Metro, Moscow

The Moscow metro is apparently twice as busy as the London and New York undergrounds combined. The average number of people using the Moscow metro is 6.6 million, daily. There are 186 stations through which run 12 lines totalling a length of 308.7 km. The Moscow metros are deep and many are linked to secret passages, bunkers etc...

The metro was meant to inspire the people - to show them something grand in response to their sacrifice to the Soviet Union. They were used as propaganda. The finest archetect and engineers were called upon to deliver masterpieces... and they did not fail... marble, bronze, aluminium, brass... materials were lavishly used to create opulent subterraean palaces. It is worth riding the metro if for no other reason than to visit and wonder at the stations.

For practical information on the metro, I have cretaed a transportation tip

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En plena Guerra fría , Stalin decidió construir un Metro que se diferenciara de los de ciudades como Londres y París: el de Moscú tendría los lujos y la sofisticación de los palacios imperiales, pero orientados al disfrute del pueblo , para que pudiera disfrutar el arte cuando iba a trabajar
Además estaba previsto que dentro de las estaciones pudieran cobijarse todos los ciudadanos de Moscú en caso de un ataque y de hecho durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial se utilizaron como refugios antiaéreos , para reuniones políticas e incluso se instalaron posiciones de mando
En las estaciones se pueden ver vitrales, columnas , esculturas, cuadros conmemorativos de los trabajadores y símbolos de la época soviética

During the Cold War, Stalin decided to build a Metro different from those of cities like London and Paris: the Moscow Underground would have the luxury and sophistication of the imperial palaces, but geared to the enjoyment of the people, that he might enjoy the art when they were going tom work
In addition they planned that the stations could shelter all citizens of Moscow in case of an attack and indeed during the Second World War it was used as air-bomb shelters, for political meetings and also were installed Command positions
In the stations you can see stained glasses, columns, sculptures, paintings commemorating workers and symbols of the Soviet era

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La visita más barata y además muy interesante es la de visitar las estaciones de metro .
Durante tu visita a Moscú en los primeros días tendrás que pasar por bastantes estaciones de Metro que puedes visitarlas y disfrutarlas sobre la marcha , así que casi al final del viaje puedes programarte una visita a las estaciones que no hayas ido anteriormente ( en cualquier guía o por Internet puedes conseguir un listado de estaciones recomendadas ) .
Por unos 22 Rublos compras el billete del Metro y puedes pasar el tiempo que quieras visitando estaciones, en cualquiera de las líneas del Metro , lo que tienes que hacer es no salir de ellas
Es mejor que evites las horas puntas

The cheapest visit that is also very interesting is to visit the underground stations.
During your visit to Moscow in the first days you have to go through different Metro stations ,you can visit and enjoy them on the go, but near the end of the trip you can program a visit to the stations that you have not gone before (in any guide or Internet you can get a list of recommended stations).
For about 22 Rubles you buy the Metro ticket and you can spend any time visiting all the stations , in any of the lines of the Metro, you only need not to go out in any station
It is better that you avoid the peak hours

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Moscows metro is very different from most other transport systems around the world.
The older stations are not just places that ferrie pepole around,they are works of art.
they were constructed with care and finished with the touch of an artist,they are very fine examples of fine art,take time to stop and wonder at them it is well worth it.

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In niches of each of arches, a station hall, 76 bronze figures representing the Soviet people (author Matvej Manizer) are established. 80 sculptures was at first , but in 1947 in connection with opening of east land lobby (Lenin and Stalin's bas-relief which was in a deadlock end face of the central hall also has been dismantled) 4 have been removed. In total at station of 20 various images (18 from them repeat four times, and 2 — twice).
In 1941 a sculpture from station" the Revolution Area "have been evacuated to Central Asia and have been returned back in 1944. During evacuation the sculpture have suffered. From them there were only isolated parts — heads, trunks, hands, the weapon and other details. However, because each sculptural composition repeated four times, all sculptures managed to be restored completely.
Sculptural sculptures are placed in a chronological order from events of October 1917 till December 1937:

There is a belief that the best way to pass examination — touch a nose of a bronze dog at «the Frontier guard with a dog». As a result noses and half of muzzle at all dogs are rubbed to shine.

You don’t have to know May 18 is the International Museum Day. You just have to ride the metro. Didn’t notice anything? Listen to the voice calling out the next stop. It’s not the automated tape, as usual.

The former Moscow metro boss, now facing charges for fraud and office abuse, was not all that bad. He had hired old actors with distinguished voices, famous in their time, but now unemployed and broke, to read metro announcements. These tapes are traditionally run to mark public holidays, like New Year, the Victory Day, and now – the Museum Day.

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We visited the metro as a group during the morning peak hour rush. We were caught up in the huge crowd of people rushing to work, it was far more crowded than the New York subway or London underground.

The subway is sunk very deep below the surface. It took several minutes to travel down the escalator; a very steep decent. Once we reached the station we were amazed by the beauty of the decorations depicting scenes from the early days of Communism. The station was extremely busy with a train arriving every minute during our visit. There was only a very short interval to take clear photos, maybe only 15 seconds between trains.

Our group took the train for several stations. It certainly was an experience to remember.

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It’s no coincidence that some of the metro stations are more impressive than art galleries. During the Soviet era, a large amount of money was invested in fitting out some of the central metro stations to convince the people of the advantages of socialism. As a result, not only is the metro system a sightseeing attraction of its own, but it’s also a fascinating insight into the past, with images of woman ploughing the fields and groups of peasants proudly driving tractors intermingling with astronauts and high-tech achievers

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The stations of Moscow's subway system have often been called "the people's palaces", for their elegant designs and lavish and profuse use of marble, mosaics, sculptures and chandeliers. Built during Stalin's rule, these metro stations were supposed to display the best of Soviet architecture and design and show how privileged the lifestyle of the Russian people was.

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If you feel that the high prices in Moscow have taken a toll on your budget, then visiting the Moscow underworld....or the world under the ground....the Moscow metro, is an excellent idea.

Some of the stations are like fabulous museums and are really worth a visit!