Moscow Metro

What Moscow Metro does

Moscow Metro (ГУП «Московский метрополитен») is a State Unitary Enterprise wholly owned by the Government of Moscow that operates the urban underground railway system and an integrated portfolio of passenger mobility services for the Moscow metropolitan area. Founded in 1935, it runs 200+ metro stations plus the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) orbital rail in partnership with JSC Russian Railways and the Moscow Central Diameters (MCD) suburban rail, with daily service from 5:30 to 1:00 and peak intervals as short as 1 minute 30 seconds. The enterprise serves all Moscow residents, commuters, tourists, students, and passengers with reduced mobility through a horizontally segmented customer approach.

Its core product is the Troika smart-card payment platform, available in physical (plastic, keychain, bracelet, ring) and virtual QR-code form, which interoperates across metro, MCC, MCD, surface transport, river boats, and Aeroexpress airport rail. Supplementary payment channels include contactless bank cards (Mastercard, Visa, MIR, UnionPay), Mir Pay mobile wallet, and FacePay — a biometric facial-recognition system with liveness detection deployed at all metro and MCC turnstiles with reported 225 million cumulative uses. The Metro Moskvy mobile app serves as the digital hub for route planning, real-time train load monitoring, Troika management, virtual card issuance, and chatbot support.

Moscow Metro generates revenue from passenger fares (heavily government-subsidized, with per-trip fares of 71₽ to 112₽), advertising placed in stations and trains, commercial concessions (souvenirs, lost-and-found storage, modular toilets, retail rentals), and intermodal integration revenue from partner operators. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through station ticket booths, automated kiosks, the mobile app, biometric and bank-card turnstiles, and partner retail networks (Svyaznoy, VTB ATMs, Elecsnet). The enterprise extends its commercial footprint through the MultiTransport MaaS subscription bundling metro, taxi (Yandex Go), scooters (Whoosh), and bike sharing (Velobike), and runs ancillary passenger services including the Passenger Mobility Center for reduced-mobility travelers, a metro museum and career guidance center, information desks, and accessibility partnerships with major cultural institutions.

Name

Moscow Metro

Legal name

ГУП «Московский метрополитен»

Website

https://mosmetro.ru

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Moscow Metro (ГУП «Московский метрополитен») is a Government of Moscow-owned State Unitary Enterprise operating the Moscow urban underground railway and integrated multi-modal transit (metro, MCC, MCD, surface, river) for 12+ million residents and visitors via the Troika payment ecosystem and biometric FacePay.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Public Transportation

NAICS

Urban Transit Systems (4851), Mixed Mode Transit Systems (485111)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Metro/Urban Rail Operators (Integrated Multimodal Agencies) (TLAFAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integrated Ticketing & Fare Management (Capping, Passes, Validators) (THADALAC), Public Transit MaaS Integration Platforms (GTFS/RT, APIs, Real-Time Ops Feeds) (THADALAE), Transit, Traffic & Mobility Data Platforms (BPAMANAH)

Keywords

• Urban public transit
• Metro rail services
• Transport fare collection
• Contactless transit payment
• Multi-modal mobility

Headquarters

HQ city

Moscow

HQ country

Russia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Passenger Fare Revenue: Revenue from fare collection from passengers using metro, MCC, MCD, surface transport, and river transport. Fares are charged per trip or via pre-paid cards (Troika, Ediniy, bank cards, biometric payment). The core revenue stream for GUP Moscow Metro as a state-owned enterprise.
2. Advertising in Metro: Revenue generated from commercial advertising placed in metro stations, trains, and other metro infrastructure. All advertising revenue is used to improve passenger service quality and travel comfort.
3. Commercial Services and Concessions: Revenue from retail concessions, souvenir shops, lost-and-found storage fees, cargo luggage fees, modular toilet complexes, and rental of commercial spaces within metro stations.
4. Aeroexpress and Intermodal Integration: Revenue from integrated ticketing partnerships with Aeroexpress (airport trains), river boats, and other transport operators where Troika card is accepted for payment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Moscow Metro operates the underground railway network of Moscow, Russia, carrying passengers across 200+ stations on metro, Moscow Central Circle (MCC), and integrated surface transport, river boats, and Aeroexpress. It unifies fare payment through the Troika contactless smart card, virtual QR Troika, biometric FacePay, contactless bank cards, and the bundled MultiTransport MaaS subscription. Supplementary services include lost-and-found, a passenger mobility/ accessibility center, a metro museum, on-station information stands, and free Wi-Fi.

