Metro of Minsk

Metros in Belarus: The Minsk Metro

Minsk, with almost two million inhabitants, is the most populated city of Belarus. It is also the capital of the country. This fact makes this city the headquarters of the political, economic, financial and administrative branches of the nation. At the same time, this city is ranked 11th in Europe in regards of number of inhabitants.

During Soviet times, Minsk had great importance, resulting in the notable reinforcement of the local economy, where the industrial sector had the biggest increase. The Belarusian capital alone represents 46% of the total economy of the country nowadays.

After World War II, and after being completely destroyed, the local authorities decided to rebuild Minsk with new avenues, plazas, and buildings of architecture inspired by Stalin. The infrastructure was renovated almost entirely, and aspects like the public transportation were reinvented.

One of the most significant projects was the Minks Metro, which was a highly discussed project during the decade of the 60s.

In order to build a transportation system like this, the USSR required Minsk to have a minimum of one million inhabitants. However, even though the city reached the required number of inhabitants by 1972, the construction didn’t begin until 1977.

The inauguration of the metro took place 7 years later, on June 30th, 1984. In that time, it became the ninth subway of the Soviet Union. Since then, the metro has been gradually expanded. Nowadays, the metro currently has a length of 37 kilometers of railroads, 29 stations, and two commercial lines.

Minsk Metro

Lines and stations

The Minsk Metro has two lines and its railway has a total length of 37 kilometers. These lines join the four cardinal points of the city with the center. The metro is the main mean of transportation.

Maskoŭskaja Line

This was the first line to be inaugurated, being opened specifically on 1984. It originally had 8 stations. Currently, the railroad crosses the metropolis from the northeast to the southwest, having an extension of is 19 kilometers of length in which there are 15 stations in which the trains stop.

Stations

• Uruchcha: This station was inaugurated on the year 2007 in the middle of the Uruchcha district, at Independence Avenue. Since it has been built recently, it has the quirk of not being located as deep as the other stations.
• Barysaŭski trakt: It was opened on the year 2007 to mainly offer service to the members of the National Technical Institute of Belarus. It is located on the Boctok district, on Independence Avenue.
• Uschod: This station is quite close to the National Library of Belarus, which is located on the Uschod residential district, on Independence Avenue. It dates back from 1986.
• Maskoŭskaja: This station opened its doors on June 30th, 1984. It is located on the intersection among Independence Avenue, Makayonka Street and Volgogradskaya Street.
• Park Čaliuskincaŭ: This station can be found on the Pyershamayski district, and it is located on Independence Avenue, having exits towards Tolbukhina and Kalinin streets.
• Akademiya Nauk: It is one of the busiest stations of the Minsk Metro, having a total of 70 thousand daily passengers. It is located on Independence Avenue, and it has an exit towards Surganov and Bohdan streets.
• Plošča Jakuba Kolasa: This station is located on Independence Avenue, and it has exits towards the streets of Faith Horuzhe and J. Kolas. With its 65 thousand daily users, it is the second busiest station.
• Plošča Pieramohi: It is located on Independence Avenue, with exits towards Kiselyov, Zakharov and Kozlov streets.
• Kastryčnickaja: This station is located on downtown Minsk on Independence Avenue, where the Central Plaza and the Republic´s Palace are located.
• Plošča Lienina: This stop is located on downtown Minsk, and it has exits towards the vicinity of the Minsk Railway Station and the Independence Palace.
• Instytut Kuĺtury: This station is located on the Kastrychnitski district, and it has exits towards the Moskovskaya, Surazhskaya and Mogilevskaya streets.
• Hrušaŭka: This stop is located on the Maskowski district, on Dzerzhinsky Avenue. It has exits towards the Shchors and Rosa Luxemburg streets.
• Michalova: This station is located on the Maskowski district, on Dzerzhinsky Avenue. It has exits towards Gurskogo and Umanskaya I streets.
• Piatroŭščyna: This station is located on the Maskowski district, on Dzerzhinsky Avenue. It has exits towards Golubev and Semashko streets.
• Malinaŭka: This station is located on the Maskowski district, on Dzerzhinsky Avenue. It has exits towards Esenina and Chechot streets.

Minsk Token

Aŭtazavodskaja Line

The second line of the Minsk Metro was inaugurated on 1990, and it currently has a total length of 18 kilometers of railway and 14 stations. The tracks start from the northwestern part of the Belarusian capital, and ends at the southeastern area.

