How to use aboveground transport in Moscow

Hours of Moscow aboveground transport operation. Fare. How to find a stop. How to map a route

1.Hours of Moscow aboveground transport operation

Moscow's aboveground public transport operates daily from early morning until late at night. A number of routes operate at night. You can get acquainted with the timetables for city buses, electric buses and trams at all stops, as well as on the Moscow Transport website


You can also get acquainted with express routes, which provide high-speed transport links between remote areas and the city center (in Russian language).

2.Hours of aboveground public transport operation at night

Night bus routes connect the city center with all administrative districts.


Night ground transport operates from 01:00 a.m. to 05:45 a.m., and routes Б — around the clock. The movement interval is 30 minutes, routs Б — 15 minutes. All night routes, except Б, start from the Kitay-Gorod metro station: they simultaneously come here every half hour from 01:00 at night, wait 5-10 minutes and go on their own routes.

3.Aboveground transport fare

The fare varies depending on the selected tariff. The cost of a single trip is highest when purchasing one-time travel cards. If you plan to use aboveground transport frequently, it is more cost-effective to purchase a Troika universal card. This card can be used to load a travel card with no travel limit, such as for 1,3, 30, 90 or 365 days. 


In addition, the Troika card can be topped up with any amount up to 10,000 rubles and used to pay for single trips on public transport at a lower cost than with a ticket for one or two trips. This feature is referred to as a Koshelyok (Wallet) ticket. The card remains valid for at least five years from the last recharge or payment.


On all routes, it is possible to pay for travel using a bank card or smartphone. 


To learn about all the current fares for travel in aboveground public transport, please visit the official website of the State Unitary Enterprise Mosgortrans (in Russian).

4.Where can I buy a Troika card and top up my Wallet ticket?

The Troika card can be purchased at the ticket offices and new ticket vending machines of the metro, as well as at ticket offices for the Moscow Central Circle (MCC), Moscow Central Diameters (MCD), Mosgortrans automated kiosks and suburban railway ticket offices marked with information stickers.


Please note: a 150-ruble security deposit is required upon card purchase, which is refundable upon returning the card to the cashier office.


You can top up the Wallet ticket of the Troika card:

  • at the ticket offices and ticket machines of the metro, at the stations of the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) and Moscow Central Diameters (MCD), at suburban railway stations, at automated kiosks of Mosgortrans, at ticket machines and ticket offices of Aeroexpress; 
  • online on the Moscow Transport portal
  • using the Moscow Metro, Moscow Transport mobile apps;
  • via text message or in the partners' mobile apps (for more information, please visit the Moscow Transport website).


You can add Unified and 90 minutes tickets to the Troika card at the metro ticket offices and automated kiosks of Mosgortrans, and AT (bus — tram) and A (bus) tickets — at automated kiosks of Mosgortrans.


Commutation tickets for suburban electric trains can be added on the Troika card at the ticket offices of suburban stations and railway stations in Moscow and the Moscow region and ticket machines located at railway stations and marked with information posters.

5.How to find a stop and map a route?

You can find the nearest stop and choose the desired route using the Yandex Go mobile app. This application allows you to track the location of all buses, trams and electric buses online and find the nearest bus stops. To see where the nearest bus, electric bus or tram is going, click on its image and the app will display its route.


You can also use the interactive service on the Moscow Transport portal to map a route to your destination, depending on the public transport timetable and traffic congestion.

6.I have more questions. Where can I ask them?

You can ask your questions by calling the round-the-clock hotline of the Moscow Tourist Information Support Centre at +7 (495) 122-01-11 (for mobile and landline phones).


The charges for the call will be determined by the pricing policies of the subscriber's operator. Call centre operators are proficient in both Russian and English.

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