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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission

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The trains and stations of the Moscow Metro

2 Comments · Posted by Alex Smirnov in Cities , Travel , Video

The Moscow Metro is the third most intensive subway system in the world after Tokyo and Seoul subways. The first line was opened on May 15, 1935. Since 1955, the metro has the name of V.I. Lenin.

The system consists of 12 lines with a total length of 305.7 km. Forty four stations are recognized cultural heritage. The largest passenger traffic is in rush hours from 8:00 to 9:00 and from 18:00 to 19:00.

Cellular communication is available on most of the stations of the Moscow Metro. In March 2012, a free Wi-Fi appeared in the Circle Line train. The Moscow Metro is open to passengers from 5:20 to 01:00. The average interval between trains is 2.5 minutes.

The fare is paid by using contactless tickets and contactless smart cards, the passes to the stations are controlled by automatic turnstiles. Ticket offices and ticket vending machines can be found in station vestibules.

Tags:  Moscow city

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Tomás · August 27, 2012 at 11:34 pm

The Moscow metro stations are the best That I know, cars do not.

Alberto Calvo · September 25, 2016 at 8:57 pm

Great videos! Moscow Metro is just spectacular. I actually visited Moscow myself quite recently and wrote a post about my top 7 stations, please check it out and let me know what you think! :)

http://www.arwtravels.com/blog/moscow-metro-top-7-stations-you-cant-miss

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American Airlines Reveals New Details on Suite Seats — Including a New ‘Preferred’ Front-row Seat

It's perks on perks on perks with this seat.

Courtesy of American Airlines

American Airlines is about to make business class even more comfortable with the introduction of a "preferred" front-row suite.

The new Flagship Suite Preferred seat will be available in the first row of the aircraft and will offer more space, several storage areas, and exclusive amenities, American Airlines shared with Travel + Leisure . The seat will be available on the airline's new Boeing 787-9 aircraft and on retrofitted 777-300 aircraft.

"We thoughtfully curate each element of the onboard experience so every customer can look forward to the time they spend in flight," Kim Cisek, American's vice president of customer Experience, said in a statement shared with T+L. "Part of the magic of travel is connecting our customers to the people and experiences that matter most to them. We're taking that concept to the skies by introducing a new, dynamic onboard program that's inspired by feedback from our customers and team members."

The "preferred" suite will feature a Nest Bedding mattress pad, a throw blanket, a memory foam lumbar pillow, and Nest Bedding pajamas to promote restful sleep at 30,000 feet. The suite will also come with an exclusive amenity kit complete with skincare products from Thirteen Lune by Joanna Vargas and Relevant (and more skincare products than other business-class kits).

The new seat setup is similar to JetBlue's front-row Mint Studio seats , which are larger versions of its Mint Suite business class seats.

Beyond this upgraded seat experience, American revealed new details about its Flagship Suite, which the airline first announced in 2022 . The lie-flat seats, which will be rolled out on its Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300, and Airbus A321XLR aircraft, will feature wireless charging, Bluetooth connectivity, multiple storage areas, direct-aisle access, and privacy doors.

American is also upgrading its premium economy seats with perks like wireless charging and privacy headrest wings. Main cabin travelers will also have access to Bluetooth connectivity and both AC and USB-A/USB-C charging ports.

In addition to the new seat features, American is also introducing a dual-sided pillow in first and business class, featuring a cool side and a traditional fabric side.

The cabin refresh comes months after the airline revamped its loyalty program , introducing "members-only" benefits for AAdvantage frequent fliers . These benefits include free same-day standby for earlier domestic flights, free 24-hour ticket holds, and the ability to purchase one-day Admirals Club and Flagship First lounge passes. AAdvantage members who book through the airline can also cancel basic economy tickets for a fee.

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13 Loose and Comfortable Midi Dresses to Wear on the Airplane

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If you look around the airport, you’ll notice two extremes: people are either dressed to the nines or are decked in the comfiest of comfy clothes — we’re talking oversized sweatpants, hoodies and chunky sneakers. We applaud the people who choose to dress up, whether for business or for personal reasons, but it’s easy to look at them and say, “Wow — as much as I love fashion, that could never be me!”

Maybe you’re thinking it would be nice to meet somewhere in the middle; you don’t need to dress like you’re about to meet the president, but you also don’t need to appear as though you just rolled out of bed. If you want to be stylish and ultra-comfortable at the same time, loose midi dresses are a secret life hack!

The midi length will keep your legs warm enough if the flight gets chilly, but won’t cause them to overheat like sweatpants sometimes do. Plus, it’s easy to layer a cardigan sweater over the dress for upper body temperature control. You won’t be too hot or too cold in a loose midi dress, nor will you be poked, squeezed or itched. We told you — wearing a loose midi dress to travel is a total life hack!

