Launch stages

The opening of the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) took place on September 10, 2016. At the first stage, 24 stations will be available to passengers, and seven more MCC platforms will open in December. A RIAMO correspondent learned how to use a new type of urban transport.

The opening of MCC stations will take place in three stages.

The first one is scheduled for September 10, already this Saturday 24 stations will be put into operation: Okruzhnaya, Likhobory, Baltiyskaya, Streshnevo, Shelepikha, Delovoy Tsentr, Kutuzovskaya, Luzhniki, " Gagarin Square”, “Crimean”, “Upper Boilers”, “Vladykino”, “Botanical Garden”, “Rostokino”, “Belokamennaya”, “Rokossovsky Boulevard”, “Lokomotiv”, “Falcon Mountain”, “Entuziastov Highway”, “ Nizhegorodskaya", "Novokhokhlovskaya", "Ugreshskaya", "Avtozavodskaya" and "ZIL".

In December 2016, 7 more stations will become available to passengers: Koptevo, Panfilovskaya, Zorge, Khoroshevo, Izmailovo, Andronovka and Dubrovka.

And in 2018, the construction of warm crossings will be completed: it will be possible to make transfers without going outside. A total of 350 transfers will be available for passengers, so travel time should be reduced by 3 times.

2

Fare

From September 10 to October 10, 2016, travel to the MCC will be free for everyone. Some of the turnstiles will be open, and others will open automatically when approaching them. Thus, tickets will need to be applied to the turnstile only in transitions to railway stations and the metro.

After October 10, any Moscow Metro travel card (Troika, Ediny, 90 Minutes), as well as social cards, will be used to access the MCC station. Within 90 minutes from the moment the ticket is validated, the transition from the metro to the MCC and back will be free. Payment for travel by bank cards is also provided.

3

MCC schemes

Three variants of MCC schemes have been developed for passengers. The first, in addition to the metro lines and MCC stations, indicates the stages of opening stations and transitions, the distance between transfer stations and the time it will take to transfer.

The second version of the diagram will help commuters find their way: the map shows railway stations, existing metro lines, as well as MCC stations and “warm” metro transfers.

The third diagram shows the stops of ground urban transport near the MCC stations, as well as the interval of its movement during rush hour. For example, from the Luzhniki platform of the MCC you can go to the Sportivnaya metro station in 2 minutes. Buses number 806, 64, 132 and 255 regularly run there, so getting to the right place will not be difficult.

In addition, the map shows all the main attractions of the city, forest parks and nature reserves. Many of them are within walking distance from the MCC, for example, Losiny Ostrov Park and the Vorobyovy Gory Nature Reserve.

4

Transplants

The MCC is integrated into the Moscow public transport system with the possibility of transfer to the metro, Moscow Railway trains and ground public transport.

From September 10, it will be possible to transfer from the MCC to the metro at 11 stations (Business Center, Kutuzovskaya, Luzhniki, Lokomotiv, Gagarin Square, Vladykino, Botanical Garden, Rokossovsky Boulevard, "Voikovskaya", "Shosse Entuziastov", "Avtozavodskaya"), by train - on five ("Rostokino", "Andronovka", "Okruzhnaya", "Business Center", "Likhobory").

By the end of 2016, the number of transfer hubs will increase to 14 and 6, respectively, and in 2018 there will be 17 transfers from the MCC to the metro and 10 to the train.

To make a free metro-MCC-metro transfer (within an interval of 90 minutes), you need to attach your metro travel document to the turnstile with a special yellow sticker at the entrance to the MCC station.

Passengers who are planning a trip only on the MCC or intend to make one metro transfer - MCC or vice versa, can apply their tickets to any turnstiles, including those without yellow stickers.

If you do not meet the 1.5 hour time limit, you will need to pay for the fare again when making a transfer.

5

Trains and intervals

New luxury trains “Lastochka” with a capacity of 1,200 people will run on the MCC. Their maximum speed is 160 kilometers per hour, and they will travel along the MCC at an average speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

The trains are equipped with air conditioning, dry closets, information panels, free Wi-Fi, sockets and bicycle racks.

The cars will open manually: to enter or exit, you will need to press a special button installed on the doors. The buttons will be active (green backlight) only after the train has stopped on the platform; at other times, the doors will be locked for safety reasons.

During morning and evening rush hours, the traffic interval will be only 6 minutes. The rest of the time, “Swallow” will need to wait from 10 to 15 minutes.

