ford cruise o matic green dot

Forum Listing
Marketplace
Advanced Search
General Discussion
Vintage Mustang Forum

Cruise-O-Matic....what is it?

Add to quote

My 64 1/2 has auto trans with Cruise-O-Matic. What's the difference between regular drive and the green dot? Thanks! Scott

Cruise-O-Matic was just the type of Automatic Transmission that the C4 was called. Long Before the C4, There was the FORD-O-MATIC Auto transmission... I think that there were even C6 Trannies called Cruise-O-Matic as well.. The early '64 thru '66 Trannies were called "green dot" trannies. In 1967, They beefed up the C4 and changed the gear selection with two gears reversed, but you can still swap a '67 tranny into a '66 and earlier car.. The bellhousings of the trannies have different bolt patterns as well. The 64/65 has a 5 bolt pattern, and the late 65-'66 and after has a 6 bolt pattern on the C4 bellhousing. YOU WANt TO DRIVE on the Green Dot. The Green DOT has 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear. The white dot is only 2nd, and 3rd gear. My father way back when in the 60's and early 70's kept driving on the White Dot and ruined two C4 Trannies.. The white dot is just meant as a passing shift gear while lane changing or blowing by somebody. That's all. Tony Kovar 1966 Sprint 200 Convertible MCA#70001

NEFaurora said: The white dot is only 2nd, and 3rd gear. My father way back when in the 60's and early 70's kept driving on the White Dot and ruined two C4 Trannies.. The white dot is just meant as a passing shift gear while lane changing or blowing by somebody. That's all. Click to expand...

NEFaurora said: Cruise-O-Matic was just the type of Automatic Transmission that the C4 was called. Long Before the C4, There was the FORD-O-MATIC Auto transmission... I think that there were even C6 Trannies called Cruise-O-Matic as well.. The early '64 thru '66 Trannies were called "green dot" trannies. In 1967, They beefed up the C4 and changed the gear selection with two gears reversed, but you can still swap a '67 tranny into a '66 and earlier car.. The bellhousings of the trannies have different bolt patterns as well. The 64/65 has a 5 bolt pattern, and the late 65-'66 and after has a 6 bolt pattern on the C4 bellhousing. YOU WANt TO DRIVE on the Green Dot. The Green DOT has 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear. The white dot is only 2nd, and 3rd gear. My father way back when in the 60's and early 70's kept driving on the White Dot and ruined two C4 Trannies.. The white dot is just meant as a passing shift gear while lane changing or blowing by somebody. That's all. Tony Kovar 1966 Sprint 200 Convertible MCA#70001 Click to expand...

While the Ford-O-Matic was a 3 speed auto, it was also the name of the two speed auto, normally found in pre-65 Falcons. The "white dot" position was actually intended to decrease the torque output to the rear tires on take off. Primarily for starting on slippery roads, e.g. ice, snow, rain (per the owners manual!).

The green dot (in what is today normally the 2nd gear position) is equal to D in the later trannies, with full auto shifting thru 1,2,3 forward gears. L is just 1 & 2, and the other dot is just 2 & 3 (maybe just 2nd, can't remember 100% right now). I once had a '66 Fairlane with the green dot shift indicator. I took it in for a look over thinking something was wrong since it would never shift into high. Turns out it was a '67 trans in the car ('67 motor too, but that's another story), so it was always in 2nd when I had the shifter at the green dot. :shrug:

L is just 1 & 2, and the other dot is just 2 & 3 (maybe just 2nd, can't remember 100% right now) Click to expand...

How exactly does driving on the white dot damage te tranny?? I have been driving white dot for about 4,000 miles.I drive my car very easy,except for the occasional burnout.....

