The Russian subways are extremely efficient and a popular mode of transportation in Russian cities. the stations are also known for their architecture and artwork. Below, I have included some things to help you experience the Russian metro system! Please note that I obtained the photos from this site from other people's websites, as I had no metro photos of my own!
| This is a picture of the inside of the Ploschad (Metro-Station) Aleksandra Nevskogo. This was the metro station closest to our hotel in Saint Petersburg and we went to this station every day we were in the city! |  |
Excerpt from Journal Six:"Okay, so first we had to take the subway to a train station. Not the main station, but a smaller one. Let me tell you about the metro here in St. Petersburg! It’s crazy! First, the actual stations are difficult to find, because they're not marked. Then, you get there, and have to buy a token to put in the machine that will let you in the station. We buy the tokens by holding up our fingers stating how many we need because none of the attendants speak English. Then, you go down this escalator that goes through a terribly long white (but still amazingly dark) tunnel. You feel like you're descending into an abyss. Plus, the escalator rumbles under your feet and you feel like it's going to just fall apart at any moment. Then, you have to figure out which metro to get on. Well, in many countries that's difficult. But, here it's extremely difficult!
None of the signs are in English. None at all. And they use a different alphabet from ours. Some letters sound the same like m, k, and a. Some letters sound different: like h sounds like n, p sounds like r. Then, they throw in some Greek letters and some other letters I’ve never seen to mess you all up. Moscow is actually spelled Moskba. So, the names of places where you want to go on the metro are all messed up and you can't recognize them unless you know the Russian alphabet.
So, we got on the metro which was so jammed packed that we could barely breathe. I had nothing to hold on to but it didn't matter because we were packed together so tightly that I never lost my balance."
 | This photo shows the Ploschad Vosstanija, another subway station in Saint Petersburg. |
Excerpt from Journal Seven:"First of all, I described the complexity and difficulties of the metro system here. Well, I think it's also really important to point out the subways are the most efficient I’ve ever seen in any city I’ve ever visited. The subways come at least every 3 minutes, usually more often. Yet, they are always packed! Amazing to have so many subways, and so many people in them!"
| This photo shows the Ploschad Ligovskiy Prospekt, also in Saint Petersburg. |  |
Here are some websites to check out:metroPlanet: This station shows a map of the Saint Petersburg metros, provides general information, and shows some photos!
Metrostationen in Russland: This site is in German, but you get the point anyways. You can click on the map to see pictures of stations in either Moscow (Moskva) or Saint Petersburg (Sankt Peterburg). After you click on the city, just click on the station you wish to see! In Saint Petersburg, the stations of Avtovo, Baltijskaya, and Pushkinskaja are some of the best.
Kommet: This site first shows a map of the Saint Petersburg metros. Once the map is finished downloading, click on the station names to see some photos of the station and view other info about it as well.
