New line mkts. A new type of urban transport: how the MCC differs from the metro and train

So, I decided not to put this matter off, and yesterday, after work, I joined. I didn’t drive the full circle, I didn’t have time, but I mastered three quarters of it - from Vladykino to Izmailovo.

Well, what can I say? So far, it is obvious that this is a pure attraction, much like the Moscow monorail immediately after its opening, which was then officially operating “in excursion mode.” Only the monorail was paid, but the MCC was not, which is what the vast majority of its passengers use. But first things first.

What I liked: Electric trains! You can laugh at me, but yesterday I rode the Swallow for the first time. Very smooth acceleration and quiet, in terms of sound, movement. While driving, you can hear not the sound of traction engines, not the howl of gears, not the knock of compressors - but only the grinding of the wheel flanges on the rails in curves. Well, even at high speed you can feel the car wobbling. But, by and large, in comparison with those ER1 ED4M that we drive - heaven and earth. In general, comparing Siemens Desiro Rus and the crafts of the Demikhovsky plant is like comparing black sturgeon caviar with capelin caviar.

Navigation at the stations is fully present (although in some places the signs with the original names, which were changed during the construction process, have not been replaced). But, in general, everything is clear and intelligible:

Escalators work at all stations where I was - which is important, considering that the route of the Circular Railway, historically, is located on high embankments for almost its entire length.

What I didn't like: Everything on the MCC is still very, very raw. Fortunately, it will take at least two more months to finish it - but in our country, assault and show-off are at the forefront, so... Many stations have not completed the actual exits to the city - for me, for example, to get to the platform from Dmitrovsky highway, I had to walk past the Okruzhnaya platform, because the entrance to it is open only from the inside of the ring, and walk to the next station, Vladykino. There is a transition to the outside on Okruzhnaya, but it is not yet completed and is closed. The former “wild” crossing over the tracks was blocked with fences - however, citizens have already made holes in them... you have to cross the railway, but walk a kilometer around - no fools. The same thing happened at the exit - and I got out in Izmailovo: the direct access to the Partizanskaya metro station is still in the finishing stage, so citizens are forced to use the only exit towards Tkatskaya Street, and make a detour under the overpasses of the MK MZD and the fourth ring. Three hundred meters in a straight line, and six hundred along the existing route - there is a difference.
Secondly, as many have noted, there really are not enough informant announcements on which side the platform is to which the train arrives. On the MCC, the platforms are mostly coastal, but about a quarter are island ones. Until the train approaches the platform directly, it is not visible. As a result, those leaving rush from one side of the car to the other. Over time, of course, they will remember where everything is located and get used to it - just as they are already accustomed to pressing buttons on doors so that they open - but now this is noticeably lacking.
Third is the name. What means Moscow Central Circle? Where is the Moscow non-central ring located? There was a normal name - the Moscow Circular Railway, historical, and understandable to everyone: BMO is BMO, it is in the region, and Okruzhnaya is in Moscow. But no. EM TSE KA. The central committee of some EM. The combination of three consonants is terrible.

Well, the fourth thing I don’t like about the MCC - but this is my personal IMHO: the organization of a purely roundabout traffic. MK MZD has connections with all radial railway lines of the Moscow hub, including those that do not have a through diametrical passage: Kazansky, Kievsky, Paveletsky and Yaroslavsky. Nothing prevents some trains from these directions from running not to their dead-end stations, but in transit through the ring to another radius. Part, not all - maybe one train out of five - ten. Especially considering the desire of the Moscow region authorities and Russian Railways to increase the number of suburban trains under the slogan of turning them into a kind of “light metro” (the term, in this case, is absolutely illiterate, but I will use it in relation to the situation). Yes, this will complicate scheduling and will force you to combine schedules in different directions - but nothing is impossible. After all, the New York subway has been operating on the same route pattern for many decades. Of course, someone will object to me that this is a utopia - my dears, ten years ago the very passenger traffic along the Small Ring was also considered a utopia. However...

Will they use: Definitely they will. First of all, those who work or live within walking distance of the ring stations. I myself, if I still lived on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, would absolutely use it - my home is located directly opposite the platform:

With transfer trips it is much more difficult - for now, on the MCC you can count convenient transfers on the fingers of one hand - "Leninsky Prospekt" - Gagarin Square, "Kutuzovskaya", "Vladykino", "Cherkizovskaya" - Lokomotiv - well, perhaps that's all. Transfers to trains and ground transport are even more difficult. Perhaps, when all this is brought in accordance with plans, passenger traffic will calm down. Again, it is convenient to use the ring for travel only if the route along it is a quarter, or maximum a third, of the length of the ring. If it is more, then it is much more convenient to drive in a straight line, especially since such an opportunity is almost always available. Well, now 80-90% of passengers are exclusively curious citizens. Including transport freaks - weirdos, loudly discussing the advantages and disadvantages of electric trains of the ES2G class compared to trains of the ET2M series, for example:) But someone has already fully appreciated the innovation and is using it directly - transport - purpose:

True, these are mostly young people, for whom seven miles before a transfer is not a detour :) Interestingly, I noticed that on the trains traveling along the inner side of the ring there are much more passengers than on those traveling on the outer side. Well, personally, the MCC is neither a village nor a city for me, at least at the present time.