I would not continue to do that if your transmission has the original valve body and has not been converted to the '67 and later body. The "White Dot" does a second gear start and then shifts to third. It was intended for starting on ice and snow (remember, the designers lived in Michigan) to minimize wheel slip etc. Use the green dot for all normal driving as it does a 1-2-3 shift and should make it easier on the components that are active in second gear. My '66 went 190,000 on the original C-4 using the "Green Dot". When I restored the car in 1998, I installed a '67 valve body so the white dot now does a 1-2-3 shift. Don't drive it in the white dot except when you want really low torque starts as stated above. Good Luck.

I still do not know how the trans is damaged using white dot most of the time.doing a nuetral drop is a pretty severe blow to a trans, you are slamming it in gear with the engine doing some heavy rpm's, how is this the same as shifting to 2nd at a dead stop[0 rpm's], and taking off? I fully realize what the white dot was intended for....thanks, L

lleno said: I still do not know how the trans is damaged using white dot most of the time.doing a nuetral drop is a pretty severe blow to a trans, you are slamming it in gear with the engine doing some heavy rpm's, how is this the same as shifting to 2nd at a dead stop[0 rpm's], and taking off? I fully realize what the white dot was intended for....thanks, L Click to expand...

Not at all. Automatic transmission bands engage when you shift into gear, and unless the trans is falling apart, are fully engaged at all times after that, whether you are accelerating, decelerating, or stopped at an intersection. They only engage and disengage when shifting gears. The torque converter provides the function that a manual clutch provides.

I have a 1966 6 cylinder with a cruseomatic. It will not shift gears. I replaced the vaccum modular and it still will not shift. All the way down and the green dot (2nd position) is first gear, then in order to go into second gear I have to push it to the first position. I have no third gear and it will not down shift on its own. Any suggestions???

Group 7 Automatic Transmissions Troubleshooting starts on page 7-9.

Thank you bartl. I have another question fir transmission smart people. I did remove the shifter from inside the car. Does the shifter have to be installed a certain way? I replaced the vaccum modular and have good vaccum. But I have to manually shift the car into first and second gear and then back to first. It will not do it by itself. Any other suggestions would be great.

Check the down shift cable/lever, it may be stuck in downshift mode. Vern

My 65 has one and the original manual that says the white dot is for starting out on snow or other slippery conditions because it starts out in 2nd gear for lower torque so the tire won't spin as much

?
89.7K members

Top Contributors this Month

Performance Evolution of Ford Automatic Transmissions

The era between 1964 and the 1980s was remarkable in the automobile industry. During this period, millions of Ford vehicles – i.e., cars and trucks – were equipped with C4 and C5 automatic transmissions. These were purely ford automatic transmissions – i.e., zero electronic controls – that were very popular with hot rodders, racers, as well as restorers due to their low cost and simplicity.

However, despite the possibility of purchasing cores and rebuilding in order to suit the requirements of a particular vehicle for a far less rebuilt modern overdrive automatic transmission with electronic controls, they lacked the lockup torque converters and overdriven gears newer transmissions rely heavily upon in order to boost fuel economy. Ford faced a seemingly insurmountable challenge in the late 1950s: shedding the old-fashioned technology and dated image. However, the carmaker faced the challenge head-on, beginning in 1958 with the new generation of the FE-series V-8 engines.

Before 1960, Ford vehicles were burdened with heavily obsolete BorgWarner-designed cast-iron FX and MX automatic transmissions famously called Ford-O-Matics, Cruise-O-Matics, and Merc-O-Matics. The FX was small, while the MX was a popular large-case automatic. These were rugged, dependable, and heavy transmissions, so complex that adapting them to performance applications was next to impossible.

Falcon and Comet

Ford introduced its Falcon and Comet sixes in 1960. Just before then, Ford engineers had painstakingly developed lightweight aluminum-case automatic transmissions for the exciting lineup of vehicles that arrived in the ’60s. Soon enough, the 90-degree Fairlane small-block V8s followed the lightweight-iron Falcon and Comet sixes in 1962. The Mercury Comet and Ford Falcon, introduced in the ’60s, came with the new lightweight Ford-O-Matic two-speed transmission. BorgWarner manufactured this 2-speed transmission for new-generation small V-8s and straight-6.