6

Updating (activating) travel cards

In order to access the MCC using “90 minutes”, “United” for 20, 40 and 60 trips, “Troika” tickets purchased or topped up before September 1, 2016, you need to renew them. To do this, you can contact the metro or monorail ticket office, as well as the metro passenger agency (Boyarsky Lane, 6) or the Moscow Transport service center (Staraya Basmannaya St., 20, building 1).

Holders of a Strelka card to travel by train must exchange it at the metro ticket office for a card with the Troika application.

Activation is carried out without changing the balance of trips and the validity period of the ticket, while the new reprogrammed travel documents will allow free transfers from the metro to the MCC and back.

You can also update your Troika electronic card yourself by topping up your balance at ticket machines at stations, on the website troika.mos.ru, via SMS or at payment terminals. As for social cards, their activation is not required.

7

Help and navigation

You can find out detailed information about updating tickets, transfer hubs and navigation on the MCC from consultants at the entrance to the ring metro stations or at metro stations adjacent to the MCC. Volunteers will also help passengers navigate the new transport. A special mobile application is also being developed, with which you can choose the optimal route.

Here you can see new convenient routes through the MCC.

The first stage of the Moscow Central Circle will take place on September 10. The online publication site answered the most important questions about the new type of urban transport.

What it is?

The Moscow Central Circle is a network that connects the metro and radial lines of suburban railways. It used to be called the Moscow Ring Railway. The MCC runs near the Third Ring Road in the southeast and west of the city and in the middle between the Third Transport Ring and the Moscow Ring Road in the north of the capital.

The main task of the road is to shorten the path from one point remote from the city center to another. According to experts, the launch of the railway should reduce travel time by an average of 20 minutes, relieve congestion on the Circle Subway Line by 15 percent, and the city’s central stations by 20 percent.

How many stations will open on the MCC?

The ring includes 31 stations, each of which provides transfers to other types of public transport. 17 stations will be connected to 11 metro lines, 10 to radial railway lines.

At the first stage, 26 stations will be available to passengers, reports the press service of the Moscow Construction Complex, citing Deputy Mayor for Urban Development Policy Marat Khusnullin. The rest will begin work before the end of the year.

Until 2018, the connection between MCC stations and metro stations, radial railway lines and surface urban transport will gradually improve.

Photo: MCC press center in the Moscow metro

Where can I transfer from the MCC?

In total, with the launch of the MCC, Muscovites and guests of the capital can make more than 350 transfers, and travel time when moving around the capital will be reduced by three times.

Passengers will be able to freely change trains when traveling on the following routes: Metro – MCC – Metro; Metro – MCC; MCC – Metro – Monorail; Monorail – Metro – MCC – Metro.

There are also transfers from trains to buses, trolleybuses and trams. The surface transport schedule will be adjusted to the MCC schedule.

The intervals of ground transport routes serving the ring have been approximately 10 minutes since September 8. In the future, they are planned to be reduced to 6–8 minutes, so that passengers can almost immediately transfer from the MCC to ground transport.

Territory maps have been updated for more than four thousand ground transport stops, and 15 stops now have stations on the new ring.

It will also be possible to get to the new railway line by personal transport: special parking lots will be installed at 13 stops.

How to navigate the MCC?

In total, several versions of the MCC scheme have been prepared. On one of them, it is plotted on a map of the city with the designation of suburban railway lines, as well as metro lines, including the Third Interchange Circuit under construction.

In the second, the MCC map is included in the currently used metro map and is indicated there as the 14th metro line. In total, 50 thousand new schemes will be posted in the subway. The updated maps will also contain information about how long it will take to transfer from the metro station to the MCC station.

The ring stations themselves are equipped with navigation panels in Russian and English. Braille will be installed for visually impaired passengers. Also at each station there will be boards with train arrival times. Several of them will have “Live Communication” counters.

Where can I find detailed information about the MCC?

A section dedicated to the Moscow Central Circle has appeared on the official website of the capital's metro.

The new page contains information about the history of the creation of the MCC and the modern Lastochka trains running around the ring. Also, site visitors can familiarize themselves with the map of transfers from the metro to the MCC and select convenient routes.

The Moscow Central Circle (MCC) is an abbreviation that has been in use quite recently; the ring itself is used even less for passengers. On metro maps, the ring is indicated by line 14, although it looks a little different.