About the views from the train window: Let's be objective: since the construction of the Circular Railway in 1908, it has been the center of attraction for industrial zones, which were built around it over the course of seventy (I repeat: SEVENTY) years. And overnight they, and the surrounding surroundings that accompany them, will not go anywhere, even though they try to bashfully cover them with fences:

No, I don’t argue that the railway also passes by some pretty beautiful places in Moscow: in Luzhniki, for example, this is the Novodevichy Convent, and the Luzhniki sports complex itself; in Izmailovo - the hotel complex of the same name, and the Izmailovo Fair, with its popular print Kremlin; post-war development in the Oktyabrsky Field area; there are beautiful views from the bridges across the Moscow River, the Belokamennaya station is generally located in the forest, and not just in the forest, but in the Losiny Ostrov National Natural Park; and some people like City skyscrapers:

But, in eighty percent of cases, the surrounding landscape from the window will look like this:

So if you love aesthetics fucking- industrial zones, garages, and multi-level transport interchanges - you will certainly enjoy a trip along the MCC. Just hurry up - with the current pace of Moscow urban development, they will soon, for the most part, be exhausted.

My impressions. Of course, I liked it more than I didn’t like it, judging on a five-point scale :) Just one thing - a ride on an electric train along the legendary Circular Railway, on which passenger trains have not run for more than eighty years - is worth a lot. Of course, the shoals are very noticeable. But there is no doubt that they will be corrected. The main thing is not to forget about the little things.

It’s good that the ring was not turned into a purely passenger ring, a complete analogue of the metro, as some radically minded comrades proposed: after all, the original purpose of the Circular Railway - to connect all Moscow railway radii - is a strategic thing, and should have remained untouched. Again, variety for railway fans ;)

More from what I noticed. The MCC has its own Moscow time:

Business Center station, with its vibrant green color:

The canopy over the platform is connected to the walls in such a way that when it rains, water will pour into the station. Is this how it was intended?

With me at the Kutuzovskaya station, two hard workers dragged, right across the tracks, some kind of hefty electrical box, and threw it onto the platform, in its narrowest place. A minute later, Swallow arrived on the same path, disembarking passengers who had to step over this box, or squeeze between it and the wall. That is, ensuring the safety of both workers and passengers on the MCC is, so far, in complete disarray. I would like to hope that this will not lead to serious consequences.

Something like that. Of course, I plan to drive along the MCC again, more thoughtfully, and during daylight hours. Otherwise in the dark you can’t see anything around at all :)

In the meantime, I voiced my first impressions of his visit. So all of the above is solely my personal subjective opinion.

Yes, and: a note for those who are in the know;) In my passport, in the “Place of birth” column it says “Moscow city”. And on my father’s side I am a third generation Muscovite;)

On September 10, passenger traffic will be launched on the Moscow Central Circle, in fact the second ring line of the metro, only above-ground. The MCC will relieve congestion on the subway by at least 15%, and will provide residents of several districts with convenient modern stations close to home.

“This is an unprecedented project,” says Deputy Mayor for Transport Maxim Liksutov. “In fact, the entire 14th metro line, which will connect areas that were previously the periphery, and now find themselves almost in the center of Moscow. Six districts where there is no metro now will receive "new stations: Metrogorodok, Beskudnikovsky, Koptevo, Kotlovka, Nizhegorodsky, Khoroshevo-Mnevniki. This is the first time we are launching such a large-scale infrastructure, and even with a huge reserve of carrying capacity." On September 10, 24 stations will operate, and 7 more will open before the end of the year. From them it will be possible to make 14 metro transfers, five of them in the warm circuit: Vladykino (metro station "Vladykino"), Kutuzovskaya (metro station of the same name), Lokomotiv (metro station "Cherkizovskaya"), Business Center (metro station "Mezhdunarodnaya" "), Gagarin Square (metro station "Leninsky Prospekt"), nine more - with access to the street, as well as six transfers to the radial directions of the railway: Kazanskoye, Belorusskoye, Yaroslavskoye, Leningradskoye and Savelovskoye. In 2017-2018 transfers will be added to the Riga and Paveletsk directions of the railway, for which new stations will be built there, and on the Yaroslavl direction the Severyanin platform will be pulled closer to the ring. In total, the opening of the new ring will give the capital's passengers 350 new transfer options, if we also take into account the new ground transport routes connected to each station.