The hard steel parts inside and out and its aluminum case made the Ford-O-Matic different from its predecessor. In its early application, the Ford-O-Matic transferred heat to the atmosphere through the cooling vents in the bell housing and torque converter. There was no transmission cooler in the radiator, and no fluid was used as a coolant. However, later versions of this Ford transmission came with a transmission fluid cooler in the radiator. In addition, the Merc-O-Matic/Ford-O-Matic came with a case-fill dipstick tube, with the main case and bell housing cast as one, in order to reduce the likelihood of leakage and excess weight.

The Ford C4 Transmission

After learning a lot from the BorgWarner 2-speed automatic transmission, Ford took its knowledge and used it to build the C4 3-speed automatic transmission known as the Cruise-O-Matic for the 1964 model year.

The C4 automatic transmission was manufactured at Ford’s transmission plant in Sharonville, Ohio, from 1964 to 1981. It was the first automatic transmission Ford solely designed and constructed. It utilized a new, cutting-edge Simpson compound planetary gear set that became the industry standard for decades.
The C4 automatic transmission earned its name from the model year it was manufactured, i.e., ‘C’ denotes the ’60s decade while ‘4’ was for the year 1964. However, this naming practice lasted less time than expected, as the transmissions that followed were C3 in the ’70s and C5 in the ’80s.
The C4 was known as the ‘Dual-Range Cruise-O-Matic’ from ’64 to ’66, otherwise known as the Green Dot transmission. This transmission was equipped with a unique valve body that enables you to start driving in second gear on snow and ice with a 2-3 upshift. This is the small dot on the indicator.

The larger green dot near ‘L’ at the detent allows a driver to start in first gear and go through the typical 1-2-3 upshift program.

Cruise-O-Matic

Ford called its new automatic transmission the Cruise-O-Matic , but Mercury called its own the Merc-O-Matic. Bear in mind that ‘Cruise-O-Matic’ was the broad marketing name for the Ford automatic transmissions created in the mid-’60s era. But by 1967, the name ‘Cruise-O-Matic’ was dropped in favor of the name ‘Select-Shift’ and was picked up and used for all automatic transmissions from Ford. The C4 automatic transmission only had the 5-bolt bell housing for V-8s for only the 1964 model year. However, by August 1964, the V-8s and C4 it was mated to were ingeniously fitted into the larger 6-bolt bell housing in order to reduce vibration, noise, and harshness.

The following are the C4 gear ratios:

First gear – 2.46:1
Second gear – 1.46:1
Third gear – 1.00:1
Reverse gear – 2.20:1

The C4 transmission evolved, resulting in the introduction of other design changes. The most notable was the ’67 and ’69 valve body that offers a traditional P-R-N-D-2-1 shift pattern.

The Ford C5 Transmission

Ford introduced the popular C5 Select-Shift transmission in 1982. Its only difference from its predecessor was that it came with a locking torque converter in order to boost fuel economy significantly. The C5 automatic transmission remained in production from 1982 to 1986 at Ford’s transmission and axle plant in Livonia, Michigan. But it wasn’t recommended as one of the high-performance transmissions. Nevertheless, the C5 transmission shares most of its internal components with its predecessor, including the cases. The C5 transmission was manufactured as pan-fill and case-fill with 157- or 167-tooth flexplates.

The Ford C6 Transmission

Ford introduced its heavy-duty C6 –speed transmission for high-torque applications. This automatic transmission was behind the large-displacement big-block V-8s. Its internal components and case were entirely different from the C4 transmission, but internally, they were the same, though scaled largely for heavy-duty use.

The rugged C6 transmission had four basic bell housing bolt patterns throughout its long production life as it was designed solely for high-power applications. There’s also the small-block C6 automatic transmission intended only for 351W as well as 351C engines and fits any 6-bolt 289/302/351W/51C small-block bell housing bolt pattern.