Check out 13 of our absolute favorite midi dresses that’ll keep you comfy, cozy and perfectly temperate…not to mention totally trendy.

Related: 18 Transitional Weather Cardigans for When Short Sleeves Aren't Enough

1. Classy gal: A jean jacket would make this the perfect on and off-the-plane outfit. You’ll stun the TSA line — $40 !

2. Going casual:  Oversized button-up shirts are a hot commodity in the fashion world right now…here’s one in dress form — $43 !

3. Pretty printed:  Leopard print is just one of the many pattern options. Like Sharpay Evans, we want them all — $43 !

4. Flower girl:  We’re not saying you’ll be getting married on the plane, but don’t be surprised if you get a proposal — $44 !

5. Button up:  Whether you’re deplaning to a business meeting or the beach, you’ll be properly dressed — $38 !

6. Slightly nautical:  Something about blue and white vertical stripes screams yacht wife. Decorative tassels are just a bonus — $40 !

7. Fun and functional:  You would never know this flowy frock has secret pockets — and yes, they fit passports — $33 !

8. Linen look:  Linen gives this dress a lightweight, airy feel. For a full boho look , try wearing it with a leather handbag — $42 !

Related: These 13 Quiet Luxury Beige Sets Are Under $25 at Walmart

9. Simplicity wins:  The simple design makes it easy to layer this v-neck dress with any cardigan you have in your closet — $30 !

10. Flattering fit:  A cinch around the waist slims your midsection while the loose fit keeps it comfy — $43 !

11. Beachy beauty:  There are 22 different colors to choose from in this short-sleeve tiered midi dress…good luck choosing just one — $28 !

12. Cap sleeves:  When you put on this dress, we’re pretty sure you’ll spin and dance. Wear it with sneakers for a quiet luxury vibe — $45 !

13. Ruffles, ruffles:  Be careful — this bright and sunny dress might cause an aisle block up. Grab it in a patterned or solid variety — $33 !

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Overwater bungalows started as a bottom-tier accommodation. Today, they're a status symbol in the luxury travel world.

• Overwater bungalows originated nearly 60 years ago in Tahiti.
• The first rooms cost $240 a night. Today, experts say they're a staple in the luxury travel market.
• The accommodations have since expanded in region, size, and amenities.

The first overwater bungalow had a thatched roof, a window peering into the ocean, and a ladder leading into the water.

Fast-forward 60 years, and overwater villas can now feature multi-story water slides, infinity pools, and personal butlers. They can also cost upwards of $8,000 a night at some of the world's ritziest resorts.

There's no doubt the accommodation style has expanded since its start in Tahiti in 1967, and travel experts agree they aren't going away anytime soon. Instead, the overwater villa has become a status symbol of luxury travel.

The start of the overwater bungalows

In 1959, three Americans left California for Tahiti's lush landscapes and crystal waters.

The men — Jay Carlisle, Hugh Kelley, and Donald McCallum — relocated with plans to start vanilla farming. When they learned the land they purchased wasn't suitable for vanilla, they turned to hospitality, Vaihiria Kelley, the daughter of Hugh Kelley, told Business Insider.

They purchased a four-room, run-down property on the island of Moorea and named it Bali Hai. The trio became known as the Bali Hai Boys.

Their timing was ideal, Kelley said. Shortly after renovating the hotel, a new airport connected international travelers to Tahiti, which had previously only been accessible by boat. In 1962, Life Magazine wrote a seven-page feature on Tahiti and the Bali Hai Boys. Tourism boomed.

After that, the men purchased two more hotels on two other islands.

As the hotels grew in popularity, they needed to grow in size. Two of the properties had the land to expand, but the third hotel on the island of Raiatea didn't, Kelley said. Instead, it was surrounded by roads, neighboring resorts, and the ocean.

"The overwater bungalow didn't start out of, 'Oh, let's think of something really innovative,'" Kelley said. "It really came out of a need."

Without land to expand, the ocean was their only option. Nearby, on the island of Huahine, traditional Tahitian fishing huts lined the coast.

That's where the trio found their inspiration, Kelley said. The basic fishing huts sat on coconut trunk pillars and had thatched roofs. Mimicking the style, they built three overwater bungalows to join the garden and pool bungalows that also filled the Raiatea property in 1967.

Kelley said the men assumed the overwater bungalows were the least desirable at the time and priced them at just $240 a day , including meals.

"They didn't expect that it would be so popular," Kelley said.