Six districts where there is currently no metro will get new stations

So, for example, to come from Partizanskaya to the Entuziastov Highway, it now takes 25 minutes, and after the launch of the MCC, 5 minutes will be enough. Or another one of the most promising routes - Leninsky Prospekt - Mezhdunarodnaya. Now it takes at least half an hour to cover this route by public transport, but from Saturday 10 minutes will be enough. For examples of routes, how and how much time you can save on each, see transport.mos.ru. On the ring website mkzd.ru, using an interactive map, by entering your address, you can find out how to get to the nearest MCC station. In order for passengers to start looking at new routes in advance, already at the end of August, a new map of the Moscow Metro with MCC stations began to be posted on metro cars. In addition, the route strips in the metro have been updated - this is a list of stations and transfers on each platform. At all stations, signs for transfers to the MCC have now appeared, covered with white stripes. At the same time, the capital's transport complex does not expect a full house in the first year. “We believe that for about a year or a year and a half, passengers will get used to it, use it from time to time, change their transport behavior,” says Maxim Liksutov. “Residents, especially in Moscow, are very conservative in choosing their routes. We think that in the first year "The MCC will be used by approximately 75 million people, trains will run every 6 minutes during peak hours, then we will gradually reach 300 million passengers a year."

Infographics: Leonid Kuleshov/ Lyubov Protsenko/ RG

Meanwhile

In the last days before the opening of passenger traffic, workers are sprucing up the ring itself and around it. According to the press service of the municipal services complex, about 20 thousand people are currently working on landscaping. Currently, 56 buildings have been renovated. Industrial enterprises located in the areas adjacent to the ring are cleaning up their facades. A fence and 16 noise barriers are installed around the ring for safety.

Six news about MCC

Speaking of birds

What do Muscovites need to know who will soon travel along the new railway ring, which, after a comprehensive reconstruction, has turned into one of the most modern and passenger-friendly transport systems in the world?

1. Ticket prices are the same as in the metro

In the first month, entrance to the MCC will be free. And from October 10, the well-known tickets will be valid on the MCC: “Troika”, “United”, “90 minutes”. The cost of the trip will be the same with the subway: a one-time ticket costs 50 rubles, a one-time trip on the Troika - 32 rubles, a one-time "90 minutes" ticket, automatically activated when passing on the Troika, - 49 rubles. A “single” ticket for 20 trips will cost 650 rubles, for 40 trips - 1300, for 60 - 1570 rubles, and so on. Travel cards - payment cards issued by many banks - will also be accepted. In addition, absolutely all benefits valid in city public transport have been preserved for Muscovites.

2. Transfers from the metro - free for 90 minutes

Transfers from the metro to the ring and back within 90 minutes will also be free, and they will remain free after October 10. The press service of the capital's metro "RG" explained that the following procedure for passing through the turnstiles will apply: if a passenger transfers from the metro to the MCC and plans to make another transfer back to the metro within 90 minutes, then when transferring to the ring, he needs to go through turnstile with a special yellow sticker. The software will record the time of passage, and with the same ticket you can then go back to the metro for free. If a passenger simply enters the MCC from the street or, having transferred from the metro, he does not plan to return again within an hour and a half, then he can use any other turnstile.

3. Tickets purchased before September 1 must be reissued

Important clarification: to enter the MCC, you must activate your ticket for travel on the new ring if it was purchased before September 1 of this year. This can be done at any ticket office of the metro, Moscow monorail or Moscow Transport center. Activation of the card is free and without changing the number of trips. As for activating Troika, it is enough to top it up with any amount starting from one ruble, or if tariffs are written on the card, then activate it at the box office. There is no need to reactivate social cards.

4. Available to everyone

Convenience begins from the very entrance to the MCC and accompanies the passenger throughout the entire journey. All stations are fully accessible for passengers with limited mobility and people with disabilities: there are elevators everywhere, turnstiles with wide doors are required in all lobbies, and each ticket hall is equipped with a low-level window for wheelchair passengers. In addition, there are toilets at the stations.

5. The most modern and comfortable trains in Russia

Every 6 minutes during peak hours and 15 minutes at other times, “Swallows” should arrive at the station - one of the most convenient electric trains operating in Russia. In carriages with well-thought-out interior space, everyone is comfortable: passengers with disabilities, people with luggage, strollers, and bicycles. There is climate control inside, dry closets in the head cars, Internet access and sockets for recharging phones throughout the train. The maximum capacity of the train is 1200 people.

6. Passengers will open the doors of the Lastochka on their own

Or rather, using buttons installed on both sides. This was done due to the predicted low passenger flow; in the future they may be made automatic.

Historical reference

The small railway ring was designed at the end of the 19th century - the need for it arose due to the fact that the radial railway lines of Moscow had practically stopped. Construction took about seven years, and its opening saved the city from transport collapse. By the way, when the ring was launched, there was passenger traffic on it, as now - it was thanks to it that beautiful train stations appeared along the road. Nevertheless, residents of the capital did not really like to travel along it; they preferred to travel to the neighboring - then still outskirts of Moscow - by ground rather than rail transport, and as a result, in 1934, only freight trains remained here.

