Teatralnaya Metro Station is on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line, Line 2 of the Moscow Metro, named after Teatralnaya Square and the Bolshoi Theatre nearby. It opened on 11 September 1938 as Ploshchad Sverdlova and received its present name in 1990.
The station is a pylon station at a depth of about 34 meters, designed by the architect Ivan Fomin, and it is a hub: its north escalator leads to Okhotny Ryad and the south escalator to Ploshchad Revolyutsii. This guide explains what the hall looks like, where to find the porcelain medallions, how the transfers work, what to know about fares and payment, how crowds vary through the day, and what to see above ground within a few minutes’ walk.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Театральная |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1938 |
| Architect(s) | Ivan Fomin |
| Address | Teatralnaya Square, Moscow OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Tverskoy |
| Interchanges | Teatralnaya (Line 2, green, the station itself, with the north exit shared with Okhotny Ryad and the south exit leading to Ploshchad Revolyutsii) Okhotny Ryad (Line 1, red, an interchange by the north escalator through a shared underground hall) Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Line 3, dark blue, an interchange by the south escalator) |
| 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 late evening are the calmest, while the weekday rush hours fill the halls and escalators. The station can be visited in any season since it is underground. |
| Last updated | October 9, 2026 |
Why Visit Teatralnaya Metro Station?
The station sits in the very center of Moscow, a few minutes from Red Square and the Bolshoi Theatre, and works as a gateway to three lines. It is a good example of the pylon halls of the 1930s, with round columns of broken ribs on the pylon edges and round porcelain medallions along the base of the main vault.
The medallions, called Folk Music and Dance, were made at the Leningrad Porcelain Factory after drawings by the painter Natalia Danko, according to one source. Because the station links with Okhotny Ryad and Ploshchad Revolyutsii, a visitor can see several famous halls in one short trip. The station is free to enter with a fare.
How Teatralnaya Metro Station Is Laid Out
The station has a pylon layout, with a central hall and two side halls, at a depth of 33.9 meters, according to one source. Its two escalators go in opposite directions: the north escalator leads to Okhotny Ryad on Line 1 and the south escalator to Ploshchad Revolyutsii on Line 3.
The north exit ends in an underground entrance hall that is shared with Okhotny Ryad. Passengers can transfer from Ploshchad Revolyutsii to Okhotny Ryad only through Teatralnaya, since there is no direct link between them, according to a guide. Follow the signs for the line you need, and check the station map in the hall.
Highlights of Teatralnaya Metro Station
The porcelain medallions
Round porcelain medallions run along the base of the main vault, themed on folk music and dance, made at the Leningrad Porcelain Factory after drawings by the painter Natalia Danko. Look up at the base of the vault in the central hall. Check the light, since the medallions are small.
Tip: Stand in the middle of the central hall and look along the vault.
The pylons and broken-rib columns
The pylon edges are decorated with round columns of broken ribs, a feature of this station's design by Ivan Fomin. Look at the pylons and the openings between them. Check the view along the platform.
Tip: Look at the pylons from the platform edge, behind the yellow line.
The shared hall with Okhotny Ryad
The north exit ends in an underground entrance hall shared with Okhotny Ryad, which is the way to Line 1. Look for the signs for the transfer. Check how crowded the hall is at rush hour.
Tip: Follow the line signs rather than the crowd.
The link to Ploshchad Revolyutsii
The south escalator leads to Ploshchad Revolyutsii on Line 3, known for its bronze statues. See the walk between the halls. Check that you leave enough time for the transfer.
Tip: Combine the two halls into one short visit.
The renaming of the station
The station opened as Ploshchad Sverdlova in 1938 and was renamed Teatralnaya on 5 November 1990 when the square received its old name. Look at the station signs. Check the history on the Metro operator's pages.
Tip: Note the older name if you read older maps.
The Bolshoi Theatre above
Teatralnaya Square above the station holds the Bolshoi Theatre and other theaters, and the station is named after the square. Look at the square after leaving the station. Check the Maly Theatre Moscow guide for another theater nearby.
Tip: Plan the exit to the square rather than the underground hall.
Atmosphere
The hall is bright and echoing, with warm marble, rows of pylons and a constant stream of passengers moving between the escalators. The sounds are trains, announcements and footsteps, and the air has the dry draft of a deep station.
Commuters, theatergoers and tourists share the platforms, and the hall is busiest during the morning and evening rush hours. Mid-morning and late evening are calmer. It is a working station, so keep moving and stay behind the yellow line.