Metro or train

Circular railway, Small ring of the Moscow railway, Moscow ring railway, Moscow central ring - all these definitions in one form or another refer to the same object.

The first train at the Luzhniki station of the Moscow Central Circle. Photo: website/Andrey Perechitsky

In the new name - MCC - the mention of the railway has been removed, on metro maps it is indicated as line 14, transfers with the metro are free (even in the "metro - MCC - metro" option), a separate page for the MCC has been created on the metro website... So everything can be... Is the MCC a metro?

The MCC infrastructure itself (tracks, stations, etc.) belongs to Russian Railways. The ring is physically connected to other sections of the railways; the use of the ring for freight traffic is not canceled and is quite possible. The rolling stock, "Swallows", has been traveling on other sections of Russian railways for several years now. At MCC stations you can find workers in gray Russian Railways uniforms, information boards and part of the navigation at the MCC stations themselves - according to the brand book and Russian Railways standards. Even the turnstiles are like those at many suburban stations (albeit equipped with metro validators). So, is the MCC an electric train?

Navigation in the transition between platforms of the Khoroshevo station of the Moscow Central Circle. Photo: website/Andrey Perechitsky

If we approach the issue formally, then the MCC is a real railway, however, in the mass consciousness, the use of the railway for movement within one city is still of little use, moreover, the MCC is integrated mainly with the metro, and the ring is precisely urban transport, and not suburban, which includes the green electric trains familiar to city dwellers. This is also why navigation and tariffs are designed in such a way that the passenger feels that he is on the 14th metro line, although in fact the MCC, of ​​course, is not a metro.

Turnstiles at Luzhniki station of the Moscow Central Circle. Photo: website/Andrey Perechitsky

In relation to the MCC, it is appropriate to use the term “urban train” - a type of transport in Russia that is not very common.

Abroad, this type of transport is widespread and quite popular. For example, in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland there is S-bahn, which occupies an intermediate position between urban public transport and classic commuter trains.

The MCC itself breaks the mold of many definitions, and similar debates have been going on on thematic forums for many months - “What is the new ring anyway?”

MCC, metro, monorail and ground transport are all elements of the city’s unified transport system, so asking the question “is the MCC part of the metro?” not entirely true. To the question “Does the MCC belong to the Moscow transport system?”, it is certainly correct and correct to answer “Yes”, as well as to a similar question regarding the metro or monorail.

The Lastochka train arrives at the Khoroshevo station of the Moscow Central Circle. Photo: website/Andrey Perechitsky

The main flow to the MCC should still be a transfer from the metro; there will be fewer “pure” independent trips around the ring. At the same time, such stations as Sorge (formerly Novopeschanaya), Krymskaya (formerly Sevastopolsky Prospekt), Streshnevo (formerly Volokolamskaya) have created (in the case of Sorge, they will create) new transport hubs. Residents of nearby houses and those who work nearby will definitely appreciate the appearance of these stations. Following this, new travel routes will appear.

Due to its specifics, part of the MCC route passes through industrial zones. But is this really important, because a new transport corridor has appeared in the city. And industrial zones will not always flash through the Swallow window. Novodevichy Convent, Moscow City, Losiny Island, Moscow River - the landscapes are more than diverse.

View from the MCC train window. Photo: website/Andrey Perechitsky

From the point of view of formal definitions, the MCC is more of an electric train than a metro; in fact, it is a new full-fledged element of the transport system. How relevant it is is a question for each individual passenger. In any case, new connections that reduce travel time are always good, especially for a metropolis like Moscow.

Impressions of the first passengers

Andrey Perechitsky

Traffic on the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) was launched on September 10. The first month of travel was made free. However, from October 11, you have to pay for the services of the capital's new transport system. In this article we will tell you what is changing from today, how and what to pay, and how to transfer to the metro for free.

“United”, “90 minutes” and “Troika”: what tickets do we use?

Are there travel benefits?

The existing discounts for travel on public transport in Moscow also apply to the MCC: for children under the age of seven years, travel around the ring is free, and they can also purchase travel tickets on preferential terms. These are war veterans and combatants, as well as members of their families, disabled people of groups I, II and III, disabled children, heroes of Russia, heroes of the Soviet Union and labor veterans. Students, schoolchildren, pensioners, orphans, parents and children from large families also have the right to preferential travel on the MCC.