But since the late nineties, the need to resume passenger traffic became obvious - Moscow had grown significantly, and there were not enough roads. The project was hampered by the fact that the ring remained unelectrified - only diesel locomotives and diesel trains could travel along it. Over the past twenty years there have been many projects, including the purchase of diesel buses, and only in 2011 was the decision made to electrify and reconstruct the ring.

The average speed of passenger trains will be 40 km/h.

According to the head of the Business Block Management Department “Passenger Transportation” JSC " RUSSIAN RAILWAYS " Maxim Schneider, the average speed is determined taking into account acceleration and deceleration and stopping time. In addition, freight traffic will continue on the Moscow Central Circle." As before, it will be served by the depot “ Likhobory”, equipped with diesel locomotives 2M62 and ChME3. However, after the launch of passenger electric trains, freight traffic will be carried out mainly at night.

Passenger traffic on the Moscow Central Circle will be launched in the fall of 2016. In the first year of operation, it is planned to transport about 75 million people. There will be 31 transport interchange hubs on the Moscow Ring Railway, and all stations will also provide the possibility of transferring to public transport.

/ Thursday, July 7, 2016 /

Topics: Public transport Moscow Ring Railway MCC Russian Railways

It will be possible to travel a full circle along the Moscow Central Circle in 84 minutes, the head of the business block management department told reporters “Passenger Transportation” JSC " RUSSIAN RAILWAYS " Maxim Shneider. He is quoted by the agency “ Moscow ". According to the official, the average speed of electric trains will be about 40 kilometers per hour, taking into account acceleration and deceleration and stopping time. Control of travel and inspection of passengers at stations will be carried out by Russian Railways employees, for which inspection areas will be created with metal detectors.
In turn, the deputy head of the State Unitary Enterprise “Moscow subway” for Strategic Development and Investments, Roman Latypov again confirmed that the launch of the ring will not affect the cost of travel. “Cards” will be valid on the line Troika”, “United", “90 minutes" and all types of capital benefits. And in August, new schemes will appear in the subway, where the Moscow Central Circle will be indicated as the 14th metro line; the launch of the line may be scheduled for the first ten days of September.
According to the calculations of the capital's authorities, the ring will gain popularity among Muscovites and guests of the capital within two years after the launch of passenger traffic on it. In the first year of operation, the road should carry approximately 75 million passengers, and by 2025 the expected passenger traffic will increase to 300 million people per year, which is comparable to traffic on busy subway lines.

In this case, the average speed will be about 40 kilometers per hour, reports the City News Agency “ Moscow " with reference to the Head of the Business Unit Management Department “Passenger Transportation” JSC " RUSSIAN RAILWAYS " Maxim Schneider.

Also, trains on the Moscow Circle will be synchronized with the metro. Thus, trains will not run at night from 1:00 to 5:30. The opening of the ring railway is scheduled for September 1, 2016. There will be 31 stations on the ring, passengers will be able to make 17 transfers to 11 metro lines and 9 transfers to radial directions of the Moscow railway hub. All city tickets and benefits will be valid to pay for travel, and transfers between the metro and the Moscow Ring Railway will be free.

The launch of passenger traffic on the Small Ring of the Moscow Railway will actually create another ground ring of the Moscow Metro, which will reduce the load on the subway by about 15%, and in 2020 - by 20 percent. The load on critical sections of radial metro lines will be reduced - these are two or three stations in front of the ring, where the maximum number of passengers gathers during rush hour.

A full circle along the Moscow Ring Railway (Moscow Ring Railway), including stops, will take passengers 84 minutes.

According to the m24.ru portal, the entire route around the ring will take 84 minutes. Head of the Business Unit Management Department “Passenger Transportation” JSC " RUSSIAN RAILWAYS " Maxim Shneider said that this takes into account stops and acceleration and braking.

The Moscow Ring Railway (outdated name) will be the second metro circuit. It will intersect with the metro at convenient interchange hubs. The test launch of the ring will take place in July. Passengers will be able to use the railway from September.

The 54-kilometer ring will have 31 stations and 17 interchanges on the metro line. All city tickets and benefits on the ring will remain valid.

It will be possible to drive along the Moscow Central Circle in 84 minutes at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour, the Agency reports. Moscow ".
“We expect that the train will complete a full circle, including stops, in 84 minutes. The route speed will be about 40 kilometers per hour, taking into account acceleration and deceleration and stopping time.”, - said the head of the business block management department “Passenger Transportation” JSC " RUSSIAN RAILWAYS " Maxim Shneider.
The Moscow Ring Railway will become a full-fledged second circuit of the metro, which will be integrated into the Moscow subway system with the help of convenient transport hubs. The test launch of the second metro ring is scheduled for mid-July, and the railway will open for passengers in September.
The length of the Small Ring will be 54 kilometers. 130 pairs of trains will run along it at intervals of 5-6 minutes during peak hours. It is planned to equip all rolling stock with energy-saving electrical equipment.
There will be 31 stations with transport interchange hubs (TPU) on the ring. There are 17 transfers to 11 metro lines and 9 transfers to radial railway lines.
. . . . .

