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Sheet Metal Workers' Local No. 104

Announcements from smw 104 regarding covid-19.

Sheet Metal Workers' Local Union No. 104 spans 49 California counties from the Oregon border to Ventura County. Our membership is made up of over 9,000 highly skilled craftspeople that are trained to perform a wide selection of skills such as the production, fabrication, installation, detailing, and testing and balancing of sheet metal products and HVAC. As a group of craftspeople who stand behind our work with pride, we continue to innovate and raise the standards of our industry to new heights.

Workers Standing Together

SMW Local Union 104 works on behalf of our memberships’ best interest. Standing together to collectively bargain with our employers allows us the ability to improve working conditions and receive fair wages and benefits that our membership deserves.

Building Stronger Communities

When unions thrive, local communities do too. SMW Local Union 104 supports work opportunities in the areas that our members and their families live in. Building construction projects that have skilled and trained workers, area standard wages, and apprenticeship opportunities mean the surrounding community becomes stronger and more equitable.

Architectural

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, testing, adjusting & balancing, kitchen equipment, cad detailer, shop manufacturing, service technician, work opportunities in 49 california counties.

Throughout our 49 counties of Local 104, we are currently helping to design and build thousands of construction projects. If you’re interested in starting a career as a Union Sheet Metal Worker, click Find Locations to see which dispatch halls and training centers are closest to you.

Apprenticeship Opportunities

Training for a skilled workforce.

Possessing a solid base of knowledge and skills is crucial to working in our industry. That is why Sheet Metal Workers’ Local Union 104 provides a premier apprenticeship training program. Our program is dedicated to ensuring men and women receive the highest level of training that allows them to become a confident Union sheet metal worker.

3232 Constitution Drive

Livermore, CA 94551

(925) 314-8600

© 2019 SMWU104 — All rights reserved.

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AFM Local 104 | Salt Lake City, Utah

The AFM Local 104 offices have moved to a new location at the Labor Building located at 2261 South Redwood Road, Suite L, SLC, Utah 84119. Our contact number has also changed to 801-972-1915. From the south side of the building go through the double door and up the short flight of stairs to the first office on the right-hand side.

CURRENTLY we are operating the local remotely and will give notification when that changes and again man the office at the Labor building. The best way to reach us currently is by email.

Local and Federation sponsored booking/referral services: Local 104 assists potential live music purchasers in the 104 area to find the right artist or group for their party, wedding, festival, corporate function or any other event that requires live music. In addition, the AFM provides an international on-line referral service (free of charge to all members and potential purchasers) that is quickly becoming one of the largest Internet resources of its kind.

Signatory Booking Agents: The AFM maintains an on-line list of franchised booking agents for the US and Canada. It is also available in booklet form by contacting Local 104 or the AFM. These agents are signatories to the AFM’s Booking Agent Agreement which sets standards for legally enforceable contracts specifying negotiated fees, working conditions, and commissions.

Exclusive Member Services: AFM GoPro Music – Your Single Source For Live Music AFM GoPro Lessons – Learn From a Pro – Play Like a Pro AFM GoPro Hosting – Professional Web Hosting Services Immigration Assistance: The AFM is an international union representing professional musicians in both the United States and Canada. On behalf of its members who accept gigs across the border, the Federation works with the governments of both countries to cut through the hassle of “red tape” usually associated with obtaining work visas in either location. This assistance is available for both US and Canadian musicians. There are specialized Canadian and US forms, both formats conform to the laws of the individual countries, are easy to complete, and provide comprehensive legal protection for either single engagement or touring dates.

Claims on Default: In the event a purchaser defaults on payment to members for a contracted engagement, Local 104 and/or the AFM will work to resolve the dispute between the parties administratively. Should this prove unsuccessful, Local 104 will pay members scale wages for the engagement and the Local and/or Federation will pursue the claim through a variety of legal methods.

Pension Fund:  Members have the option of having the employer make contributions to the Pension fund of up to 15% of wages paid on their behalf. Please contact the office for more information.

Negotiated Agreements: International, national and local agreements covering all types of musical work ensure fair and timely payments as well as benefits and royalties (where applicable) for the reuse and new use of music recorded under these agreements.

Legal Contracts: A signed AFM contract offers you protection for individual engagements, steady engagements, and traveling work. The AFM has a standard form contract that all members are entitled to use. It contains the AFM seal and when properly filled out and filed with the Local, it allows the local officer to help collect payments in the case of a default. Forms are available for download from the AFM’s website, or at our office.