The C6 transmission for diesel engines was produced in the ’80s before the introduction of the 4R100 (E4OD) in 1989. Despite the arrival of the 4R100, Ford continued producing the C6 automatic transmission for industrial applications until 1996.

The arrival of the ’70s met Ford with a respectable lineup of great and modern lightweight automatic transmissions. Here are the C6 gear ratios:

First Gear – 2.46:1
Second Gear – 1.46:1
Third Gear – 1.00:1
Reverse – 2.00:1

Ford has undergone decades of performance evolution from it’s first automatic transmission to the current one in the market. The current transmission may not be perfect in every sense. But it is sure the car maker will improve its transmissions to deliver worthy experiences for their esteemed customers.

Ready to experience top-notch transmission solutions and expert support?

More results...

16-Speed: More Gears Than You Can Shake Three Sticks At

2011 Chevy Silverado – Project Blue Bomber Finale

A high-performance trans for supercharged v-8s, a look inside gearstar transmissions, a new transmission for the ‘ol sedan delivery, adapting to the times, mopar transmissions.

Torqueflite 727 Performance
545RFE Performance
Performance NAG1

GearStar Performance Transmission 132 N. Howard St, Akron, OH 44308 Email: [email protected] Sales & Info: 330-434-5216 Parts: 330-434-0104 Fax: 330-434-3634

Transmissions
Testimonials
(330) 434-5216
Get Estimate

Forum Listing
Marketplace
Advanced Search
Model Specific Forums
Classic Mustang Forums
Classic Tech

What is the cruisamatic green dot on a 1966 mustang?

Add to quote

I just bought a 66 convertible. Drove it all the way from Dallas to South Carolina. Tried it in both the green dot gear and the one above it. (Drive?) I could not feel any difference between the two gears. Which one is 3rd gear? A cruisamatic is a C4 right? I don't know if the tranny is original but the shifter says cruisamatic and has the green dot beside the middle gear. Also, when starting out in green dot gear, I can't feel any shifts and the car seems to have only one gear. When I start out in the other drive gear, I feel one shift. And when cruising at say 40 or 50 mph, and I floor it, there is no kick down in either of those two gears. It just accelerates real slow. How does this tranny work?:?::?::?:

The '65 & '66 C4 Cruise-O-Matics had two drive ranges. The green dot is normal drive, with first, second, and third gears. The white dot position only uses 2nd and 3rd gears. Someone thought that starting in second gear would provide better traction on ice or slippery surfaces. Obviously, this theory didn't work all that well, and subsequent C4's reverted back to the conventional P-R-N-D-2-1 shift pattern. The kickdown problem is something completely different. I would start by inspecting the kickdown linkage to make sure it is all there and properly adjusted. You didn't say what engine you have; keep in mind that the I6's used a cable and the V8's used a rod mechanism (at least in '65).

Green dot transmission thanks for the info. Th kick down cable was missing.

FirstGenStang said: I just bought a 66 convertible. Drove it all the way from Dallas to South Carolina. Tried it in both the green dot gear and the one above it. (Drive?) I could not feel any difference between the two gears. Which one is 3rd gear? A cruisamatic is a C4 right? I don't know if the tranny is original but the shifter says cruisamatic and has the green dot beside the middle gear. Also, when starting out in green dot gear, I can't feel any shifts and the car seems to have only one gear. When I start out in the other drive gear, I feel one shift. And when cruising at say 40 or 50 mph, and I floor it, there is no kick down in either of those two gears. It just accelerates real slow. How does this tranny work?:?::?::?: Click to expand...

