Minsk Metro

During the 1950s–1970s the population of the city grew to over a million and designs for a rapid transit system were initially proposed during the late 1960s. Construction began on 3 May 1977, and the system was opened to the public on 30 June 1984, becoming the ninth metro system in the Soviet Union.[2] The original eight station section has since expanded into a three-line 33 station network with 40.8 kilometres (25.4 mi) of route.[1]

Despite the dissolution of the Soviet Union the construction of the Minsk metro continued uninterrupted throughout the 1990s (as opposed to other ex-Soviet Metros like those of Yerevan and Samara, which were halted due to a complete lack of funding). Some experts attribute it to the slow reform of the Soviet planned economy in Belarus, which turned out to be beneficial for metro expansion. For example, the final phase of the Aŭtazavodskaja Line, originally planned for 2006, was opened in late 2005, and similarly the northern extension of the Maskoŭskaja Line, originally scheduled for 2008, opened on 7 November 2007.[4] There were also 3 new stations opened on the southern end of the Maskoŭskaja line in November 2012.

The city is located on an almost level surface and on very dry soils. As a result, although all of the Minsk Metro stations are under the surface, there are no deep-level stations that are found in most of the ex-Soviet cities.[6] Out of the current 33 stations[6] 19 are pillar-spans and 10 are of vaulted type. Like most of the Soviet metro systems, all of the stations are vividly decorated. Some (notably, Niamiha) exhibit Belarusian national motifs, others focus on more Soviet socialist themes. Although recent years saw more priority on high-tech decorations.

Platform of a Minsk Metro station

Proposed expansion plan, including a third line

At present, there are several projects, only one of which is under construction, the southwestern extension of the Maskowskaya line to the new residential districts in the south-west of the city. This project is fully complete, with 3 out of 4 stations opened November 2012, with Malinawka the final station, opened June 2014. The Maskowskaya and Awtazavodskaya lines can potentially receive an extension on both ends of each line.

However, the major project after 2013 will be a third line running from the south to the north-east of the city via the centre, creating two new transfer points with the existing lines. The construction of the third line started in 2014 and the first stage of the line was opened on 7 November 2020.[7] This follows a northern contour parallel to Maskowskaya, and relieves the extensive congestion in the city area.

A fourth line is not expected to be built before 2020. It is expected to connect south-eastern parts of the city with the north-western residential areas.

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  Plošča Jakuba Kolasa
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  Akademija navuk
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  Park Čaliuskincaŭ
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  Maskoŭskaja
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  Uschod
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  Barysaŭski trakt
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  Uručča

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  Kamiennaja Horka
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  Kuncaŭščyna
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  Spartyŭnaja
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  Puškinskaja
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  Maladziožnaja
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  Frunzienskaja

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  81-717/714
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  Stadler M110/M111

• List of metro systems

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Minsk Metro.

• Minsk Metro – official site
• Official City of Minsk Urban Transport site
• The site of the Minsk subway Minsk-Metro.NET (unofficial)
• Minsk at UrbanRail.net
• Site by Andrey Kharchevk
• Popular site
• Another Popular site
• Network map