26 stations, 6 transfers to electric trains and 12 to the metro: how not to get lost on the MCC?

Currently, 26 out of 31 stations are open on the MCC. They can make six transfers to commuter trains and 12 to the metro. In October there are five more ring stations: Koptevo, Sorge, Dubrovka, Panfilovskaya and Sokolinaya Gora. By the end of the year there will be 14 metro transfers, and six train transfers. Transfers between metro stations and the MCC take no more than 10-12 minutes. The shortest and most comfortable ones do not require going outside - these are transitions in “warm contours” from the stations “Mezhdunarodnaya”, “Leninsky Prospekt”, “Cherkizovskaya”, “Vladykino”, “Kutuzovskaya”.

Maps and signs help passengers find out how to transfer to the metro and commuter trains, as well as quickly find access to the necessary buses, trolleybuses and trams. Diagrams of the ring, transfers to electric trains and metro stations, as well as signs indicating the exit to the stops and the route numbers of ground urban passenger transport are located at the stations.

Consultants will advise passengers on how to navigate the new mode of transport. They are located at the entrance to the Circle Line metro stations, as well as those adjacent to the MCC. Consultants will tell you how to get to your destination easier, where to change trains, and what sights to see near the ring stations.

How to transfer from the metro to the MCC for free?

A single trip ticket allows you to transfer to the metro or monorail for free within 90 minutes.
If you plan to travel only along the MCC or are going to make one transfer - from the metro to the ring or vice versa - travel cards can be applied to any turnstiles.
You can change trains for free when traveling on the following routes: metro - MCC; metro - MCC - metro; MCC - metro - monorail; monorail - metro - MCC - metro.
You can use the free transfer only with tickets purchased after September 1, 2016. In all other cases, travel documents must be activated. To do this, just top up your account with an amount of one ruble or more.

When is the MCC open?

The first MCC trains pick up passengers at 05:45 from ZIL and Botanical Garden stations, the last train arrives at Andronovka station exactly at one in the morning. In general, the MCC's operating schedule coincides with the capital's subway - the ring is open for passengers from 05:30 to 01:00.

The first trains leave the line at 05:27 and begin moving with passengers at 05:45. Empty trains pick up people almost simultaneously from eight stations:

— ZIL — 05:45;

— Shelepikha — 05:49;

— Gagarin Square — 05:48;

— Baltic — 05:48;

— Botanical Garden — 05:45;

— District — 05:50;

— Highway Enthusiasts — 05:50;

— Ugreshskaya — 05:49.

At the same time, “Swallows” begin their journey along the ring at the same time both on weekdays and on weekends.

The last trains at night will reach the following stations with passengers:

— Nizhny Novgorod — 00:51;

— Baltic — 00:58;

— Andronovka — 01:00.

The interval of trains on the MCC during morning and evening rush hours is on average six minutes. The rest of the time - 12 minutes.

What trains run on the MCC?

High-speed electric trains "Lastochka" of increased comfort run along the ring. Their maximum speed is 120 kilometers per hour; they travel along the MCC at an average speed of 50 kilometers per hour. The trains are equipped with air conditioning, dry toilets, information panels, free Wi-Fi, sockets and bicycle racks.

The doors of the carriages open manually: to enter or exit, you need to press a special button installed on the doors. It only works when the train is completely stopped on the platform. When the doors are ready to open, the green signal lights up. At other times, due to security requirements, the doors are locked.

Unlike commuter trains, Lastochkas do not have vestibules. This allows passengers to quickly enter or leave the cabin at the desired stop.

A thermal curtain protects passengers on the Moscow Central Circle from the cold. A smart climate control system releases streams of warm air in front of the doors in the cars automatically, protecting against temperature changes. In addition, the climate control system disinfects the air, destroying possible infections and viruses.

Bicycles, dogs, roller skates and cats: all about the rules of travel

When using the MCC, you need to remember the safety requirements and obey the accepted travel rules. They have already been developed by the Department of Transport and the Moscow Metro. In some places they are not as strict as the rules for traveling on the city subway. The capital’s cyclists have probably already appreciated this, since in MCC train cars a bicycle can be transported unassembled on a special platform. In the capital's subway, the requirements are stricter: bicycles can only be transported unassembled, and children's bicycles must be carried in a case.

Large luggage is also allowed at the MCC. Its maximum size, with which you can travel around the ring without additional payment, should not exceed 180 centimeters in total dimensions. It must be placed on special luggage racks, which are available in Lastochka cars.