Today it became known how long it will take to travel from point A to point A on the Moscow Ring Railway. Test runs of trains have shown that a full circle along the Moscow Central Circle can be traveled in 84 minutes at a speed of 40 km/h. The head of the business block management department told reporters about this. “Passenger Transportation” JSC " RUSSIAN RAILWAYS " Maxim Shneider.
Deputy Mayor, head of the capital's Department of Transport and Road Infrastructure Development Maxim Liksutov said that the Moscow Ring Road received the official name "Moscow Central Circle". It was previously reported that passenger traffic on the Moscow Ring Railway is planned to be launched in the fall of 2016. In the first year of operation, the Moscow Ring Railway should transport approximately 75 million passengers.

A full circle along the Moscow Central Road (formerly the Moscow Ring Road) will take 84 minutes, the news agency reported. Moscow " with reference to the head of the Business Block Management Department “Passenger Transportation” JSC " RUSSIAN RAILWAYS " Maxim Schneider.

. . . . . The route speed will be about 40 kilometers per hour, taking into account acceleration and deceleration and stopping time,” Schneider said.

Let us recall that the Moscow Ring Railway (MKZD) was given the official name - Moscow Central Road. Now on metro maps it is called “Second ring”.

Already this fall, the capital's metro will be connected to the new ring. The MCD is a modern, electrified line with completely new traffic safety devices. According to preliminary calculations, after its commissioning, the Circle Line of the Moscow Metro will be unloaded by 15%.

This is the time for a full circle of the MCC.

. . . . .

The average speed of electric trains will be about 40 km/h. Passage control and screening of passengers at stations will be carried out by Russian Railways employees using metal detector frames.

. . . . .

In certain sections of the ring there is a third route for maneuvering train movements.

The transport route will be opened for passengers by the end of 2016. 31 stations will operate, including 17 with transfers to the metro line.

The average speed of trains on the Small Ring Railway will be 40 kilometers per hour. They will be synchronized with the metro, and transfers between the metro and the Moscow Ring Railway will be free.

. . . . . All city tickets and benefits will be valid to pay for travel on the Small Ring.

. . . . .

On September 10, passenger traffic was launched. One of its stations, Likhobory, is located near the NATI platform of the Oktyabrskaya Railway. Last week I and my colleague Zelenograd information portal Vasily Povolnov (mostly his photos are used in the post) finally visited this and other stations, which Zelenograd residents could theoretically use to transfer to the MCC, to see how everything works there and tell our readers about it.

The Likhobory MCC station (until the summer of this year it was known as Nikolaevskaya) is located in the direct line of sight from the NATI platform.

If you come by train from Zelenograd, you need to exit the platform on the right side in the direction of travel and follow the path along the railway towards the Leningradsky station.

The exit from the platform is located at the level of the third or fourth cars. If you want to save time on transfers, take them. There is also a sign towards the MCC. To the left of it you can see the buildings of the Likhobor station.

The distance from the exit from the NATI platform to the entrance to the overpass of the Likhobory station is just over 200 meters. However, keep in mind that the entrance to the passage is not yet the entrance to the station itself.

After 120 meters, the path along the ORR (in the photo the view is in the opposite direction - towards the NATI platform) turns right.

Around the corner of the fence, the view of the Likhobory station opens up again. The overpass is just a stone's throw away.

But this is the most unpleasant part of the short journey. In the vicinity of NATI and Likhobor, the North-Eastern Expressway (also known as the Northern Road) is being built, which by the end of 2018 must tie New Leningradka with Dmitrovskoe highway. Because of this, the asphalt is further covered with a layer of dirt, which is carried around the surrounding area by construction equipment. Apparently, in the future, an underground passage will be built here for commuter train passengers. But for now, that's it. Such a cool infrastructure project as the MCC is, of course, unbecoming.

Landscaping work continues around the Likhobory station itself. However, the area in front of the entrance to the passage is already paved with “ceremonial” tiles.

Now we have to climb to the height of a three-story house with high ceilings. There is an elevator in the passage, but so far it, like the metal detector frame at the entrance, is not working (all data in the material is given as of September 20). Therefore, you have to go on foot. At the same time, there are no channels (runners for strollers) on the stairs. One can only sympathize with anyone who happens to be here, for example, with a baby stroller.

From the top floor there is a view of the NATI platform and the construction site of the North-East Expressway.