Product overview

Moscow Metro operates as a comprehensive urban transit ecosystem built around its flagship Troika card platform. The core offering centers on the rechargeable Troika smart card (available in plastic, wearable, and virtual app form) which unifies fare payment across metro, Moscow Central Circle (MCC), Moscow Central Diameters (MCD), surface transport, and river boats. Supplementary payment methods include FacePay (facial recognition), contactless bank cards (MasterCard, Visa, МИР, UnionPay), mobile wallets (Mir Pay), and the bundled MultiTransport monthly subscription. The mobile app 'Metro Moskvy' serves as the digital hub for route planning, Troika management, chatbot assistance, and virtual card issuance. The system extends to passenger services including a lost property office, a passenger mobility center for disabled travelers, a metro museum with career guidance, information desks, Wi-Fi, music programs, tours, and modular toilets. The integrated MultiTransport platform additionally bundles taxi (Yandex Go), scooter and bike sharing (Whoosh, VeloBike), and Yandex Plus benefits with transit passes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Тройка: Electronic transport card of Moscow city with recharge and usage capability across all public transport types
• Карта «Тройка - Стрелка»
• Виртуальная Тройка
• Face Pay (Биометрия)
• МультиТранспорт

Products and services

• Troika Card (Карта «Тройка») The primary rechargeable contactless smart card for Moscow's public transit system. Supports e-wallet 'Koshelek' and unlimited 'Ediniy' passes, accepted across metro, MCC, MCD, surface transport, river boats, and Aeroexpress. Available as physical card, wearable (keychain, bracelet, ring), or virtual QR in the app.
• Virtual Troika (Виртуальная Тройка) A QR-code-based virtual version of the Troika card embedded in the 'Metro Moskvy' mobile app. Works on any smartphone without NFC, supports e-wallet top-ups and unlimited passes, and enables remote auto-refill.
• Unified Ticket «Единый» (Ediniy) Pre-paid ticket granting unlimited rides on metro, MCC, and surface transport within Moscow. Available as 1 or 2 rides on paper, or 1/3/30/90/365-day unlimited passes stored on a Troika card.
• FacePay Biometric Payment (Биометрия) Biometric face-recognition fare payment service. Passengers register a facial photo and link a bank card in the app, then pass turnstiles by looking at a camera with liveness detection, requiring no card or phone. Reported over 225 million uses.
• Contactless Bank Card Payment Contactless fare payment via physical bank cards (Mastercard, Visa, MIR, UnionPay issued by Russian banks) and mobile wallets (Mir Pay) at all metro and MCC turnstiles and on MCD validators, with free 90-minute transfer between metro/MCC/MCD.
• Troika-Strelka Combined Card (Карта «Тройка-Стрелка») Combined transport card integrating Troika (Moscow) and Strelka (Moscow Oblast) applications on a single card, enabling seamless travel across both city and regional transport networks.
• MultiTransport MaaS Subscription (МультиТранспорт) Monthly subscription combining unlimited city transport (metro, MCC, MCD, surface, river) with taxi rides via Yandex Go, electric scooter and bike sharing (Whoosh, VeloBike), and Yandex Plus benefits. Available in 'Metro Moskvy' and Yandex Go apps, linked to a bank card.
• Moscow Central Circle (MCC / МЦК) The Moscow Central Circle (MCC) — a 31-station orbital rail line operated jointly with Russian Railways. Uses 'Lastochka' trains at 4–8 minute intervals with 1,500-passenger capacity, climate control, Wi-Fi, and accessibility features. 242 train pairs per day on weekdays.
• Mobile App «Метро Москвы» (Metro Moskvy) Official mobile companion app for Moscow Metro passengers. Provides route planning with transfer optimization, Troika card management, virtual Troika issuance, real-time train arrivals and car occupancy, chatbot 'Alexandra', news, and closure alerts.
• Moscow Resident Social Card (Карта Москвича) Social card for Moscow residents providing free or discounted travel. Versions exist for beneficiaries (pensioners, disabled, large families, honored donors) and for students (preschool through graduate level), issued through mos.ru or My Documents centers.
• Central Bus Terminal (Автовокзал «Центральный») Central bus terminal adjacent to Shchyolkovskaya metro station, operating 24/7 with 6 floors, 9 platforms, passenger amenities (Wi-Fi, luggage storage, mother-and-child room), and intercity routes primarily to the north, northeast, and east of Moscow.
• Passenger Mobility Center (ЦОМП) Passenger Mobility Center providing free escort assistance for mobility-impaired passengers (disabled, elderly, families with young children) throughout the metro and MCC network, to railway stations, bus terminals, airport terminals, and partnered museums. Operating 05:30 to 01:00, booking required 24+ hours in advance. Served over 1.3 million passengers since 2013.
• Lost Property Office (Склад забытых вещей) Centralized lost-and-found service for items left on metro and MCC premises. Items stored for 6 months. Personal documents are forwarded directly to police. Service accessible via the app or by phone.
• Moscow Transport Museum and Career Guidance Center Museum and career guidance center at Delovoy Tsentr station showcasing metro history, transport professions, and operating interactive simulators of metro professions. Free tours, pro-orientation sessions for schoolchildren, historical artifacts, and uniform collections.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 43 million online top-ups of Troika cards have been activated
• +7 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration31 records