Vacationers were enchanted by falling asleep to the sound of the ocean and waking up to dive straight into the water. After realizing they had a successful concept, Kelley said the Bali Hai Boys began adding overwater bungalows to their two other properties. It wasn't long before other resorts on islands across French Polynesia started copying the design.

Kelley, who grew up in Moorea, remembers watching her dad welcome guests to the hotel. Celebrities and actors traveled across the world to sleep in the overwater bungalows.

"When you see the pictures now, you think, 'Oh my God, it's very '70s," Kelley said. "But for that time, it was very luxurious."

Nearly 60 years later, it remains a luxurious vacation, Ronan McLoughlin, the owner of Dream Overwater Bungalows , a website that compiles resorts around the world, told BI.

Today, there are about 250 resorts that offer accommodations over the water, with many being four or five-star resorts.

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The original resort on Raiatea has since closed, but Kelley said she sees a bit of her dad's vision each time she sees an overwater bungalow.

While the concept has existed for decades, experts say it remains a luxury staple

Jason Toms has spent the last four years helping travelers build tailor-made vacations in the Maldives at the luxury travel company Audley Travel .

And if someone is traveling to the Maldives, chances are they're looking to sleep in an overwater villa.

"It's the signature way to stay in the Maldives," Toms told BI. "My clients, who are typically traveling from the US, 95% are asking for overwater villas."

Lucy Rudgard, the senior oceans and islands expert at the luxury tour operator Scott Dunn , agreed, adding that the appeal of overwater stays goes beyond just the Maldives.

"It's always No. 1 on people's list," she said, noting that travelers are also willing to pay a lot for the experience of sleeping above water. In destinations like the Maldives and Bora Bora, overwater villas can cost twice as much as a beachside resort.

For Rudgard's clients, the entry cost for a week in an overwater villa might be around $30,000, but she estimates some clients have spent more than $250,000 for overwater vacations.

McLoughlin said these high costs are also partly why the accommodations have remained a luxury staple.

"There's a status to it as well because they're automatically expensive in most places," McLoughlin said since it can be expensive to build the bungalows.

On top of that, it's no easy feat for many US travelers to get to some of these faraway destinations, which adds another layer of luxury to the accommodation.

"If you were to be seen in an overwater bungalow, it meant that either you're in the Maldives or in Bora Bora or somewhere fancy," McLoughlin said.

Overwater resorts continue to pop up around the world

For decades, overwater bungalows were largely limited to the Maldives and French Polynesia. But within the last eight years, the concept has expanded to the Caribbean , a destination much closer to most Americans.

But building an overwater bungalow in the Caribbean can be a hard task to accomplish, Danny Kalenov, the developer behind Six Senses Belize , an overwater bungalow resort that's set to open in 2026, told BI.

Places like the Maldives and Bora Bora are ideal for overwater bungalows because they are dotted with lagoons, atolls, and calm waters. Plus, hurricanes are few and far between.

As the vacation style became one that everyone dreamed of, builders were determined to offer the experience of sleeping above water in the Caribbean.

In 2016, the Sandals Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, became the first overwater bungalow resort in the area .

"Now, they've started to pop up everywhere in the last seven or six years," McLoughlin said.

Today, Dream Overwater has cataloged nine Caribbean locations home to more than a dozen overwater bungalow resorts.

According to Kalenov, the demand for the experience is still high, with Americans wanting to travel closer to home. That's why the luxury hotel brand Six Senses is building a private island resort with 40 overwater villas off Belize's Ambergris Caye.

The company is using a custom-built barge made specifically for shallow water and specialized equipment. Kalenov compared the process to "filling a swimming pool with a teaspoon."

And while the construction might be more challenging than a traditional resort, he said the end product — and experience he's creating — will be worth it.

It's not just Six Senses that's betting on overwater villas. Royalton Chic Antigua is set to open this spring with 12 overwater suites, and Sandals in St. Vincent and the Grenadines opened at the end of March with 10 two-story villas starting at $1,570-a-person per night.

"We believe that this type of experience is the future of luxury travel and the future of hospitality in general," Kalenov said.

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Road Trips: How to Plan an Accessible Getaway

By Syren Nagakyrie

Planning an accessible road trip is getting a little easier for people with disabilities. There are more resources created by and for the disability community, and the tourism industry is starting to recognize the value of accessible travel. As a disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent person, I take road trips every year and have learned some tips and tricks along the way.

Renting a vehicle

Most major car companies offer adaptive driving devices for their vehicles at no additional cost. Enterprise , for example, offers hand controls, left foot accelerators, pedal extenders and spinner knobs to facilitate steering. Budget can provide hand controls, spinner knobs, a panoramic mirror, swivel seats and transfer boards. Be prepared to request adaptive devices at least three business days in advance.