And in the other direction - to the platforms of the Likhobory station.

To get to the platform, you need to travel along the passage over the railway. Just not to the end, but approximately to the middle.
Note that the transition (at least for now) is not an insulated structure. In design, it is similar to the overpass across Central Avenue near the Zelenograd Prefecture, and ventilation “holes in the floor” are hidden behind the railings on the sides. You won't be able to stay warm here in winter. Compared to transferring from train to metro at Leningradsky Station, this is, of course, a serious disadvantage.

After about 90 meters, there will be glass doors on the right in the passage leading to the station lobby.

Opposite you can admire the bridge at the intersection of the MCC and the Oktyabrskaya Railway.

With navigation, things are much better here than at the Butyrskaya metro station, which recently opened near the Ostankino platform (for transfers from the railway to the new stations of the Lyublino-Dmitrovskaya metro line, see separate post ). In any case, the way back to the NATI platform can be easily found. This is the sign that will greet you when you exit the glass doors. Then along the way there will be several more signs.

In the lobby, behind glass doors, there are turnstiles that are not yet working (let me remind you that travel on the MCC is free for the first month) and descents to two platforms (there are elevators, stairs, and escalators). Here you need to decide which platform you want to get on. If you are driving west (along the outer side of the ring) - towards "Koptevo", "Baltiyskaya", "Streshnevo" and so on - you go to the right. If you go east (on the inside) - to "Okruzhnaya", "Vladykino", "Botanical Garden" and then to the left.

MCC diagram to help you (clickable)

The most obvious option for getting down to the platform is an escalator. Unlike the elevators, they are running. Each platform is connected to the lobby by two escalators: one goes up, the other goes down.

Estimating travel time on foot is not an easy task, but according to our estimates, you can get from the door of the train on the NATI platform to the platform at the Likhobory station in 6-8 minutes. In the opposite direction, the journey will take a little longer, since you will still need to cross the bridge to the far platform at NATI.

While we are waiting for our “Swallow” to go on a trip along the MCC, let us remind you that in the future a large transport hub - with shops, parking lots and even a hockey rink. And, of course, ground public transport stops. The main volume of transport hub buildings will be located on the side of Cherepanov passage (that is, on the opposite side from the NATI platform). It is supposed to look like this (clickable image).

And this is what the place looks like now.

Road work is underway on Cherepanov Passage.

The transport hub is planned to be built approximately by 2025. As part of this project, it is planned to reconstruct and extend the NATI platform towards the center of Moscow. This means that trains in the Leningrad direction will stop even closer to the MCC, and the transfer from NATI to Likhobory will become even shorter and more convenient.
Now let’s return to the Likhobory station. Both platforms have canopies and a decent number of benches and bins. The surface is paved with tiles, and a strip of yellow tactile tiles is laid along the edge of the platform.

In general, everything is stylish, neat and, if we talk about platforms, and not about transitions, then, in my opinion, a little in a retro style.

All the design is in the corporate style of Russian Railways, which operates this road jointly with the Moscow Metro (let me remind you that you can pay for travel with metro tickets, and the transfer between the metro and the MCC will be free for one and a half hours).

Electronic boards show the direction of travel (by the name of the next station) and the time until the train arrives. Let us remind you that the stated intervals for trains on the MCC are 6 minutes during peak hours and 11-15 minutes during off-peak times. If necessary, these intervals are promised to be shortened. And it seems like they are already thinking about implementing such an opportunity.

The platform from which you can leave Likhobor towards Koptevo, that is, to the west, has paths on both sides. But trains come on the left side (in the direction of travel from the escalator). “External tracks” are apparently needed for service purposes and freight traffic, which will remain on the ring. View back towards the passage leading to NATI.

And here is our train. About 15 minutes have passed since the previous one left. True, three electric trains passed in the opposite direction during this time.

Lastochki are used as rolling stock on the Moscow Central Circle. I made a big post about how these trains work . Inside the Lastochka on the MCC, except for the posted diagrams and advertisements, they are no different from those that run to Kryukovo and Tver and are already well known to many Zelenograd residents.
Scheme of the MCC in the carriage:

MCC and metro map:

It is allowed to carry bicycles on the MCC, and there are corresponding stickers on the trains, but we did not find any special mounts for two-wheeled transport in the local Lastochki. As well as the intention to twist the “extra” third seats so that all cars have a 2+2 layout, has not yet been implemented.

It seems that trains to the MCC do not run empty. We were on the ring from about 17:00 to 18:30, that is, practically during the evening rush hour, and in all the “Swallows” we saw, some of the passengers rode standing.

