Exclusive Interview with Maxim Liksutov, Deputy Mayar, Moscow City, Russia

Maxim Liksutov is the Deputy Mayor of Moscow, overseeing the city’s transport and infrastructure sectors. Appointed to this influential role, he is instrumental in driving Moscow’s ambitious modernization projects. Liksutov has a track record of implementing innovative urban mobility solutions, including the expansion of the city’s metro network and the development of modern transport hubs. His efforts have been pivotal in enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of Moscow’s transport system.

Under his leadership, Moscow has seen significant advancements, including the expansion of the metro network and the creation of state-of-the-art transport hubs. Liksutov emphasized a commitment to integrating innovative mobility solutions that promise to enhance both efficiency an sustainability.

With a strong background in engineering and public administration, Liksutov is uniquely positioned to drive Moscow towards a more connected and dynamic future. His strategic approach is not only reshaping the city’s infrastructure but also setting a benchmark for urban transport development worldwide.

In a recent interview with Urban Transport News, Maxim Liksutov, Moscow’s Deputy Mayor, shared his visionary plans for the city’s transport future. Liksutov, who has been at the helm of Moscow’s transport and infrastructure development, outlined ambitious projects aimed at modernizing the city's transit system.

Can you provide an overview of the recent initiatives undertaken by the Moscow Transport Department to revolutionize electric buses, metros, and urban trams in Moscow?

Currently, the Moscow Metro is expanding at an unprecedented rate. In 2023, the world’s longest circular metro line – the Big Circle Line (BCL) –fully opened, allowing passengers to create new convenient routes and save up to 45 minutes per day on travel. Additionally, the launch of the BCL has reduced congestion on other metro lines by up to 23%. Last year also saw the extension of Line 8A to Vnukovo Airport and the expansion of Line 10 further to the north. In March this year, the newest train model Moskva-2024, was introduced on Line 2. Over the past 13 years, under the leadership of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, 112 new metro and MCC (Moscow Central Circle) stations have been opened – almost as many as were built in the USSR over a span of 40 years from 1950 to 1990.

Tram Network in Moscow

The development of the tram network continues – two new tram lines are planned for the city center: along Sergiya Radonezhskogo Street and Akademika Sakharova Avenue. Additionally, tram tracks are being restored on Trifonovskaya Street where tram operations ceased in 1995 but are set to resume in 2025.

Furthermore, Moscow has announced the start of street trials for an autonomous tram. In the initial phase, it runs without passengers and with a driver at the controls, but it already navigates independently within the depot. The autonomous tram can recognize vehicles, traffic lights, pedestrians, and animals (e.g., dogs and cats) on the tracks and stop as necessary.

Electric Buses

Moscow is steadily replacing its buses with the most modern Russian electric buses. The Russian capital leads Europe in the number of these vehicles. Today, over 1,650 eco-friendly buses transport passengers on nearly 120 routes. The first electric bus route started in September 2018.

Currently, electric bus routes are serviced at 9 Mosgortrans sites. Moscow is the first city in Russia to build state-of-the-art electric bus depots. The first of these, Krasnaya Pakhra depot, opened in 2022. In 2023, two more opened – Mitino and Saltykovka depots.

Charging infrastructure is located within the electric bus depots, and charging stations are also being installed along electric bus routes. Today, there are over 340 charging stations for electric buses in Moscow. In 2024, around 200 more charging stations will be added.

Innovative electric buses reduce the environmental impact of urban transport. Moreover, modern technology ensures comfortable trips and a high level of passenger service. The development of a network of eco-friendly transport enhances the quality of life for all Muscovites.

What specific strategies have been implemented to promote sustainability and efficiency within Moscow's public transport systems?

Expansion of the electric transport network, replacement of diesel buses with modern electric buses, implementation of an innovative ticketing system, reduction of paper ticket usage, and transition from paper to electronic travel logs for city ground transport drivers – all these measures contribute to increasing the sustainability and efficiency of Moscow’s public transport systems.

Moreover, Moscow has utilized funds from the Green Bonds project to finance projects with positive environmental impacts: electric buses and the Big Circle Line (BCL) of the Moscow Metro. Two bond issuances were executed:

• In 2021, the 74th issue of the City’s internal bond attracted 70 billion rubles.
• In 2023, Moscow issued the first green bonds for individuals, raising 2 billion rubles.

The funds raised from these bonds were directed toward the following projects:

• Acquisition of 451 electric buses.
• Construction of 48 km of the Big Circle Line and 21 stations along it.

These projects not only positively impacted the environment but also offered several advantages to the city:

• With the opening of the Big Circle Line, passenger convenience increased significantly, reducing the daily commute time for many citizens by up to 45 minutes.
• The development of the metro stimulates the entire city economy. The number of cash registers within a 500-800 meter radius of the new BCL stations has increased 6-7 times since their opening. Additionally, the BCL creates new jobs, with commercial and residential properties being built around new stations, thereby improving the city’s investment climate..

How do you envision the role of electric buses in reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality in the city?

The primary advantage of electric buses over traditional buses is their eco-friendliness. Replacing one diesel bus with an electric bus reduces CO2 emissions by 60 tons per year. An electric bus is 30% quieter than a conventional bus and almost vibration- and noise-free during operation. 

