One of Moscow's major attractions is the Metropolitan (Metro) subway, the most important element in Moscow's public transport.

The first stations were the result of the Stalin's extremely ambitious First Five-Year Plan (1928-1932), called for rapid development of the Soviet industry and showing the advantages of socialism in every sector of human's life. Even during World War II the construction of the subway system had not been stopped, mainly because of the political reasons. The system, begun in 1935, is renowned for the elaborate architecture of its stations, especially the older ones, which are highly decorated with marble, stained glass, mosaics, statuary, and chandeliers. Decoration of many stations was designed to emphasize the most important stages in the history of both the Soviet state and pre-revolution Russia.

Currently, there are over 150 stations (including interchange stations) in Moscow metro, which are open since 5:30 a.m. till 1:00 a.m. The fee for one trip is fixed regardless the length of your route.

To pay the trip you can use either zheton (token) or plastic cards for more rides (10, 20, or more), which you can use for a fixed period (7 days, 15 days, or more). Both zhetons and plastic cards can be bought at the metro station from the labelled kassa. Being the most efficient and fastest public transport, the Moscow metro is almost always overcrowded. So, if visiting metro is only a part of your tourist program, you'd rather avoid touring it during rush hours, when the metro can get a bit hectic.