The closest stop to Likhobory, if you go west, is Koptevo. However, it was among the five stations that did not manage to open even in draft form before the start of traffic on the MCC. Therefore, for now the next stop after “Likhobor” is “Baltiyskaya”. Until the summer of this year, it was called “Voikovskaya” - after the nearby metro station.
The transfer between Baltiyskaya and Voykovskaya is considered one of the longest on the MCC. The two station concourses are located more than 700 meters apart. In order for a metro passenger to transfer here to the Moscow Central Circle, he should exit the subway through exit No. 1 (from the last car when moving towards the center, then from the glass doors to the right) and go along the Leningradskoye Shosse towards the region - to the Metropolis shopping complex. .

"Baltiyskaya" is located at the intersection of the MCC with Leningradskoye Shosse. The station has two exits: one towards Admiral Makarov Street, the other towards Novopetrovsky Proezd, Metropolis and Voikovskaya metro station.

Moreover, the branch of the passage that leads from the MCC station towards Voykovskaya is connected to the Metropolis building. And although the signs point to the street for access to the metro, in fact, a significant part of the journey can be done in the warmth, passing through the entire building of the shopping center. Then you will only have to travel about 200 meters along the street to the entrance to the subway. Of course, this advice is also relevant for those who go from the metro to the MCC.

There is only one platform at Baltiyskaya and, accordingly, it is wider.

Escalators and stairs for descending/ascending between the platform and the passage are located in one place. There are also elevators, but, like at Likhobory, they are not yet working.

If you, having a baby stroller with you, decide to leave the Baltiyskaya in the direction opposite to the Metropolis, you will encounter the same problem as at the transfer at NATI - there is no alternative to descending the stairs without channels.

View from the MCC platform to the side façade of Metropolis.

If the Metrostroy website contains current sketches of transport hub projects on the Moscow Central Circle, then in its final form the Baltiyskaya station will look like this. Another passage will appear in both directions from the other edge of the platform.

The next station after Baltiyskaya is Streshnevo. Previously, it was called “Volokolamskaya”, because it is located at the intersection of the MCC with the Volokolamsk highway. Theoretically, some of the Zelenograd residents could come here by car and then set off on a further journey along the MCC. However, this option is unlikely to become widespread. Not only is it suitable for only a few people, but it is also unclear where to leave the car in this case - there is no semblance of intercept parking here.

Moreover, the passage at Streshnevo has not yet been completed, which could lead to the 1st Krasnogorsky passage - potentially the most convenient for accessing this station from Zelenograd.

As part of the creation of a transport hub here, the Streshnevo MCC station will be connected by a walkway to the Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo Riga platform, which will be moved several hundred meters for this purpose. However, this no longer has anything to do with trips to/from Zelenograd (only if it concerns trips to my dacha :)).
Visualization of the Streshnevo transport hub project (image from the MCC website)

Diagram of the Streshnevo transport hub (clickable image from the Metrostroy website)

In the meantime, the Streshnevo station looks almost like a twin of Likhobor: the same two platforms on either side of the main passage...

And a typical (but at the same time, in my opinion, stylish) lobby building with escalators, adjacent to the passage.

There are also combined “ring” maps of the metro and MCC posted everywhere. For some reason, there were no such schemes at Likhobory.

As in all other places, active construction and finishing work is still ongoing at Streshnevo station.

Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to drive around the entire ring yet, although it would be very interesting to do so. Well, I hope he still has time. However, from the point of view of Zelenograd residents, the stations visited are, of course, of greatest interest.

To conclude the story, I will summarize a few key points.
1. MCC went - and it’s wonderful. In essence, a new type of public transport has appeared in Moscow, which has significantly increased the connectivity of existing lines and routes. It is already obvious that, contrary to the gloomy forecasts of skeptics, the ring is in demand among the townspeople.
2. Many residents of Zelenograd have new options for constructing routes when traveling to Moscow. But a lot here depends on the number of trains stopping at NATI. For example, on September 20, it was impossible to leave Kryukovo for NATI from 8:56 to 16:05 - more than 7 hours! But in the coming days the situation should change: the number of electric trains stopping at NATI doubled .
3. The road was opened with a lot of minor imperfections - work is still underway almost everywhere. For most passengers this is not a big deal, but the MCC is still practically unsuitable for people with limited mobility. If for some reason you have difficulty moving, you should think very carefully about how you will climb the numerous stairs that do not even have runners for strollers.

Launch stages

The opening of the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) took place on September 10, 2016. At the first stage, 24 stations will be available to passengers, and seven more MCC platforms will open in December. A RIAMO correspondent learned how to use a new type of urban transport.

The opening of MCC stations will take place in three stages.

The first one is scheduled for September 10, already this Saturday 24 stations will be put into operation: Okruzhnaya, Likhobory, Baltiyskaya, Streshnevo, Shelepikha, Delovoy Tsentr, Kutuzovskaya, Luzhniki, " Gagarin Square”, “Crimean”, “Upper Boilers”, “Vladykino”, “Botanical Garden”, “Rostokino”, “Belokamennaya”, “Rokossovsky Boulevard”, “Lokomotiv”, “Falcon Mountain”, “Entuziastov Highway”, “ Nizhegorodskaya", "Novokhokhlovskaya", "Ugreshskaya", "Avtozavodskaya" and "ZIL".

