Without a doubt, things have changed on the Russian trains;
subway, intercity, and long-distance. The metros of St. Petersburg and Moscow
were always something special, beautifully decorated with nearly every stop
having its own personality. Of course, it helped that some of the gold and
chandelier-filled stations of Russia’s two largest cities were ‘curated’ by the
Soviets, who ransacked Orthodox churches before blowing them up. But it seems
like the lethargy of the 1970s-1990s gave way to an explosion of metro building
throughout the 2000’s. Not only do the trains run more frequently, but the
stations are artfully constructed and easy for foreigners to navigate.
 |
| Revolutionary Glory remains in St. Petersburg Metro stations |
What surprised me the most when I first stepped on to the
Moskovskaya metro station in St. Petersburg, was the x-ray machines and metal
detectors. Since the terrorist attacks in April 2017, all train stations in
at least Moscow and St. Petersburg have been equipped with tighter security
methods. In addition to the machines, there are cops everywhere; some of them
heavily armed. I was wondering how they could check so many people heading into
and out of the subways. I’m still not sure how well the system works as
people’s pockets and bags are filled with metal, electronic devices, and
plastics. Sometimes I was made to put my bags through the x-ray machines and
other times I didn’t. I couldn’t quite decide on if there was some sort of
regulation or formula as it all seemed so random. The workers who were checking
the x-ray machines looked as bored as the people who do a similar job at the
airports.
Once you pass through the security upstairs, you slowly (and
I mean slowly) descend the multitude of escalators and reach the last bit of
safety equipment - the blast doors. They are just as they are described, two
heavy metal doors that separate riders from the tracks. Therefore, you have to
listen for the sound of the train arriving or an announcement from the intercom
person to know that your ride has arrived. The doors loudly slide open to allow
passengers off before you can get on. Again, I question the wisdom of these
blast doors. On the one hand, they look like they can contain damage from a
substantial blast. That’s the good news. Then there is the bad news; what
happens if a bomb goes off and you are on the train? How will you get out? I’m
assuming there is a set of safety procedures but I could not see them posted
anywhere, at least in English.
Beyond the Stalinist feel (what other feel would there be in
Russia, Putinist, perhaps?) of the safety measures, riding the metros were a
joy. It was especially joyful after hearing about all the problems with the NYC
transit system which has been in the news recently. Unlike New York, both St.
Petersburg and Moscow stations seem large enough to hold a growing population.
The Moscow stations were particularly overwhelmed with locals and tourists
alike but it seemed that everyone was able to find where they were going to
with enough space to move. In Moscow there are at least ten lines but you can
easily follow the maps which are in every station in Cyrillic and English.
There are also signs on the ground pointing commuters in the right direction. This
was particularly helpful in Moscow as the size of the system was almost
overwhelming the first time. I’m unsure of how many lines were added over the
years but it was definitely a more comprehensive system. There are now two ring
lines that allow commuters to connect to other lines without having to head
back into the city. It makes traveling easier for the time-strapped tourist and
the busy Muscovite alike.
 |
| Fully-rounded view of the Moscow Metro |
Finally, the décor! I could go on forever (wait, let me
try…) about the beauty of the design and the layout of the St. Petersburg and
Moscow metro stops but that would require months (years?) of traveling the
lines to get my facts straight. It is hard to put into words the amount of
decorations, mosaics, statues, etc. metro riders walk by every day. I often
wonder how many of them take the time to actually look at what is around them.
Or are they like New Yorkers, heads buried in phones or eyes on the ground? How
one could not be amazed is beyond me. St. Petersburg, for all accounts, is not
quite as fancy as Moscow. You can still much Socialist Realist art on the
walls. In Moscow you can also find heavy duty Soviet stations like Ploshchad Revolyutsii as
well as some of the newer, less political stations. I was in one, Novoslobodskaya that was
filled with mosaics and stained glass. I didn’t have time to see who or what
was represented. But the station I was near, was easy to figure out,
“Dostoyevskakay”. Built in 2010, this was full out Russian author with stone murals
of some of his most famous works. There is one whole panel dedicated to Crime and Punishment and another to Fathers and Sons. On the way out the
door (or on the way in) there is large mural of ole’ Fyodor himself.
 |
| Stained Glass at Novoslobodskay |
 |
| Lenin Speaks! |
How many more stations like this exist, I am unsure. It
seems that the powers (power?) that be set out to create a transit system that
was both practical and artistic. I am assuming there are train delays and other
distractions but I often wonder why we cannot make our transit systems run this
well. At rush hour, trains come barreling into the stations every one or two minutes. In New York them come every, what, six minutes? I also think the themed
stations do so much for the commute as well. To a lesser degree, New York City
stations are themed but not to this level. Imagine making your transportation
system into a living museum, rather than a slimy Petri dish?