A.F.M. Mastercard: The A.F.M. Mastercard offers special rates, travel insurance benefits, and a special payment provision.

Legislative Representation: The AFM is actively involved at the national, state and local levels, advocating and lobbying for legislation that benefits the lives of working musicians including public funding for the arts.

International Musician Free Subscription: The International Musician is the official journal of the AFM. Published monthly and sent to all members, this informative newspaper delivers articles of current interest to professional musicians, such as educational resources, labour news, as well as audition notices and help wanted ads. The International Musician is also available online, beginning the first of each month, in the private members area of the AFM website. Members may also search online through past issues in the International Musician archives.

Equipment Insurance: Only you know the value of your instruments and equipment. Just think of the amount of money it would take to replace them. Most homeowner’s and renter’s insurance is not enough to protect you from loss, theft, or damage on location. The AFM provides access to an “All-Risk” Musical Instrument and Equipment Insurance Plan. Your instruments and music-related equipment are protected from vandalism, breakage, water, fire, lightning, and theft up to the full replacement value. If you are employed full-time, freelance, work out of your home, or are self-employed, this insurance protects the large investment you’ve made in your equipment.

A Collective Voice:

It is only through the combined efforts of members that Local 104 and the AFM are able to better the position of musicians in our society. As a collective unit, we not only have a strong voice in collective bargaining and government lobbying, but anywhere that musicians work. As a member, you will have a voice in deciding our collective future.

WHY JOIN???

The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada exists for one purpose only: to represent you. Unlike corporations or agencies, we have no bottom line. We do not answer to shareholders. We do not seek new members to make a profit (after all, we are a non-profit organization). We do not use musicians for some financial gain.We exist because musicians need help: lots of it. Musicians are always meeting with employers that seek to short-change them. Our job is to make sure that you get the best possible deal in your workplace.

Here are some of the benefits of joining the AFM:

Recording and Broadcast Dollars

Our members get serious dough for the recording and broadcasting of their music. Want to know what you’re missing? Play the AFM Recording Games and then contact EMSD: • The Motion Picture/Jingle Game • The Videotape/Live TV Game

We’ve Got your Pets Covered

Need money? A credit card? Pet insurance? AFM members take advantage of the AFL-CIO Union Privilege Program, which provides special loan rates, credit cards, legal services, and, yes, pet insurance! Job Protection–Tired of being treated like a second-class citizen by your employer? Join us. The AFM routinely fights employers that mistreat musicians. We have a staff dedicated to one thing only: protecting you and your job.Gigs, Gigs, Gigs!

The AFM has the industry’s best-kept secret: the Music Performance Trust Fund. Curious? Go to the MPTF website to learn more. Also, locals often participate in the AFM’s referral and booking program. This program provides employers with your contact information when gigs arise. AFM members get a discount for using www.BookLiveMusic.com , the premier website connecting musicians with gigs.

Finally, by meeting and networking with other musicians in the AFM, you can increase your contacts and opportunities for employment.

FREE Subscription to INTERNATIONAL MUSICIAN Tired of reading music? Take a break and relax your eyes with a copy of the AFM’s award-winning monthly magazine. International Musician is loaded with audition ads and career advice.

Break a tuba? Break a leg? Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. View insurance plan.

One day you’ll want to retire. We’ll be there. AFM musicians are eligible to participate in AFM pension funds. The AFM Employers’ Pension Welfare Funds are among the most secure pension plans in the entertainment industry. They offer normal and early retirement, death, and disability payments.

Not enough? Then call us already! Tell us what we can do for you.

Local 104 Office at: 801-972-1915 or email at: [email protected]

Business Agent: David Sharp AFM, Local 104 801-972-1915

Secretary-Treasurer: Krista B. Baker AFM, Local104 801-972-1915

Sharon Tonge, Membership Benefits Coordinator E-mail – [email protected] Phone – (212) 869-1330 ext 214

Sahid Fawaz, Managing Director/Assistant to the President E-mail – [email protected] Phone – (212) 869-1330 ext 229

JOIN LOCAL 104 NOW!

Are you ready for a new career?

New low gwp or a2l certification available, news & events.