Attachments

?
230K members

Top Contributors this Month

Forum Listing
Marketplace
Advanced Search
Model Specific Forums
Galaxie Pages

cruise o matic help

Add to quote

im gettin a 66 tbird cruise o matic. from what i hear its most likely a floor shift. but my 64 gal is on the tree. how do i make it bolt up? pics on the conversion? also is the 66 tbird cruise o matic a green dot? hard to find info on this trans

Can you post pics of the transmission? There is another member that is wanting to swap his over to floor shift and you might be able to trade some parts.

I will be doing a floor shifter also soon( Mines a C6)

Is the car your putting this in an automatic? If it is the Galaxie's came with the green dot cruise o matic. Deb has one in her 64! It should just bolt up using the same column shifter in your car.

If it's an OEM C6 from a 66 Bird then it's a column shift, get all the linkage from the Bird if you can, also your 64 starter will not fit into the C6, you will have to get a later model starter and 184 tooth flexplate(65+) get as much as you can from the Bird. You will also have to modify the crossmember to bolt up the rear mount.

I didn't understand! It's a C6! You will need to move your transmission crossmember back Crites sells a kit then you have to adjust your emergency brake because it runs through and is attatched to the cross member. I think you will need to shorten your driveshaft too and maybe change the yoke end of it for a C6 which I not sure is different from the cruise o matic.

in the 66 tbirds most had c6's but in the early builds they came with green dot cruise o's i have all the linkage in my car for a green dot cruise o with a column shift. but need to know if 66 tbirds used floor or column shifters

Reminder- The 66 BIRD 390 could have either the MX or C6. The 66 BIRD 428 had the C6. Now here is the trick. Not all first and second year C6 was SELECT-SHIFT. Most were DUAL-RANGE (GR DOT). I am not 100% sure on the BIRD, but just a word of caution.

Only way you would know on floor or column shift if it's just the transmission only is to look at the shift lever on the transmission.

well as far as i kmow the mx case is the same as a cruise o yeah?

UTRY said: Also as previously stated, starting in 1967 all the autos were called "Select Shift" cruise-o-matics (PRND21) Click to expand...

ShotRod64 said: Yeah the same. I had an MX before this last trans, or maybe it was an FX, have it wrote down somewhere. Just it wasn't a green dot tranny. Still no biggie though, just remember not to drive it on the green dot. Click to expand...

Kultultz, reread my post..... Wouldn't the statement "ALL Ford automatics" include C6,C4,FMX,MX and FX? I said Starting in 67 All automatics were called "Select shift cruise-o-matic I never said they were all the same trannys. All domestic auto tranny equipped Ford products got the "select shift" (PRND21) starting in 67, be it a 6 cyl Falcon or a Cobra Jet Mustang. They weren't all the same tranny but they were all given the Select shift moniker. Some P.I. and Taxi got a PRND2 selector so they couldn't be taken on a Bonzai run in low gear!!! All I was trying to get across was no matter what automatic it was, Ford marketed them as Select shift cruiseos.

UTRY said: Kultultz, reread my post..... Click to expand...

I said Starting in 67 All automatics were called "Select shift cruise-o-matic I never said they were all the same trannys. Click to expand...

Kultultz, I'm always willing to learn, what 1967 Ford vehicles came with an automatic other than the Select shift cruiso

UTRY said: Kultultz, I'm always willing to learn, what 1967 Ford vehicles came with an automatic other than the Select shift cruiso Click to expand...

Kultulz, I'm of Italian heritage, I don't communicate too well either without the use of my hands..... I think we are both saying the same thing, just bringing up different points of it's morphing as the years went by..When someone says does it have a C6 or a cruise-o-matic I kinda know what they are asking, but when they are planning an installation or getting parts, one had better know what trans. they are referring to, you just can't use the term cruise-o-matic instead of C6, FMX,MX,FX or C4 when working with these units..as they all are considered by Ford as cruise-o-matics. Also in reference to the select shift date I meant the green dot trannys(dual range, multi drive) were gone with the 67 model year...

UTRY said: Kultulz, I'm of Italian heritage, I don't communicate too well either without the use of my hands..... Click to expand...

