Author: Polina D

Maksim Liksutov said that next year updated equipment for passage will be installed at 25 metro stations.

Main advantages:

• The new turnstiles were designed and manufactured in Moscow.
• The readers were placed intuitively so that the trip can be paid for almost instantly.
• All turnstiles are connected to biometric payment, and face recognition cameras are organically integrated into the design.
• Color lighting will show whether the fare payment was successful, and vibration feedback will help visually impaired passengers better understand the transaction status.

“According to the task set by Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, by the end of 2031, more than 4,500 new generation turnstiles will be installed at metro, MCC, and MCD stations. The ergonomic design will allow for the most efficient use of vestibule space. The updated equipment will increase station throughput by 40%. Thanks to Russian microelectronics, the new turnstiles will operate even faster. This will increase the speed of passenger passage,” added Maksim Liksutov.

Earlier, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced that the city’s metro system would continue its large-scale rolling stock renewal. The first Moskva-2026 train is set to be assembled by the end of this year and will then enter testing on Moscow Metro infrastructure.

The new trains will retain the key advantages of the Moskva-2024 model, including:

• Wide doors and inter-carriage walkways.
• Modern climate control systems.
• Adaptive lighting and a large number of screens.
• USB and Type-C charging ports.
• Cabin lighting that matches the line’s color scheme, and more.

In the Moskva-2026, some interior plastic elements, glass on the handrails of the entrance area, the rearview camera housing, and the futuristic lighting of the train’s front section will be updated.

“Moscow Metro is the city’s main transport operator. On weekdays, it serves over 8 million passengers. Ensuring passenger comfort and safety is our top priority. Following the directive of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, we continue to renew the metro’s rolling stock. Currently, 79% of the fleet consists of new trains. We expect this figure to reach 90% by 2030. Additionally, by the end of 2026, we plan to fully renew the train fleet on the Line 3. To achieve this, more than 350 modern Moskva-2026 cars will be delivered to the metro next year, with over 700 new cars introduced over two years,” said Maksim Liksutov.

All modes of urban transportation are being developed in the capital, and they are fully integrated. Total spending on developing Moscow’s transportation system in 2026 will amount to approximately 1.3 trillion rubles.

Over the next three years, 26.9 km of metro lines, 13 stations, and one depot are planned to be commissioned. The new Rublevo-Arkhangelskaya Line will be added, the first section of the Biryulevskaya Line, and Golyanovo station on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line will be opened. Construction will also continue on the southern section of the Troitskaya Line, as well as the Yuzhny Port station on the Lyublinsko-Dmitrovskaya Line and Dostoyevskaya station on the Circle Line.

Rail transport will become more comfortable and accessible for Muscovites, residents of the Moscow Region, and residents of central Russia. As part of a large-scale development program for the Central Transport Hub, new routes will be added by 2030, and train intervals will be significantly reduced.

The Moscow government is actively involved in the country’s largest transport project—the construction of the Moscow-St. Petersburg high-speed highway.

Additional electric buses, buses, trams, new-generation metro cars, and trains will be purchased for the Central Transport Hub’s commuter rail routes, as well as electric scooters for city rental.

Driverless technologies are rapidly developing in transport. By the end of next year, 15 driverless trams will be operating in the city, and the first driverless metro train will be launched. By the end of 2030, two-thirds of the tram fleet is planned to be driverless.

In 2026, the fourth route of the capital’s river tram, “Kyiv – Luzhniki,” will be launched.

According to Maksim Liksutov, passengers have used the service more than 177 million times since its launch. And this figure is constantly growing.

Currently, biometric payment is available at turnstiles on the metro, the Moscow Central Circle (MCC), regular river routes, the Aeroexpress, and some MCD stations. Around 600.000 users are registered, making over 170.000 passes every working day.

The system offers a favorable rate of 63 rubles. As part of a promotion, the cost is only 53 rubles until November 30th. Maksim Liksutov announced that a promotion has been launched on Moscow transport since October 1st, in partnership with VTB Bank. Passengers will receive a 10-ruble refund to their accounts when paying for travel on the metro, the MCC, MCD*, and regular river electric transport using biometrics.

“At the direction of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, we launched biometric payment on public transport in 2021. Since then, the service has earned the trust and popularity of Muscovites. Nowhere else in the world is it available with such convenience and scale as in the Russian capital. In the last year alone, the number of registered users has increased by 1.5 times. Thanks to biometrics, Muscovites don’t need cards, phones, or paper tickets to enter – a glance at the camera on the turnstile is enough,” added Maksim Liksutov.

Since its launch, the Big Circle Line (BCL) has become the longest circular metro line in the world and has transformed the commute for residents and visitors alike:

🔹 Dozens of new routes and transfers allow travelers to save up to 45 minutes per day.

🔹 The entire metro has become more accessible. For example, the Circle Line has been reduced by up to 25%.

🔹 Many districts of the capital now have their first metro service.

“The BCL has already made history in global metro construction. The line, built under the leadership of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, has long been one of the most popular metro systems, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. More than 1.5 million trips are made on a weekday. The line is ready to continue to accommodate new passengers: the BCL has built up capacity for decades to come,” said Maksim Liksutov.