Approval on Heat Pump and Heat Pump Water Heaters Training 19 Mar at 5:07 pm

New Low GWP or A2L Certification Available 14 Mar at 6:05 pm

Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 Apprenticeship Training Program Outreach 12 Jan at 7:09 pm

We’ve Moved

Our Livermore facility is now open! We have moved out of the San Leandro facility and are operating out of our Livermore facility.

Travis Air Force Base sheet metal workers visit Local 104 Bay Area Industry Training Fund November 7, 2023

Bias and Belonging Train-the-Trainer program visits Local 104 October 19, 2023

Livermore Facility Hosts Fire Professionals October 10, 2023

Students participate summer intro to sheet metal industry July 10, 2023

Dusty Robotics FieldPrinter training course June 1, 2023

USS Hornet Field Trip May 2, 2023

Members hone skills, create new detailing opportunities with Revit courses May 2, 2023

Why Consider a Sheet Metal Apprenticeship with Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 Bay Area Industry Training Fund?

For far too long college has been the only option encouraged as a path to a successful career. If you are seeking a job that make a difference, jobs with work/life balance, careers with mentors and an industry that values diversity in the workplace, the prospects are beyond bright in the sheet metal industry. As earnings in many industries lag, the outlook for construction tech careers continues to climb.

Through both on-the-job training and hands-on high-tech classroom instruction, apprentices learn in-demand skills that prepare them for secure jobs. Sheet metal is full of options for people who want to find lucrative careers in tech who may not want to go to college. Instead of racking up college debt, they can earn while they learn through apprenticeships as they prepare for well-paid careers in construction; heating, ventilating and air conditioning; testing, adjusting and balancing; fire life safety and more. These are careers with social change, careers with financial stability and good jobs for teams.

SHEET METAL WORKERS' UNION

LOCAL UNION NO.104

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We are local 104.

Sheet Metal Workers' Local Union No. 104 spans 49 California counties from the Oregon border to Ventura County. Our membership is made up of over 9,000 highly skilled craftspeople that are trained to perform a wide selection of skills such as the production, fabrication, installation, detailing, and testing and balancing of sheet metal products and HVAC. As a group of craftspeople who stand behind our work with pride, we continue to innovate and raise the standards of our industry to new heights.

Featured products

"union made, union paid" zip-up, smw local 104 - 120 years strong t-shirt, 2023 "sheet metal workers" snapback, smw local 104 domino set, long sleeve high visibility smart 104 t-shirt, high visibility smart 104 "traditional" t-shirt, smart 104 "traditional" t-shirt, these hands build union crew neck, show your union pride.

We invite Local 104 members and their families, and other supporters of organized labor, to purchase our Local 104-branded merchandise. When you use or wear Local 104-branded items, you are representing organized labor, so make a good impression! Please be advised that Local 104 carefully protects its name and logos against misuse, including but not limited to wearing or otherwise using Local 104-branded items to falsely represent that a person or business is affiliated with Local 104. Local 104 reserves the right to pursue all available legal remedies to prohibit misuse of its name and logos. 

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Over the years, SMART has fought to win competitive wages and benefits for union workers across the U.S. and Canada. From representation to retirement benefits and career development that ensures the future takes you as far as your ambition takes you, SMART not only covers every type of benefit available; in some cases, it has been the first to pioneer their use. Below is a listing and a summary of just a few of the myriad benefits available to you as a member of SMART.

Sheet Metal Benefits

Employment benefits, stabilization agreement of the sheet metal industry (sasmi).

The National Stabilization Agreement of the Sheet Metal Industry Trust Fund, commonly referred to as SASMI, is unique to SMART. The trust fund was originally designed to assist sheet metal workers during periods of unemployment or underemployment — and that’s still the case — but over the years, it has expanded to include even more benefits for members, with no equal in the union or nonunion side of the sheet metal industry.

SASMI Unemployment Benefits

If you are out of work, or if you work less than the average number of hours in your local union and are receiving state unemployment compensation benefits, SASMI benefits can help by supplementing your pay. This benefit is available if you are ready to work, are seeking suitable employment in the sheet metal industry, and are receiving or are eligible to receive, state unemployment compensation.

SASMI Underemployment Benefit

If you are working fewer hours — less than the average number of hours in your local union — but you are not receiving state unemployment compensation benefits because you are ill, injured or temporarily disabled, SASMI benefits can help by supplementing your pay.

SASMI Travel Benefit

If you are an active member in good standing and have been referred through the International Job Bank, you may be eligible for a travel benefit through SASMI. This benefit can pay you up to $1,125 if you need to travel for work because you are unemployed or threatened with unemployment in your home local union.

