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As part of Moscow’s Transport Complex Development Program, the rolling stock on the Moscow Central Diameters (MCD) has been fully updated. A total of 4.5 thousand modern carriages have been procured, including the Ivolga and EP2D models. Noise levels inside the trains have been reduced by 35%, and the average age of the rolling stock has decreased fivefold—from 23 to 4.5 years. As a result, the MCD now operates the youngest fleet of suburban trains in Europe.

The impact of this upgrade has been immediate: Muscovites and residents of the Moscow region are increasingly choosing the MCD for their daily commutes. Currently, the system handles around 1.6 million trips per day.

The delivery of new trains for the Central Transport Hub has played a pivotal role in advancing and modernizing Russia’s domestic transport engineering industry.

Next Steps The next phase will focus on updating the rolling stock on the Yaroslavl and Paveletsk directions. In June 2025, deliveries of new trains began on the Yaroslavl line, where four Ivolga 4.0 trains are now in operation. By 2030, a total of 92 trains will be renewed, increasing passenger capacity and comfort on one of the busiest routes.

Additionally, by 2035, approximately 100 new trains are planned for routes connecting Moscow with the Vladimir, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Tula, and other neighboring regions. This initiative will set new standards for passenger comfort across the entire Central Transport Hub, which accounts for nearly 75% of all suburban rail travel in Russia.

“The MCD is one of the most popular and in-demand modes of transport among passengers. Muscovites and residents of the region choose it for its comfort, speed, and seamless transfers to other transport systems. Following the directive of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, we have completed the rolling stock update on the MCD. Outdated trains have been replaced with modern carriages equipped with climate control, air disinfection systems, clear passenger information displays, media screens, ergonomic seating, and modern charging ports for devices,” added Maksim Liksutov.

A festive procession of vintage trams and cars from different eras traveled from Novokuznetskaya metro station to Chistoprudny Boulevard, where a large exhibition of historic vehicles was set up for Muscovites and visitors.

Guests had the opportunity to admire 15 retro trams and dozens of unique cars, many of which became iconic symbols of their time.

The event also featured a rich cultural and entertainment program, including:

• A field kitchen offering free treats, including 20,000 servings of ice cream;
• Special photo zones;
• Performances by artists from the “Music in the Metro” project, the Academic Choir of the Moscow Metro, and a special guest, Denis Maidanov.

“The Parade of Historic Trams and Cars has now taken place for the 20th time. Once again, we’ve seen tremendous interest in retro transport among residents and visitors of the capital. Following the instructions of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, we carefully preserve the history of the city’s tram system and actively work to develop this beloved mode of transport for Muscovites,” noted Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport Maksim Liksutov.

Maksim Liksutov reported that the most convenient payment service is now operational on 729 more turnstiles. Previously, biometric payment worked on 2–3 turnstiles at each station.

How does biometric fare payment work?

🔹 You need to register once in the Moscow Metro app, take a photo, and link a bank card.

🔹 The neural network converts the photo into a unique biometric key — a set of encrypted characters. The original image cannot be restored.

🔹 Approach a turnstile with a black sticker and look into the camera. It will “find” your face in the frame and generate a biometric key.

🔹 Then the neural network will compare it with the key in the database within 1 second. If they match, the gates will open.

🔹 The fare will be deducted from the linked bank card. It costs only 63 rubles.

“Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin instructed to connect all metro turnstiles to biometric payment by the end of 2025. The service is already operational on all payment equipment for access on 13 lines. The total number of turnstiles where face recognition payment is available in the metro has exceeded 3,000. In 2026, we will connect the turnstiles of all MCD stations to the system to keep fare payment just as convenient and safe,” noted Maksim Liksutov.

It will carry passengers in the northwest of the city on route No. 10 “Shchukinskaya Metro Station – Kulakova Street” and will follow the established schedule.

This is a very significant technological milestone. Now, unmanned technologies are beginning to be introduced in the capital’s transport system.

The software for the unmanned tram was created by employees of the Moscow Metro without the involvement of third-party companies. The smart technology, developed by the city, is unique. It works more accurately and stably than foreign counterparts. It has already been recognized with prestigious international awards.

The unmanned tram has traveled more than 8,000 km in test mode without violating traffic rules once.

It is equipped with a sensor system, a high-precision route map, and systems for localization, computer vision, movement planning, and wheel slip prevention.

As a result, the tram stops where it needs to, opens and closes doors, follows traffic light signals, yields to pedestrians, independently determines how to cross an intersection, switches points, and adheres to the schedule.

An employee of the tram management is currently in the cabin or salon only for observation, as required by federal law, and does not interfere in the process.

Further plans:

• To equip three more trams with unmanned technologies by the end of the year.
• To equip more than 300 by 2030, which is about 2/3 of the capital’s fleet.
• It is expected that by 2035, about 90% of Moscow’s trams will operate on unmanned technologies.

In December, to begin the first phase of pilot operation of the first unmanned metro train in Russia on the Big Circle Line (BCL). The control system will be tested on a modern “Moskva” series train at night without passengers.

At each display of the exhibition, passengers can find lists of Kuprin’s books—over 30 works recommended for reading.

The exhibition can be seen until September 16 in the transfer passage between the Savëlovskaya stations on the Line 9 and the Big Circle Line.

This exhibition was previously showcased on June 4 at the 11th Red Square Book Festival. In September, it will open in Balaklava as part of the Kuprin Readings. After that, the exhibition will travel to Paris for the “Russian Literature” book fair.

“Since the beginning of the year, 39 themed exhibitions have already been held in the metro and on the Moscow Central Circle (MCC). Passengers can visit them and learn something new without even stepping outside. Following the directive of Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, we are making trips on public transport not only comfortable and safe but also interesting,” said Maksim Liksutov.