Enjoying the Metro

Last year, we found there were fewer people riding the metro the first week in January, so it was a good time to take pictures of the various stations. This year, the Masons joined us on January 2 for another photo session on the metro. First, we took the blue line north clear to the end, and next we got on the brown line and stopped to take pictures at each of the stations on the south part of the circle.

Here is a sampling of what we enjoyed seeing in the metro stations that evening:

The Moscow Metro is the second most heavily used rapid-transit system. It was opened in 1935. Many of the stations have unique ornate designs.

This one and the next three are photos
of designs created with tiny mosaic pieces.

The Moscow Metro is an amazing system. There are 12 lines and 285 stations (route length is over 200 miles). There are over 9 million passengers using the metro on a normal week day.

This photo and the next one were taken at the
station called "Park Pobedi" when transliterated.

Many of the stations have statues or mosaics with a World War II theme, or "Great Patriotic War," as the Russians refer to that war. Here is an example of a mosaic in honor of the victory:

1945 - Celebrating the victory.


"Slavyanckee Bulvar"
(Narene & Sam)

This is a new metro that is not yet shown on the posted metro maps and is very clean and shiny. It is one of our favorites. It reminds me of a garden with the green trellises.

Clark & Renee Mason,
our metro traveling companions on this day.

Another view of the "Slavyanckee Bulvar" station.
(Narene, Renee & Clark - Sam took the picture)

There have been numerous times that we have had to stand on the metro since all the seats are taken; and many times during rush time the space appears to be filled to capacity, but when the doors open at the next stop, more people rush in. However, on the day after New Year's, we were amazed to find ourselves the only passengers when we got on this train. This was a first and only time this has happened for us.

This is one of the newer trains with padded seats.
Clark took advantage of having the whole car
to ourselves when we got on at
"Slavyanckee Bulvar" during what would
be rush hour on most days.


Even the platforms were almost empty at the
various stops along the route. The next
two photos were taken at this station.

Each graphic inset had a different scene
framed with attractive marble.

Trains run about every 90 seconds on most lines during peak hours. At other times during the day, they run every 2 to 3 1/2 minutes. Late at night, they run every 6 to 10 minutes.

Another mosaic - Mother and Child


Interesting lighting and hammer & cycle motif.

On January 16, we went with Anna, our interpreter, to see about doing a humanitarian project with an institution for deaf children. We met Anna at the "Slavyanckee Bulvar" stop, so we took another picture here with Anna.

Anna and Sister Ireland at the
"Slavyanckee Bulvar" station.


Here we are with a view of the oncoming train.

When we first arrived in Moscow, we had difficulty understanding the names of the stations when they announced the next stop. Now this is not usually a problem, especially on lines where we have traveled before. When a man's voice announces the station, that indicates clockwise travel on the circle line or travel toward the center of Moscow on the radial lines. A woman's voice announcing indicates the reverse direction. Each line has a name, a number, and a color; and the metro map is displayed in each car. Where we work and live is on the Sokol line, which is #2, and is on the green line. Nearly every where we go, we either walk or ride the metro.

A 60-ride metro pass was 580 rubles (about $20 depending on the exchange rate) until after the first of the year. It is now 865 rubles.