For a wheelchair-accessible van with a ramp or a lift, rent from a mobility company like BraunAbility , one of the largest builders of wheelchair-accessible vans in the country, with rentals at many locations. MobilityWorks , an accessible-vehicle and adaptive-equipment dealer, has rental locations in 34 states. AccessibleGO , which offers a one-stop shop for adapted rental cars and wheelchair-accessible vans, has agreements with 100 wheelchair van rental locations nationwide; request a quote on their website. For accessibleGO’s rental cars, you can request hand controls and a spinner knob at checkout.

Route planning

You can use Google Maps, Waze and MapQuest for initial accessibility research using photos and street view. Google Maps provides directions for some wheelchair-accessible pedestrian and transit routes.

Sites such as Roadtrippers and Furkot can plot an entire itinerary. While these websites are not disability specific, they are invaluable tools. (Roadtrippers does have a wheelchair-accessible check box in the search function.) You can filter by types of destinations such as national parks or museums, and search for hotels and campgrounds. Furkot allows you to input how long you want to drive each day, whether you want to travel on Interstate highways or take more scenic roads. The app will determine the best route and length of time between stops, and suggest where to stay overnight.

Finding lodging

While hotels and other accommodations are required to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act, many hotels do not meet all accessibility needs. Most of the booking sites list hotels with accessible rooms for those with mobility, hearing and vision needs, but this information is not always verified. Do additional research on review sites and look for photos. Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton and Fairmont hotels offer allergy-friendly and scent-free rooms in some locations. Call the hotel to verify accessibility and to make sure a specific room is reserved for you.

Vacation rentals are typically not required to be A.D.A. compliant, but some do provide accessibility information. Airbnb recently rolled out an adapted category with accessibility search features and homes that have been scanned for accessibility. Review photos and contact the host for more information. Some hosts will make accommodations, such as changing the cleaning supplies or shifting furniture, but document your request using the in-app messaging system so that customer service can help if you run into issues.

Wheel the World is an accessible travel agency offering bookings at over 3,000 verified accessible hotels in the United States. The hotels have been reviewed in person by trained assessors; only those that meet the criteria are listed. Sign up as a disabled traveler or a companion and complete a personal profile that includes options for a variety of disabilities and accessibility needs. The site will provide listings that match your profile with partial, adequate and outstanding match options.

Food and medication

There are a variety of options to keep food or medication cold while traveling. Electric coolers can plug into your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet, but pay attention to the type of cooling mechanism — the less expensive versions are usually thermoelectric and will cool only to about 30 degrees below ambient temperature (if it is 70 degrees in the car, it will cool to 40 degrees). Compressor coolers are more expensive but maintain normal refrigerated temperatures.

Many hotels provide mini-refrigerators. When you know you will be stopping somewhere with a fridge almost every night, layer large ice packs and supplies in a cooler, then top them with another insulating layer like a cooling bag. This keeps everything cold for a couple of days at a time.

It’s also a good idea to travel with a single-burner cooktop — electric to use inside, or propane to use at rest areas and campgrounds — and a camp mess kit so that you can safely cook meals.

Some of the best apps to find food, restaurants and grocery stores that accommodate dietary needs are Fig for allergy-specific options, Happy Cow for vegan-friendly options and Find Me Gluten Free for celiac-safe spots. Add your favorite options to the route-planning app so that you know where to stop.

Finding activities

In addition to the apps mentioned in the route-planning section, state and local tourism organizations are good sources for accessible destinations.

National parks and monuments, which are required to meet federal accessibility guidelines, typically have visitor centers and recreation sites with accessible features. Each park website has information, as well as programs and services within the park. While accessibility varies, you can usually find information on wheelchair-accessible trails and campsites, tactile and audio features, assistive listening devices, and American Sign Language interpreters.

At state parks, accessibility features may not be consistent, but you can usually find some information on each park’s website.

Apps like AllTrails list wheelchair-friendly trails across the country, but the information may not be verified, so contact the park or land manager for verification. Among the parks with notable accessible trails are Redwood National and State Parks, North Cascades National Park, Badlands National Park, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park .

Syren Nagakyrie, the founder of the nonprofit Disabled Hikers and the author of “The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Western Washington and Oregon” and “The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California,” among other guidebooks, leads group hikes and conducts assessments throughout the United States.

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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Tesla tries legal 'Band-Aid' to revive Musk's huge pay deal

Tesla and Elon Musk are seizing upon an obscure provision in corporate law to attempt to restore Musk's $56 billion pay package, in an untested move that could again mire the company in litigation, legal experts said.

Electrostal History and Art Museum

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Electrostal History and Art Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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