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• JSC Russian Railways (ОАО «РЖД»)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2016JSC Russian Railways is the carrier (перевозчик) for Moscow Central Circle (MCC) operations. MCC is a joint project of GUP Moscow Metro, JSC Russian Railways, and JSC MKZD. Russian Railways provides the rolling stock (Lastochka trains) and operational management of MCC rail services.
• JSC MKZD (Moscow Railway)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJSC MKZD (AO «МКЖД») is a co-operator of Moscow Central Circle infrastructure, partnering with GUP Moscow Metro and JSC Russian Railways on the MCC joint project launched September 10, 2016.
• Yandex (Yandex Go, Yandex Plus)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerYandex Go taxi service and Yandex Plus subscription are integrated into the MultiTransport MaaS platform. Users can purchase taxi promo codes (10/20/40 trips from/to metro stations within 5km) bundled with the monthly MultiTransport subscription. Yandex Dvizhen option (scooters via Whoosh, car sharing, powerbank rental) is also included.
• Whoosh (scooters)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWhoosh e-scooter service is included in the MultiTransport MaaS platform. Subscribers get free scooter activation, 20-min free booking window, and free transfers on Whoosh rides.
• Velobike (Moscow Bike Sharing)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerVelobike (Moscow Electric Bike Sharing) is included in the MultiTransport subscription. Users get free activation and 180 minutes of ride time per session on electric bikes, electric scooters, and regular bikes.
• Bank VTB (ПАО ВТБ)majorTechnology or IntegrationVTB Bank processes contactless bank card payments on all metro, MCC, and MCD turnstiles. The bank provides payment processing, manages stop-lists for unpaid fares, operates a customer portal for payment disputes, and is the acquiring bank for the metro's bank card acceptance infrastructure.
• Aeroexpress LLCmajorTechnology or IntegrationAeroexpress airport trains accept Troika card for payment at designated turnstiles marked with a yellow circle. Enables seamless airport-to-metro travel for passengers.
• Museums and Cultural Institutions (Accessibility Partnership)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Centre for Passenger Mobility (TsOMP) has agreements with museums including the State Tretyakov Gallery, Pushkin Museum, Garage Museum, Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve, Museum of Moscow, Bulgakov Museum, Khudozhestvenny Cinema, and others to provide mobility escort services for people with reduced mobility to cultural venues.
• JSC Central PPK (ЦППК)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCentral PPK (AO «Центральная ППК») sells and recharges Troika cards and Troika-Strelka combined cards at its suburban railway station ticket offices across all railway directions.
• MUE MosgortransmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMosgortrans sells and recharges Troika cards at its automated kiosks. Mosgortrans also issues the Streлка card with Troika application for Moscow Oblast travel. Operates surface transport (buses, trams, trolleys).
• App Store / Google Play / AppGallery / RuStoremajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMobile app 'Metro Moskvy' is distributed through major app stores (Apple, Google, Huawei, Russian RuStore), enabling digital access to Troika management, route planning, and virtual card issuance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MTR Corporation (Hong Kong): Operates Hong Kong's heavy rail metro with integrated property and retail development. Comparable to Moscow Metro as a major Asian capital-city metro operator with multimodal fare integration and station-based commercial services.
• RATP Group (Paris): Operates Paris Métro and integrates metro, RER suburban rail, buses, and trams under a unified Île-de-France Mobilités fare. Direct peer in European capital-city multimodal metro operations with comparable scale and integration depth.
• Beijing Metro: Operates China's largest metro network, serving Beijing's 20M+ residents with rapid network expansion. Comparable as a state-supported mega-city heavy-rail operator with high ridership and ongoing line expansion.
• Tokyo Metro: Operates 180+ stations across central Tokyo, comparable to Moscow Metro in station count, daily ridership (~2.5B annual trips), and metro-only heavy-rail focus. Both are major Asian/EMEA capital-city heavy-rail operators with similar scale.
• Seoul Metro: Operates Seoul Metropolitan Subway Lines 1–8 with integrated fare technology (T-money) across metro, bus, and taxi. Peer on heavy-rail metro operations in a large Asian capital with multimodal payment integration.
• Shanghai Shentong Metro Group: Operates Shanghai Metro, the world's longest network by route length. Peer on operating a mega-city metro with single-fare integration across urban rail, buses, and ferries within a Chinese metropolitan context.
• Transport for London (TfL) / London Underground: Operates London Underground and integrates it with buses, river services, Overground, and the Elizabeth Line under a unified fare system (Oyster/contactless). Direct peer on multimodal integration, fare diversity, and large-city metro operations.
• Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG): Operates Berlin's U-Bahn (heavy rail), trams, buses, and ferries under a unified fare structure (AB zones). Peer as a European capital-city multimodal transit operator with similar multi-mode ticketing and zone-based pricing.
• Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA, New York): Operates the New York City Subway (472 stations) plus buses and commuter rail. Peer on operating one of the world's largest urban rail networks with multimodal integration in a global capital city.

Broad incumbents

• Yandex Go: Russia's leading mobility-as-a-service platform offering ride-hailing, scooters, car sharing, and delivery. Partner inside MultiTransport but also a competitor for short-trip urban mobility in Moscow; relevant peer on the MaaS business model and Moscow market overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/moscowmetro
• Facebookfacebook.com/officialmosmetro
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moscow-metro

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Moscow Metro