SASMI Death Benefit

If you have at least five years of future service credit with a minimum of one hour of paid contributions after January 1, 2010 and you were eligible when you die, your beneficiary may be eligible for a death benefit.

SASMI Welfare Benefit

When a lack of hours threatens your health insurance coverage, SASMI will make payments to your local union health plan on your behalf to continue coverage for you and your family. Note that SASMI does not pay to establish eligibility.

SASMI Retirement Benefits

Although most members know SASMI for its assistance during their careers, SASMI is also “there for you later” — as in, during your retirement. The SASMI benefits you may be eligible to receive in retirement depend on when you worked in the industry and when you retired. These include a severance benefit , based on your past and future service, as well as a Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) and a service based HCRA .

Maternity Benefit

If you are unable to work because you are pregnant or recently had a baby, you may be eligible to receive a weekly SASMI Maternity Benefit for up to 12 weeks per pregnancy. The benefit is 60% of your average hourly wage multiplied by your regular work hours.

The maternity benefit can begin as early as four weeks before your expected delivery date. In certain circumstances, you may be eligible for the benefit to begin earlier, if your inability to work is certified by a licensed physician or midwife who is providing for your care during your pregnancy.

Annual Physical Benefit

Detect and treat health problems before they become serious by making preventive care exams and screenings an annual priority.

SASMI’s Annual Physical Benefit encourages you and your family to stay on top of your preventive care. Members can receive $200 per calendar year for their own physical exam, and $100 for covered family members (up to a maximum of $600 total per family, per calendar year) just for getting a routine checkup. If you need to miss work to get your exam or if you have out-of-pocket incidental expenses, this benefit can help replace any income you’ve lost.

While health plans cover many preventive care services at 100% under the Affordable Care Act, there may be additional costs associated with a routine physical (like certain tests and screenings as well as mileage and time away from work) that may not be covered. That’s when the Annual Physical Benefit may come in handy.

Benevolent Relief Benefit

In times of extraordinary circumstances, such as floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters, the SASMI Board of Trustees has authorized “Benevolent Relief” to aid SASMI participants. Recently the trustees authorized payments for participants who were unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Benevolent Relief

In times of extraordinary circumstances, such as floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters, the SASMI Board of Trustees has authorized “Benevolent Relief” to aid SASMI participants. Recently the Trustees authorized payments for participants who were unemployed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

For example, if your hourly wage is $30, 60% would be $18. If your regular work week hours are 40 (as defined in your collective bargaining agreement), your weekly benefit would be $720 (18 x 40).

The time you’re receiving maternity benefits will be considered working 60% of a regular work week for the purposes of determining your eligibility for Supplemental Unemployment or Underemployment benefits.

To apply for maternity benefits, log into the member portal  here . You must file your application no later than 12 weeks after the birth of your child/end of the pregnancy to claim benefits.

SASMI’s Annual Physical Benefit encourages you and your family to stay on top of your preventive care. Members can receive $200 per calendar year for their own physical exam, and $100 for covered family members (up to a maximum of $600 total per family, per calendar year), just for getting a routine checkup. If you need to miss work to get your exam or if you have out-of-pocket incidental expenses, this benefit can help replace any income you’ve lost.

Protecting Your Retirement

SMART sheet metal workers have access to defined benefit and defined contribution plans. The Sheet Metal Workers’ National Pension Fund is the largest defined benefit pension fund, with members contributing and receiving benefits from across the United States. 

About the SM National Pension Fund

The Sheet Metal Workers’ National Pension Fund is a multi-employer, defined benefit pension plan. The plan exists to provide union members with a continuing source of funds during their retirement years.

What is a multi-employer pension plan?

A multi-employer pension plan operates when a group of employers pool their funds together to provide a pension benefit for its participants.

What is a defined benefit plan?

A defined benefit plan is a plan which provides union members with a specific monthly benefit after having met vesting requirements associated with the plan. Funding for the pension plan comes entirely from employer contributions, negotiated under a collective bargaining agreement, and investment earnings on its funds.

Who oversees the National Pension Fund?

The funds are governed by a board of trustees equally divided between union and employer representatives.

A fund administrator who oversees the daily operations of the fund reports to the board of trustees. Professional investment managers are hired to manage the assets of the fund, in accordance with the rules and guidelines set by the fund’s board of trustees.