In December 2016, 7 more stations will become available to passengers: Koptevo, Panfilovskaya, Zorge, Khoroshevo, Izmailovo, Andronovka and Dubrovka.

And in 2018, the construction of warm crossings will be completed: it will be possible to make transfers without going outside. A total of 350 transfers will be available for passengers, so travel time should be reduced by 3 times.

2 Fare

From September 10 to October 10, 2016, travel to the MCC will be free for everyone. Some of the turnstiles will be open, and others will open automatically when approaching them. Thus, tickets will need to be applied to the turnstile only in transitions to railway stations and the metro.

After October 10, any Moscow Metro travel card (Troika, Ediny, 90 Minutes), as well as social cards, will be used to access the MCC station. Within 90 minutes from the moment the ticket is validated, the transition from the metro to the MCC and back will be free. Payment for travel by bank cards is also provided.

3 MCC schemes

Three variants of MCC schemes have been developed for passengers. The first, in addition to the metro lines and MCC stations, indicates the stages of opening stations and transitions, the distance between transfer stations and the time it will take to transfer.

The second version of the diagram will help commuters find their way: the map shows railway stations, existing metro lines, as well as MCC stations and “warm” metro transfers.

The third diagram shows the stops of ground urban transport near the MCC stations, as well as the interval of its movement during rush hour. For example, from the Luzhniki platform of the MCC you can go to the Sportivnaya metro station in 2 minutes. Buses number 806, 64, 132 and 255 regularly run there, so getting to the right place will not be difficult.

In addition, the map shows all the main attractions of the city, forest parks and nature reserves. Many of them are within walking distance from the MCC, for example, Losiny Ostrov Park and the Vorobyovy Gory Nature Reserve.

4 Transplants

The MCC is integrated into the Moscow public transport system with the possibility of transfer to the metro, Moscow Railway trains and ground public transport.

From September 10, it will be possible to transfer from the MCC to the metro at 11 stations (Business Center, Kutuzovskaya, Luzhniki, Lokomotiv, Gagarin Square, Vladykino, Botanical Garden, Rokossovsky Boulevard, "Voikovskaya", "Shosse Entuziastov", "Avtozavodskaya"), by train - on five ("Rostokino", "Andronovka", "Okruzhnaya", "Business Center", "Likhobory").

By the end of 2016, the number of transfer hubs will increase to 14 and 6, respectively, and in 2018 there will be 17 transfers from the MCC to the metro and 10 to the train.

To make a free metro-MCC-metro transfer (within an interval of 90 minutes), you need to attach your metro travel document to the turnstile with a special yellow sticker at the entrance to the MCC station.

Passengers who are planning a trip only on the MCC or intend to make one metro transfer - MCC or vice versa, can apply their tickets to any turnstiles, including those without yellow stickers.

If you do not meet the 1.5 hour time limit, you will need to pay for the fare again when making a transfer.

5 Trains and intervals

New luxury trains “Lastochka” with a capacity of 1,200 people will run on the MCC. Their maximum speed is 160 kilometers per hour, and they will travel along the MCC at an average speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

The trains are equipped with air conditioning, dry closets, information panels, free Wi-Fi, sockets and bicycle racks.

The cars will open manually: to enter or exit, you will need to press a special button installed on the doors. The buttons will be active (green backlight) only after the train has stopped on the platform; at other times, the doors will be locked for safety reasons.

During morning and evening rush hours, the traffic interval will be only 6 minutes. The rest of the time, “Swallow” will need to wait from 10 to 15 minutes.

6 Updating (activating) travel cards

In order to access the MCC using “90 minutes”, “United” for 20, 40 and 60 trips, “Troika” tickets purchased or topped up before September 1, 2016, you need to renew them. To do this, you can contact the metro or monorail ticket office, as well as the metro passenger agency (Boyarsky Lane, 6) or the Moscow Transport service center (Staraya Basmannaya St., 20, building 1).

Holders of a Strelka card to travel by train must exchange it at the metro ticket office for a card with the Troika application.

Activation is carried out without changing the balance of trips and the validity period of the ticket, while the new reprogrammed travel documents will allow free transfers from the metro to the MCC and back.

You can also update your Troika electronic card yourself by topping up your balance at ticket machines at stations, on the website troika.mos.ru, via SMS or at payment terminals. As for social cards, their activation is not required.

7 Help and navigation

You can find out detailed information about updating tickets, transfer hubs and navigation on the MCC from consultants at the entrance to the ring metro stations or at metro stations adjacent to the MCC. Volunteers will also help passengers navigate the new transport. A special mobile application is also being developed, with which you can choose the optimal route.

Here you can see new convenient routes through the MCC.