Tokens and Passes

Turnstiles are automated and operate with tokens* (zhetony) or magnetic-strip cards which can be purchased from the small windows or booths marked . The tokens are also used for the older style of pay phones, so even if you buy a monthly pass or a magnetic-strip card it's still a good idea to pick up a few.

If you are using a token, place it in the slot, wait for it to drop and for the light to change, and walk through.

Monthly metro passes - in the form of recently introduced magnetic-strip cards - can also be purchased from the token booths of metro stations. Thin cardboard half-monthly passes are sold closer to the middle of the month for the second half of the month only. Magnetic-strip monthly and cardboard half- monthly passes can also be purchased for use on all city public transport. All are called kartochka, though the pass for all public transport is distinguishable by the fact that it is the most expensive and has the word written across it.

Note: if you are buying an all-transport monthly pass, make sure you also receive a cardboard pass to show with the magnetic one when using above-ground transport, or you are in for surprise when a fare inspector finds you. As so often happens here, the new system wasn't too well planned: monthly magnetic cards only indicate the month of validity (not the year) and above-ground transport have no electronic scanners so it's possible to save your expired October 1999 magnetic card, for instance, and use it on above-ground transport in October 2000. To stop this practice the authorities have had to reintroduce cardboard monthly passes for above-ground transport. *one token is five roubles ($0.18 at current exchange rate)