How are my pension benefits calculated?

Your pension is calculated based upon the contributions made by your employer to the fund and the years of service you accrue as a member of SMART. You do not receive a pension benefit until after you have retired and have achieved vested status – meaning you have earned the non-forfeitable right to a pension at normal retirement age. The board of trustees, staff and professionals manage the plan with the singular goal of providing the maximum possible benefit to members who have devoted their careers to the sheet metal industry.

Transportation Benefits

TD members are among the best-paid employees in organized labor, and on many properties the union protects seniority rights, meaning that the longer a member works, the better his or her choice of jobs and working locations and protection against layoffs.

Employment benefits

TD members are all covered by contracts that specify job responsibilities, working conditions and pay on their properties. The contracts are legally enforceable through established grievance procedures.

Federal law governs the hours of service for rail workers, who cannot be forced to work more than 12 hours a day, and mandates time off for meals and rest. Bus, airline and other members’ hours are also governed by federal regulations.

Health Insurance

TD members have comprehensive health and dental insurance plans, as well as unemployment and sickness benefits to protect them in case of layoff or prolonged illness. Depending on their labor agreements, bus and other transportation members also enjoy many of these benefits.

Discipline Income Protection Program (DIPP)

This plan, abbreviated as DIPP, provides payment for a specific amount and period of time to an employee suspended, dismissed or removed from service by a carrier for alleged violation of rules or operating procedures, provided that such violations do not come within the list of exceptions not covered by the program. Members in the plan choose the level of benefits wanted at low monthly assessments. The term of benefits, from 200 to 365 days, depends on how long a member has been enrolled in the program.

SMART VSTD (Voluntary Short-Term Disability)

The Voluntary Short-Term Disability (VSTD) plan, self-funded by SMART and administered by Southern Benefits Administrators, Inc., provides a basic “safety net” of coverage for members and is designed to work in combination with state-mandated disability programs.

Specific coverage varies for rail and bus members. The monthly cost of coverage is collected through payroll deduction.

New SMART TD members will be enrolled automatically unless they choose to opt out of the plan by submitting a waiver form to the SMART TD office.

Additional plan documents and information are available in the Member Portal.

• Bus members
• Rail members

If you have any questions regarding the program, Call:  1-844-880-1071 Email:  [email protected] Website:   https://www.smart-vstd.com Contact information flyer

SMART VLTD (Voluntary Long-Term Disability)

Voluntary Long-term Disability (VLTD) insurance helps TD members who live in the United States protect their income if an accident or illness puts a sudden stop to a member’s ability to work and helps to ensure that bills will be covered and families will be provided for in the event of an accident or illness.

SMART Transportation Division members now have the chance to get up to five times the prior guaranteed coverage in the union’s VLTD plan. Beginning March 1, 2023, Sun Life Financial took over administration of the VLTD Plan and provides the 24-hour coverage plan participants enjoy with up to $5,000 of guaranteed approved tax-free coverage. Only U.S. residents are eligible to participate in the VLTD program.

For plan inquiries or to enroll: Call:  224-770-5328 Email:  [email protected] Website:   www.smart-vltd.com

Legislative representation

Members are represented on a local, state and national basis by leaders experienced in negotiation and thoroughly familiar with all aspects of labor law, contracts, work rules and national labor trends. On Capitol Hill and in state capitals throughout the nation, the TD National Legislative Department functions not only through its elected officers but also through member participation in the SMART TD Political Action Committee (TD PAC) , a voluntary political action group that works on behalf of transportation labor interests at the local, state and federal levels.

Transportation Division Alumni Association

Retired members, spouses or their widows/widowers are eligible to enroll in the SMART TD Alumni Association , a program of benefits including continued receipt of the SMART Transportation Division News and other perks for a low-cost annual dues payment.

Become a SMART Member

Take the next step on your journey towards a rewarding career. Learn how you can become a SMART member.

Member Voices

Hear about the union directly from SMART members themselves.

Longtime Amtrak conductor Carol Jones — who is also a local chairperson with SMART TD Local 1361 out of New Haven, Conn. — shares her story of coming up in the transportation industry and working as a pioneering woman in the passenger rail sector.

Ticket prices and travelcards

Fares for Moscow's public transport network are the same for every mode of transport making it really easy to travel. See all the different tickets here !

