 January for church services and quieter streets, or on 13 to 14 January for the Old New Year.

Explore Nearby New Year in Moscow

Sights near New Year in Moscow

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  Red Square Moscow – about 50 m away (~1 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hours for the square, 3–5 hours with St Basil's and one museum
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  Zaryadye Park Moscowabout 550 m away (~9 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hours; 3 hours with the pavilions
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  Lenin’s Mausoleum Moscow – about 50 m away (~1 min walk) · typical visit: 30–60 minutes including the queue; a few minutes inside
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  GUM Moscowabout 100 m away (~2 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hours
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  St. Basil’s Cathedral Moscowabout 200 m away (~3 min walk) · typical visit: 45–90 minutes inside
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  State Historical Museum Moscowabout 250 m away (~4 min walk) · typical visit: 2.5–4 hours

Metro stations near New Year in Moscow

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  Ploshchad Revolyutsii Metro Stationabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)
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  Okhotny Ryad Metro Stationabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)
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  Teatralnaya Metro Stationabout 550 m away (~9 min walk)

Restaurants and cafes near New Year in Moscow

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  Stolovaya 57about 100 m away (~2 min walk)
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  Varenichnaya No. 1about 300 m away (~5 min walk)
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  Kappo Hiroki Arakawaabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)
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  SAVVAabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)

Nightlife near New Year in Moscow

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  Papa's Barabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)
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  Kadril Karaoke Clubabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)

Hotels near New Year in Moscow

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  Four Seasons Hotel Moscowabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)
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  Hotel Metropol Moscowabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)
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  Hotel National Moscowabout 550 m away (~9 min walk)

Events and traditions near New Year in Moscow

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  Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festivalabout 50 m away (~1 min walk)
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  National Unity Day in Moscowabout 50 m away (~1 min walk)
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  Russia Day in Moscowabout 50 m away (~1 min walk)

Related guides

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  Tverskoy: Tverskaya Street, Bolshoi Theatre and Pushkin Square
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  Kitay-Gorod: Walls, Varvarka Street and What to See
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  Fasol: Franchise Convenience Stores in Moscow, Hours and Payment
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  Ruki Vverh! Bar – Tverskaya: 90s Karaoke Club on Tverskaya Street
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  Molodezh Nightclub: 24-Hour Bar and Club by Mendeleyevskaya

Browse more: More in Tverskoy · All Entertainment · All Events & Holidays

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FAQ: New Year in Moscow

When is New Year in Moscow?

On the night of 31 December to 1 January, with public holidays from 1 to 8 January.

Is Red Square open on New Year's Eve?

In recent years it was closed to free entry from the evening to the morning; check the current rules.

Where is the main New Year tree?

Inside the Kremlin on Cathedral Square.

Is public transport free?

It has been free through New Year's night in recent years; check the current arrangement.

Are shops and museums closed?

Many offices close from 1 to 8 January, while museums and venues often have changed hours.

When is Orthodox Christmas?

On 7 January, a non-working day.

What is the Old New Year?

A smaller celebration on 13 to 14 January, by the Julian calendar.

Is it free to enjoy?

The streets and fireworks are free; rinks, concerts and museums charge their own prices.

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