To transport small breed dogs for free on the MCC, you do not need to take a container or basket if the pet is on a leash and muzzled. Ring passengers can also transport cats free of charge and even without a special carrying bag. The main condition is constant monitoring of the pet.

Please note that for dogs of large breeds both on commuter trains and on the MCC you need to buy a ticket. They must be muzzled and on a leash. You do not need a ticket for all types of transport, including the MCC, only for guide dogs.

According to the rules for traveling on the MCC, it is prohibited to be in the carriage or at the station with any products that could stain fellow travelers. Roller skating, scooters, bicycles and other sports vehicles are prohibited on the MCC platforms, as well as in carriages.

The Moscow Central Circle (MCC) will open to passengers in early September. Approximately September 10th. This was stated by the head of the Moscow Metro, Dmitry Pegov.

The MCC line received number 14 in the Moscow Metro. The ring consists of 31 stations, 17 of them are connected to the metro, 10 to radial railway lines. Transfers between metro stations and the MCC will take no more than 10-12 minutes. The shortest and most comfortable transfers will be in “warm” (not requiring going outside) crossings from the stations: Mezhdunarodnaya, Leninsky Prospekt, Cherkizovskaya, Vladykino, Kutuzovskaya.

The main advantage of the Moscow Central Circle is that it should relieve the “Koltsevaya” line by 15%, the “Sokolnicheskaya” line by 20%, and all stations.

ABOUT OPERATING MODE

Since the Moscow Central Circle is metro line 14, the operating hours will be identical - daily from 5.30 to 1.00.

ABOUT THE COST OF TRAVEL

A single ticket for 20 trips will cost 650 rubles, for 40 trips - 1,300 rubles, 60 trips - 1,570 rubles. At the same time, travel for Troika card users on the MCC will cost the same as on the metro - 32 rubles. It is worth emphasizing that the possibility of transferring from the metro to the MCC and back will be free of charge.

Transfers within 90 minutes from the moment you first enter the station are free. Reprogramming of turnstiles, cash registers, and ticket vending machines has now begun,” said Dmitry Pegov.

You can use the second free metro transfer from MCC platforms only with tickets purchased after September 1. Passengers who purchased tickets before this date will be able to exchange them for new ones, with the benefit of a free transfer. Otherwise, the additional trip will be charged. And the first 30,000 people who exchange tickets purchased before September 1 will receive gifts from the metro. There will be no need to exchange social cards.

ABOUT PAYMENT METHODS

Tickets can be purchased in the same way as for trips on the metro: at ticket offices, vending machines, or top up your Troika card via the Internet. It will also be possible to pay for travel by credit card. For this purpose, all stations are now equipped with machines for reading bank cards.

ABOUT PASSENGER SERVICES

The stations will introduce similar services that exist in the metro. Passengers with limited mobility will be able to benefit from free mobility assistance. The stations will have chargers for gadgets, trees, and benches. And also trash cans, which are not in the Moscow metro itself. “Live Communication” counters will appear at five stations, where tourists will also be able to obtain information in English. In particular, it is already being installed at the Luzhniki station.

ABOUT COMPOSITIONS

33 trains will be launched on the ring, which will have handrails for standing passengers. And just like on regular trains, there will be toilets. The interval between trains will be only 6 minutes.

THE YANDEX METRO APPLICATION WILL BE UPDATED

By the time the Moscow Central Circle launches, the map will be updated in the Yandex Metro application, which is used by many Muscovites.

We have already taken measurements so that people can plan their time on the trip. People will also be informed about temporary closures of stations, said Alexander Shulgin, CEO of Yandex in Russia.

WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW?

Navigation is hosted;

The trains practice movement intervals;

Information boards are installed on the platforms;

They are creating comfortable ground transport routes connecting with stations of the new subway line.

INTERESTING TO KNOW

75 million passengers will be able to use the transportation in the first year, and by 2025 the number will increase to 350 million passengers annually;

The metro staff will increase by 800 people.

Online workload application

To implement this project, it is necessary to prepare the infrastructure to show this. But we have this in our plans. This will be a similar project to Yandex.Traffic. The Moscow Metro is working on the issue of providing Yandex with data on congestion. As soon as we are able to receive them, we will send them to Yandex, and they will be displayed in the application online,” said Dmitry Pegov, head of the metro.