Troika Ticket

This is the most economical option if you're spending a few days in the Russian capital. The card can be purchased and recharged at various station machines or even with the special Moscow Metro application. Your balance can be checked on the app or in the small yellow terminals inside the metro stations. A trip works out at ₽ 42 ( US$ 0.40), but if you change transport within 90 minutes, you'll only pay ₽ 23 ( US$ 0.20) for the next trip.

The day ticket for the Moscow metro can be purchased at any of the stops in the city. The price is ₽ 265 ( US$ 2.80) per day and ₽ 500 ( US$ 5.30) for three days.

90-Minute Ticket

The most convenient card if you want to take several types of transport within an hour and a half period. It costs  ₽ 65 ( US$ 0.70) per person and allows one metro ride and an unlimited number of trips on other types of public transport in Moscow during the time of its duration.

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Moscow's crazy traffic and its excellent metro network mean that the city's buses and trolleybuses aren't the number one option for tourists.

Where to stay

Moscow has a wide range of accommodation: find the perfect district for you and book hotels, hostels and apartments at the best possible price.

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.

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April 14, 2024 - Iran's attack on Israel

By Jerome Taylor, Heather Chen , James Legge, Sophie Tanno, Emma Tucker , Kaanita Iyer , Paul LeBlanc , Catherine Nicholls, Maureen Chowdhury , Antoinette Radford and Eve Rothenberg, CNN

Our live coverage of Iran's attack on Israel has moved  here .

India calls on Iran to release 17 Indian crew members on board seized container ship 

From CNN's Sandi Sidhu in Hong Kong 

India has called on Iran to release 17 Indian crew members on board a container ship seized by Iran on Saturday. 

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that he spoke to his Iranian counterpart Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and "took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries."

Four Filipino seamen were also on board the ship, according to the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers.

The department said it was working with its government, the ship owner, and the operator to release the captured seafarers.

On Saturday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized an Israeli-linked container ship in a helicopter operation near the Strait of Hormuz, state news agency IRNA reported. 

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) said there were 25 crew members on board.

Japanese prime minister condemns Iran's attack on Israel

From CNN's Junko Ogura in Tokyo 

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sunday said he "strongly condemns" Iran's missile and drone attack on Israel.

"(The attack) further aggravates the current situation in the Middle East. We are deeply concerned and strongly condemn such an escalation," Kishida told reporters.

Kishida said Japan would continue diplomatic efforts to "prevent the situation from worsening and to calm the situation down," and "respond in cooperation with other countries."

Blinken calls British and German counterparts following Iran's attack on Israel

From CNN's Philip Wang 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his counterparts from the United Kingdom and Germany on Sunday following Iran's attack on Israel, according to readouts from the State Department. 

All parties agreed "the importance of condemning Iran's attack in the strongest possible terms and preventing further escalation," the readout said. 

Blinken earlier held phone calls with his counterparts from Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia , in which he emphasized the importance of avoiding escalation in the Middle East and of "a coordinated diplomatic response."

US forces destroyed more than 80 attack drones from Iran and Yemen, Central Command says

From CNN's Philip Wang

US forces intercepted more than 80 one-way attack drones and at least six ballistic missiles from Iran and Yemen during its attack on Israel, according to a statement from the Central Command.

The operation included destroying a ballistic missile on its launcher vehicle and seven drones on the ground in Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, CENTCOM said. 

"Iran's continued unprecedented, malign, and reckless behavior endangers regional stability and the safety of U.S. and coalition forces," the statement added. 

Israeli and Iranian ambassadors trade accusations during UN Security Council session

From Abel Alvarado in Atlanta

Israel and Iran’s United Nations ambassadors condemned each other’s actions during Sunday’s UN Security Council emergency session called to address Iran’s attack on Israel.

Israel’s UN ambassador Gilad Erdan said Iran "must be stopped before it drives the world to a point of no return, to a regional war that can escalate to a world war." Erdan accused Iran of seeking world domination and that its attack proved that Tehran "cares nothing, nothing for Islam or Muslims" before pulling out a tablet to show a video of Israel intercepting Iranian drones above Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Erdan called on the UN Security Council to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terror organization.

“Action must be taken now, not for Israel's sake, not for the region's sake, but for the world's sake. Stop Iran today."

Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said his country’s operation was "entirely in the exercise of Iran’s inherent right to self-defense, as outlined in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and recognized by international law."