?
951.5K posts
72.3K members

Top Contributors this Month

Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

Patriarch’s Pond
Old Arbat Street
Maroseyka Street
Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography.

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita.

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

Novoslobodskaya
Mayakovskaya
Elektrozavodskaya
Komsomolskaya
Ploschad Revolyutsii
Dostoyevskaya
Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem.

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions.

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

Click Here For More City Street Guides!

(A New Guide Posted Every Other Wednesday)

Comment Here! Cancel reply

For patreon exclusive educational content:.

Limited Edition Postcard Prints!

Street Photography Workshops

Donations Always Appreciated

I'll always keep Shooter Files free for everyone, but any donations would be greatly appreciated and help me keep it going. Many thanks to everyone following along!

Cheers! -f.d. walker

Search the Files

For Exclusive Patron Content:

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring, Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya. Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya. This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war. The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station, and change onto the 3/Blue line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya. Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar. One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

R&K Insider

Join our newsletter to get exclusives on where our correspondents travel, what they eat, where they stay. Free to sign up.

21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

Featured city guides.

Most Beautiful Metro Stations in Moscow

Visiting Moscow? Get yourself a metro card and explore Moscow’s beautiful metro stations. Moscow’s world-famous metro system is efficient and a great way to get from A to B. But there is more to it; Soviet mosaic decorations, exuberant halls with chandeliers, colourful paintings and immense statues. Moscow’s metro is an attraction itself, so take half a day and dive into Moscow’s underground!

The best thing to do is to get on the brown circle (number 5) line since the most beautiful metro stations are situated on this line. The only exception is the metro stop Mayakovskaya one the green line (number 2). My suggestion is to get a map, mark these metro stops on there and hop on the metro. It helps to get an English > Russian map to better understand the names of the stops. At some of the metro stops, the microphone voice speaks Russian and English so it’s not difficult at all.

Another thing we found out, is that it’s worth taking the escalator and explore the other corridors to discover how beautiful the full station is.

Quick hotel suggestion for Moscow is the amazing Brick Design Hotel .

These are my favourite metro stations in Moscow, in order of my personal preference:

1. Mayakovskaya Station

The metro station of Mayakovskaya looks like a ballroom! Wide arches, huge domes with lamps and mosaic works make your exit of the metro overwhelming. Look up and you will see the many colourful mosaics with typical Soviet pictures. Mayakovskaya is my personal favourite and is the only stop not on the brown line but on the green line.

2. Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya metro station is famous for its yellow ceiling. An average museum is nothing compared to this stop. Splendour all over the place, black and gold, mosaic – again – and enormous chandeliers that made my lamp at home look like a toy.

3. Novoslobodskaya Station

The pillars in the main hall of Novoslobodskaya metro station have the most colourful stained glass decorations. The golden arches and the golden mosaic with a naked lady holding a baby in front of the Soviet hammer and sickle, make the drama complete.

4. Prospect Mira Station

The beautiful chandeliers and the lines in the ceiling, make Prospekt Mira an architectural masterpiece.

5. Belorusskaya Station

Prestigious arches, octagonal shapes of Socialistic Soviet Republic mosaics. The eyecatcher of Belorusskaya metro station, however, is the enormous statue of three men with long coats, holding guns and a flag.

6. Kiyevskaya Station

The metro station of Kiyevskaya is a bit more romantic than Belorusskaya and Prospect Mira. Beautiful paintings with classical decorations.

7. Taganskaya Station

At the main hall Taganskaya metro station you will find triangle light blue and white decorations that are an ode to various Russians that – I assume – are important for Russian history and victory. There is no need to explore others halls of Taganskaya, this is it.

8. Paveletskaya Station

Another and most definitely the less beautiful outrageous huge golden mosaic covers one of the walls of Paveletskaya. I would recommend taking the escalator to the exit upstairs to admire the turquoise dome and a painting of the St Basil’s Cathedral in a wooden frame.