Stations

• Kamiennaja Horka: This station is found on the Frunzyenski district, to the west of the city. It has exits towards the Pritytskogo, Kuntsevschina, Lobanka and Burdeynogo streets.
• Kuntsevshchina: It lies on the Frunzyenski district, which is located at the west of the city. It has exits towards Pritytskogo, Leschinsky and Dombrovskaya streets.
• Sportivnaya: It is located on the Frunzyenski district, which is located on the west of the city. It has exits towards Pritytskogo, Zhudro, Belsky and Dunin-Marcinkiewicz streets.
• Pushkinskaya: This station is located on the west of the Belarusian capital, right at the intersection between Pushkin Avenue and Pritytskogo Street.
• Molodyozhnaya: This station is located to the west of Minsk, on the Frunzyenski district. It has exits towards the Kalvariyskaya, Pinskaya, Domashevskaya and Zagorodny streets.
• Frunzenskaya: This station lies on Frunzyenski district, towards the west of the city. Its exits head towards the Romanov Sloboda, Melnikayte Kalvariyskaya, Rakovskaya and Seco streets.
• Niamiha: This station is located on the Central district, which has exits towards the Nemiga, Pobediteley and Maxim Bogdanovich streets.
• Kupalaŭskaja: This station lies on the city´s Central district, and has exits that head towards Independence Avenue, and the Engels and Karl Marx streets.
• Pieršamajskaja: It is located on the Central district of the city of Minsk. It is only accessible via Lenin Street.
• Pralietarskaja: This station is located on the Leninsky district, and it has exits towards the Sudmalisa and Serafimovich streets.
• Traktarny zavod: It is located on the Partizanskiy district, and its only exit goes towards Dolgobrodskaya Street.
• Partyzanskaja: This stop is located on the Partizanskiy district, right at Partizansky Avenue, on the intersection between the streets of Dolgobrodskaya and Zhilunovich.
• Aŭtazavodskaja: It offers service to the residents of the Zavodskoy district. It has exits towards the Partizansky Avenue, and the Kabushkina, Central and Radial streets.
• Mahilioŭskaja: This is the last station on the southeastern end of line two, on the Zavodskoy district. It has exits towards Partizanskiy Avenue and Angarskaya Street.

Connections

Most of the Minsk Metro stations have at least one connection with one of the bus or trolley lines that serve the city. These lines are quite connected to the subway system.

Line Maskoŭskaja

• Uruchcha: It has a connection with bus lines 15, 15d, 27, 31, 33, 77, 80, 86, 89e, 99, 113s, 139, 153, 153d, 155, 172e and 300e. It also has connections with the trolleys from lines 2, 37, 41, 61 and 62.
• Barysaŭski trakt: It has a connection with the buses from lines 15, 27, 77, 80, 113c y 139. It also has connections with the trolleys from lines 37, 41, and 61.
• Uschod: It has connections with the buses from lines 25, 27, 34, 64, 80, 89e, 91, 95, 113c, 145c and 165. It also connects with the trolleybuses from lines 41 and 42.
• Maskoŭskaja: It has connections with the buses from lines 13, 25, 34, 35, 37, 64, 80, 91, 95, 100, 113с, 115e, 145с and 165.
• Park Čaliuskincaŭ: It has connections with the buses from lines 25, 37, 89e, 91 and 100.
• Akademiya Nauk: It has a connection with the buses from lines 20c, 25, 37, 59, 76e, 89e, 100 y 115e. It also has connections with the trolleybuses from lines 33, 34, 35, 54, 61 and 92.
• Plošča Jakuba Kolasa: It has connections with the buses from lines 19, 25, 100 and 115e. Also, it connects with the trolleybus from line 22. Finally, it also connects with the tramways from lines 1, 5, 6 and 11.
• Plošča Pieramohi: It has connections with the buses from lines 18, 19, 26, 39, 100 and 111. It also connects with the tramways from lines 1, 3, 4, 6 and 11.
• Kastryčnickaja: It has connections with the buses from lines 1, 69, 100 and 111.
• Plošča Lienina: It has a connection with bus lines 1, 3s, 40, 46, 47s, 50s, 69, 78, 79, 79d, 81e, 100, 102, 111, 115e, 119c, 123, 127, 151e and 175e. Additionally, it has connections with the trolleys from lines 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 16, 20, 30, 36, 44 and 58. Finally, it has connections with the tramways from lines 1, 2, 4 and 7.
• Instytut Kuĺtury: It has a connection with the buses from lines 4, 4d, 6, 10, 32s, 40, 45, 47s, 50s, 53, 73, 100, 101, 111 and 163. It also has connection with the tramways from lines 8, 11, 12, 23, 27, 43, 51, 63 and 64.
• Hrušaŭka: It has connections with the buses from lines 49 and 74c. It also connects with the tramways from lines 12, 23, 36, 40 and 53.
• Michalova: It has connections with the buses from lines 57, 74c, 84, 90, 118c, 166 and 196. It also connects with the tramways from lines 8, 10, 31, 36, 39, 40, 47, 53, 63 and 66.
• Piatroŭščyna: It has a connection with the buses from lines 57, 74c, 75, 84, 103, 118c, 122e, 150 and 170e. Furthermore, it has connections with the tramways from lines 10, 25, 32, 40 and 64. Finally, it also has connections with the suburban buses from lines 277, 324, 325, 355, 357, 363 and 402.
• Malinaŭka: It has connections with the buses from lines 28, 30s, 96, 97, 103, 104, 114s, 120e, 132, 134s, 147, 147d, 150 and 170e. It also has connections with the trolleys from lines 10 and 25.