History of Teatralnaya Metro Station
The station opened on 11 September 1938 as Ploshchad Sverdlova, as part of the second stage of construction of the Moscow Metro, and was originally the end of the first section of the Zamoskvoretskaya Line from Sokol. Its architect was Ivan Fomin. It is located at a depth of 33.9 meters.
From its opening until 1990 the station was named after the Bolshevik Yakov Sverdlov, whose name the square carried. In 1990 the city renamed the square Teatralnaya Ploshchad, and the station received the name Teatralnaya on 5 November 1990. The station connects with Okhotny Ryad on the Sokolnicheskaya Line and Ploshchad Revolyutsii on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line.
Among its decoration are round porcelain medallions along the base of the main vault, produced at the Leningrad Porcelain Factory after drawings by Natalia Danko. A database lists the station as a tentative cultural heritage site. 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 credited.
Tickets and Booking for Teatralnaya 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, and the hall is calmer at other times.
Plan and Book
How to Get to Teatralnaya Metro Station
The station is on Teatralnaya Square in the center, on the green Line 2, between Tverskaya and Novokuznetskaya. It is the stop for the Bolshoi Theatre and a 5 to 10 minute walk from Red Square.
- From Line 1: change at Okhotny Ryad, which shares the north exit hall.
- From Line 3: change at Ploshchad Revolyutsii by the south escalator.
- By taxi: ask for Teatralnaya Square and get out near the Bolshoi Theatre.
Accessibility
The station has escalators between the platform and the vestibules; lifts and step-free routes at this station and between the interchange halls were not verified, so check mosmetro.ru or ask Metro staff before you travel.
Food Nearby
Teatralnaya Square, Tverskaya and Kuznetsky Most 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 for the long interchanges.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Teatralnaya Metro Station
The central hall along the vault
The row of pylons and the porcelain medallions along the vault.
Best time: Mid-morning, outside rush hour.
The pylon openings
A view through the arches toward the side halls.
Best time: Late evening.
The escalator to Okhotny Ryad
The long escalator running toward the shared hall.
Best time: Off-peak hours.
Teatralnaya Square above
The Bolshoi Theatre facade after leaving the station.
Best time: Dusk.
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, and drones are irrelevant underground.
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
- Visit between the rush hours for time to look at the medallions.
- Remember that Ploshchad Revolyutsii and Okhotny Ryad connect only through Teatralnaya.
- Combine the station with Ploshchad Revolyutsii and its statues in one trip.
- Use the station as a base for the Bolshoi Theatre and Red Square on foot.
- Keep your ticket or card handy for the exit turnstile.
- Check the Moscow Metro Tour: Most Beautiful Stations Itinerary for more stations.
Explore Nearby Teatralnaya Metro Station
Sights near Teatralnaya Metro Station
Maly Theatre Moscowabout 200 m away (~3 min walk) · typical visit: About 3 hours for a performanceMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Central Children's Store on Lubyanka Moscowabout 450 m away (~7 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Museum of Archaeologyabout 250 m away (~4 min walk) · typical visit: About 45 minutes to 1 hourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Bolshoi Theatre Moscow – about 200 m away (~3 min walk) · typical visit: 3–4 hours for a performance; about 1 hour for a guided tourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812 Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Teatralnaya Metro Station
Okhotny Ryad Metro Stationabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Ploshchad Revolyutsii Metro Stationabout 350 m away (~6 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kuznetsky Most Metro Stationabout 550 m away (~9 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Teatralnaya Metro Station
Kappo Hiroki Arakawaabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
SAVVAabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metropol Restaurantabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Tehnikumabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Teatralnaya Metro Station
Four Seasons Hotel Moscowabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotel Metropol Moscowabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Ararat Park Hotel Moscowabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Teatralnaya Metro Station
Circle of Light Festival in Moscowabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Fish Weekabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Red Square and Moscow Kremlin Walking Itinerary: Route and TimingsMain 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.
Kitay-Gorod: Walls, Varvarka Street and What to SeeMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Alexandrovsky Sad Metro Station: Kremlin Access, Transfers and FactsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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Browse more: More in Tverskoy · All Metro Stations · All Other Hubs
FAQ: Teatralnaya Metro Station
When did the station open?
On 11 September 1938, as Ploshchad Sverdlova.
Who designed it?
The architect Ivan Fomin.
What is special about it?
Porcelain medallions along the vault and the broken-rib columns on the pylons.
Which lines can I change to?
Line 1 via Okhotny Ryad and Line 3 via Ploshchad Revolyutsii.
How deep is it?
About 33.9 meters, according to one source.
Is it near the Bolshoi Theatre?
Yes, the station is named after Teatralnaya Square.
Is it very crowded?
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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