Could you elaborate on any technological advancements or innovations integrated into the metro system to enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency?

The Moscow Metro is implementing various technological projects aimed at improving passenger services and operational efficiency.

Intelligent Ticketing System

Launched in 2013, the intelligent ticketing system offers passengers multiple payment options, including bank cards at all turnstiles, biometric payments, QR codes (in test mode), subscriptions, and more.

The ticketing system is integrated with the Moscow Metro mobile app, which provides functionalities such as:

• Managing the Troika card (purchasing tickets, viewing travel history and transactions, setting up auto-top-up).
• Transferring the balance of a lost Troika card to a new card.
• Determining less crowded carriages in arriving trains.
• Temporarily suspending annual passes (once a year for 14 days).
• Route planning.
• Linking the Moscow Resident Social Card.
• Purchasing intercity bus tickets.
• Registering for biometric payment services.
• Reporting lost items in the metro.
• Accessing the Passenger Mobility Center.
• Chatbot access.

As of March 2024, the app has been downloaded 13 million times, with 2 million monthly users.

Virtual Troika Card

The Virtual Troika card can be issued on any smartphone. Passengers can purchase any ticket from the current fare menu and pay for trips using their smartphone on all types of city transport.

Biometric Payment

Biometric payment allows passengers to travel without physical carriers such as cards or smartphones. Simply looking into the camera at the turnstile can authenticate payment. This service operates across all metro stations, MCC, river transport, and Aeroexpress. The technology is being extended to Moscow Central Diameters as well. Over 350,000 people use this convenient payment method, and since its inception in 2021, over 105 million trips have been made using biometric payment.

Unified Operations Control Center (OCC)

Initially, the UDC controlled only metro operations, but it now manages all rail transport in the city: metro, MCD, MCC, and trams. Thanks to the OCC, trips are always reliable and safe.

Key results of OCC’s work include

• Metro train schedules are adhered to 99.99% of the time.
• The interval between trains on major lines during peak hours is 90 seconds – the best in the world among non-automated metros.
• Incident response times have improved by 2.5 times for the metro and 3.5 times for MCD.
• The time to address incidents has halved.
• Annually, we save passengers over 100 hours.
• Specialists can instantly display important information for passengers on all media screens in trains.

What measures have been taken to ensure the accessibility and inclusivity of public transport services, particularly for individuals with disabilities or limited mobility?

Moscow’s transport system has a Passenger Mobility Center (PMC), established in October 2013, to help passengers who have difficulty navigating the metro independently, including those with hearing and vision impairments, elderly people, large families, and parents with strollers. Last year alone,   PMC specialists assisted approximately 70,000 passengers, a 9% increase compared to 2022. PMC provides assistance across the entire transport network up to social and cultural establishments (e.g., museums).

Additionally, the Moscow Metro oversees the training of guide dogs for individuals with visual impairments. Since 2014, under PMAC’s supervision, 350 dogs have been trained. During training, dogs learn to navigate turnstiles, maneuver on escalators, fetch dropped items, and adapt quickly to the noisy metro environment and large crowds. Once trained, these companions are confident in the metro and maintain composure in various situations.

Besides PMAC and guide dogs, Moscow’s transport offers several features for passengers with limited mobility:

• 99% of buses, electric buses, and trams are equipped with fold-out ramps at the doors, wheelchair restraints, and driver call buttons, and the interiors have wide platforms.
• Modern Ivolga trains running on the MCD have wheelchair restraints.
• At least 10% of street parking spaces in Moscow are allocated for people with disabilities and those transporting them.
• Over 99% of pedestrian traffic lights in the city provide audible signals for the convenience of visually impaired individuals at more than 3,800 intersections.
• The city’s social taxi service helps citizens with limited mobility reach social, sporting, and cultural venues, as well as airports and train stations.
• Moscow residents can also use shared cars and taxis specially equipped for wheelchair users.

How do you foresee the integration of electric buses, metros, and urban trams contributing to the overall vision of a smart and  interconnected transportation network in Moscow?

All types of urban transport in Moscow are well-integrated and connected into a cohesive transport system thanks to well-thought-out routes, a unified ticketing system, a unified navigation system, a consistent visual style, convenient free transfers, mobile apps, the MultiTransport service (which allows purchasing a ticket or pass usable on all types of city transport as well as taxis, bicycles, and scooters, saving up to 30% on monthly transport costs), and more.

Looking ahead, what future developments or projects can residents and visitors expect to see in Moscow's public transport infrastructure?

Moscow continually develops its urban transport system

• By 2030, we plan to open three new metro lines, with 39 new stations on these and existing lines.
• We will continue updating metro trains and increasing the share of new rolling stock.
• We will complete the renewal of the tram fleet, opening new lines and routes.
• We are working on a high-speed rail project (HSR-1/VSM-1) that will halve travel time between Moscow and Saint Petersburg to 2 hours and 15 minutes.
• Regarding passenger services, Moscow will continue their digitalization, including wayfinding systems, and broader adoption of artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technologies.
• More comprehensive information can be found in the Moscow Transport Program 2030.