Iravani said:

"This concluded action was necessary and proportionate," adding that the operation was “precise and only targeted military objectives” to reduce the potential of escalation and to prevent civilian harm. “Iran is never seeking to contribute to the spillover of the conflict in the region, nor does it to escalate or spread the tension to the entire region," he said.

Tehran’s attack had been anticipated since  a suspected Israeli strike  on an Iranian diplomatic complex in Syria earlier this month.

Iravani added Iran has “no intention of engaging in conflict with the US in the region” but warned Iran will use its “inherent right to respond proportionately” should the US initiate a military operation against “Iran, its citizens or its security.”

Israeli war cabinet says it's ready to respond to Iran's attack but delays immediate action. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

The hours-long Israeli war cabinet meeting ended Sunday night without a decision on how Israel will respond to Iran’s missile and drone attack , an Israeli official said.

The cabinet is determined to respond — but has yet to decide on the timing and scope and the official said the military has been tasked with coming up with additional options for a response.

Separately, a senior Biden administration official told reporters that an Israeli official told the United States that it's not looking to significantly escalate the showdown with Iran.

CNN analyst Barak Ravid said Israeli ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot advocated for swift action, but US President Joe Biden's phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led to a decision to delay the response until the next day. 

Here are the latest headlines:

• Retaliation is over, Iran told US: Iran privately messaged the United States that its retaliation against Israel had concluded, echoing what Tehran said publicly, according to a senior administration official. Late Saturday, Iran said its attack on Israel is a response to Israel's strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, and "the matter can be deemed concluded." However, President Ebrahim Raisi said any “new aggression against the interests of the Iranian nation will be met with a heavier and regrettable response,” according to Iran’s state news channel IRIB. 
• United Nations response: UN Secretary-General António Guterres  called for a de-escalation of violence after Iran’s attack. Guterres said the United Nations and member countries have a “shared responsibility” to engage “all parties concerned to prevent further escalation.” He also called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict. “Neither the region nor the world can afford more war,” he said.
• G7 and others: Amid a flurry of diplomatic activity in response to Iran's attack, the G7 nations said they would work together to "stabilize the situation" in the Middle East, according to a statement from Biden. Also, Jordan summoned Iran's ambassador in Amman on Sunday after it intercepted Iranian drones over the country.
• Meanwhile in Gaza: As thousands of Palestinians were turned away from returning to their homes in northern Gaza on Sunday, a 5-year-old girl was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers, her mother said. Video showed a man carrying a 5-year-old girl named Sally Abu Laila, who was bleeding from her head, with people crowding around her in panic trying to cover her wound.

Also on Sunday:

• Israel decided to lift its restrictions on large gatherings and to reopen schools on Monday.
• The US Department of Homeland Security has not identified any “specific or credible threats” to the US since Iran attacked Israel.

Blinken calls Turkish, Egyptian, Jordanian and Saudi counterparts following Iran's attack 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday spoke with his counterparts in Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia following Iran's attacks in Israel, according to readouts from the State Department. 

During his phone calls, Blinken emphasized the importance of avoiding escalation in the region and the importance of "a coordinated diplomatic response."

In his conversation with Jordan and Egypt, Blinken also underlined the significance of achieving an "enduring end to the crisis in Gaza."

Iran will be held responsible if any action is taken against the US or Israel, deputy ambassador warns

From CNN’s Abel Alvarado

The United States warned Iran against taking any action against the US or Israel during the UN Security Council emergency session over Iran’s attack on Israel.

“Let me be clear, if Iran or its proxies take actions against the US or further action against Israel, Iran will be held responsible,” US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said Sunday.

The United States is “not seeking escalation, our actions have been purely defensive in nature,” adding that the “best way to prevent such escalation is an unambiguous condemnation of the council of Iran’s unprecedented large-scale attack,” he said.

The envoy reiterated US support for Israel and condemned Iran’s attack. “Iran’s intent was to cause significant damage and death in Israel,” Wood said.

Wood also said the UN Security Council had an “obligation to not let Iran’s actions go unanswered.”

“For far too long, Iran has flagrantly violated its international legal obligations,” he said before listing occasions Iran has violated UN Security Council resolutions and international law.

Wood accused Iran of being in a “broad sense complicit” of the October 7 attack on Israel by providing “significant funding and training for the military wing of Hamas.”

He added the US will explore "additional measures to hold Iran accountable here in the UN.”

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