Aŭtazavodskaja Lines

• Kamiennaja Horka: It has a connection with the buses from lines 8, 11, 12, 17, 36, 42, 54, 60, 83e, 125, 137, 138, 140, 144c, 159, 187 and 188c. It also has a connection with the trolleys from lines number 9, 13, 25, 31, 48 and 52.
• Kuntsevshchina: It has a connection with buses from lines 29, 62e, 101, 116, 121, 149, 152s and 184s. It also has connections with trolleys from lines 13 and 31.
• Sportivnaya: It has a connection with buses from lines 11, 28, 29, 41, 50s, 54, 62e, 77, 126, 152s and 163. It also has connections with trolleys from lines 13, 31, 44 and 77.
• Pushkinskaya: It has a connection with bus lines 49, 50c, 62e, 107, 124, 130 and 163. It also has connections with trolleys from lines 4, 10, 13, 33, 38, 39, 44, 47, 55, 68 and 77.
• Molodyozhnaya: It has connections with the buses from lines 40, 46, 50s, 78 and 163. It also connects with the trolleybuses from lines 4, 7, 9, 13, 44 and 57.
• Frunzenskaya: It has connections with the buses from lines 40 and 50. It also connects with the trolleybuses from lines 9, 13, 14 and 57.
• Niamiha: It has a connection with the buses from lines 1, 24, 38, 57, 69, 73, 91, 119s, 163 y 188s. It also has connections with the trolleybuses from lines 12, 29, 37, 40, 46 y 53.
• Kupalaŭskaja: It has connections with the buses from lines 100, 111 and 115e.
• Pieršamajskaja: It connects with the buses from line 127.
• Pralietarskaja: It has connections with the buses from lines 14, 18, 26, 37, 39 and 57.
• Traktarny zavod: It has a connection with the buses from lines 2c, 14, 43, 43d, 84 and 106. Additionally, it has connections with the trolleybuses from lines 49 and 59. Finally, it has connections with the tramways from lines 3, 6, 7 and 9.
• Partyzanskaja: It has a connection with the buses from lines 9, 9d, 56, 59, 70, 79, 79d, 93 and 198e. It also has connections with the trolleybuses from lines 3, 16, 17, 34, 35 35d and 67. Finally, it has connections with the tramways from lines 3, 6, 7, and 9.
• Aŭtazavodskaja: It has a connection with the buses from lines 9, 9d, 16, 21, 22, 87c, 93, 117c y 117cd. It also has connections with the trolleybuses from lines 3, 16, 17, 26, 30, 34, 67 and 92.
• Mahilioŭskaja: It has a connection with buses from lines number 9, 9d, 21, 58, 61, 66, 72, 72d, 88c, 93, 94c, 110, 110a, 112c, 129, 148c, 160, 160a, 161, 161a, 161c, 168, 168a and 198e. It also has connections with trolleys from lines 3, 34, 60 and 67.

Schedule

The Minsk Metro´s business hours cover a wide portion of the day, so passengers can conveniently use the metro. However, the service is not available all-day long.

The stations open their doors starting at 5:30 am, and they close them at 1:00 am. These opening and closing times are the same every day of the week, all-year long. The trains stop serving the passengers during shorts periods of time, such as during emergencies or during maintenance of the trains.

The vehicle frequency varies according to the days and hours in which the traveler decided to board the trains. Throughout regular working days, the trains stop at the platforms with a frequency between five and 10 minutesp

However, during peak hours, the waiting time becomes two minutes, which is a significant decrease. The peak hours are from 7:00 am and 9:00 am and between 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm during weekdays.

Meanwhile, after 11:00 pm during weekdays, the waiting times are different. During these hours, the users tend to wait between 12 and 15 minutes for the train.

During weekends, the rolling stock keeps its regular train frequency, which is between five and 10 minutes. The frequency does not change during peak hours.

Fares

The Minsk Metro has different payment options for the different services offered for the travelers. Also, most payment subscriptions include the service of being able to use other means of transportation, which you will be able to use by paying a single payment.

The first option to take into account if you are only for a short time in the city would be, without a doubt, to get a Travel Token. This token comes in the form of a plastic non-reusable chip, which is only valid for a single journey. Its price is of 0.65 Belarusian Rubles (0.30 USD.)

Another available option is the reloadable card, which offers many plans, such as:

• Ten days: It allows you to travel in any of the means of transportation of the city of Minsk for a cost of 9.15 rubles (4.30 USD.)
• Fifteen days: It allows you to travel in any of the means of transportation of the city of Minsk for 15 days. It costs 13.86 rubles (6.50 USD).
• Thirty days: It allows you to travel in any of the means of transportation of the city of Minsk for a month. It costs 12.20 USD.

These subscriptions will be valid from the moment that you make your first journey. However, you also have the option of loading the specific number of journeys that you wish to do on your card. You can choose among 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60 trips. However, these journeys will be available on your card for a month from the moment that you make the payment.

Connection to the airport

The Minsk Metro does not have a direct connection with the Minsk International Airport, but there is an alternative transportation service that stops close to one of its stations.

The Tsentralnyi bus terminal is just a few meters from the Plošča Lienina metro stop. From this terminal, the buses from line 300 depart. This bus line is in charge of connecting downtown Minsk to the airport, since the latter is located on the outskirts of the city. The vehicles will depart from the Tsentralnyi stop to get you directly to the airport without making any stops mid-journey. The journey tends to last 60 minutes, in which you will be able to enjoy the landscapes of the Minsk border.

Similarly, to go from the airport to downtown Minsk you can board on the same line. The stop is located right in front of the airport. The vehicles arrive with a frequency of 40 minutes, so you need to pay attention to the published schedules within that same bus stop. You could disembark at Plošča Lienina station, or you could continue on the same bus until you reach Uruchcha station. You can buy the ticket directly from the bus driver, and it has a cost of 3.50 Belarusian rubles.

Future expansions

There are plans to keep expanding the Minsk Metro´s network, such as the creation of a third line. This line began construction on the year 2014, under a project that states that 14 subway stops and 17 kilometers of railway will be built. The new line will go through the region of Kurasoushchyna, and it will cross Green Meadows Street. Line 3 will serve the nearby areas, such as Loshitsa.

Even though the works began on February, 2014, the authorities in charge of the project announced that the first station and the first section of the network would be finished during early 2017. This new route would go below the Svisloch River in order to connect the northern and southern areas of the capital with the downtown area.

Touristic attractions

On the Trinity district, near Niamiha station, you will be able to find the Isle of Tears, where a monument dedicated to the people who died during the conflict between Belarusians and Afghans lies, a conflict that lasted for almost a decade. The complex within the island, which you can access through a walkways, was built on 1988, in which many statues surrounding a central chapel were built. It is possible to look at the sculptures that represent widows, fathers, siblings and sons that the soldiers left behind to go to war. The sculptures also have the names written of around 700 brave men that gave their lives on the battlefield. Without a doubt, this is one of the most important spaces of the contemporary history of the country.

Another emblematic site that you can reach from the Niamiha station is the Great National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet of the Republic of Belarus. It is the most important performing arts center of the nation, which is why its architecture is similar to those of the Soviet palaces. In front of it lies Trinity Plaza, from which it is possible to look at this building with a beautiful set of lights at night. The lights are coupled with the fountain that lies on the center of the plaza, creating a beautiful panorama that deserves to be on the best postcard stamps of the city.