The Moscow press office reported that Maxim Liksutov, Moscow Deputy Mayor for Transport, described the Moscow Central Diameters (MCD) as a catalyst for how residents move around the city. He noted that in just four years the MCD network has grown to 136 stations and continues to expand, driven by demand from travelers across Moscow and the surrounding region.
According to Liksutov, passengers increasingly seek this integrated, convenient travel experience that the diameters provide.
“Millions of Muscovites and residents of the Moscow region now have access to MCD services operating on a coordinated timetable, integrated with the Moscow transport ticket system, featuring modern rolling stock and upgraded stations and infrastructure,” the official stated.
He highlighted record passenger numbers on the various lines: D1 reached 272 thousand rides in a single day, D2 saw 360 thousand, D3 logged 443 thousand, and D4 reached 264 thousand trips.
Liksutov emphasized the substantial progress in merging the railway with the urban transport network. In 2023 the surface metro network expanded with the introduction of MCD-3 Leningradsko-Kazansky and MCD-4 Kaluzhsko-Nizhegorodsky in the transport plan. He explained that the third diameter connects Zelenograd with Ramenskoye near Moscow, while the fourth diameter links Aprelevka, Vnukovo, and the Zheleznodorozhny district of Balashikha, broadening access and connectivity.
He described the Moscow Central Diameters as a major transport project not just for the capital but for the entire Central Transport Hub, reinforcing the region’s mobility and economic linkages.
“Thanks to the successful operation of MCD-1 and MCD-2, nearby metro lines experienced a 12 percent decrease in passenger traffic. A similar effect is anticipated as the new above-ground metro lines come online and begin to serve commuters,” he added.
Liksutov also noted reduced car congestion on key highways as a result of MCD expansion. On routes such as Leningradskoe, Novoryazanskoe, Kosinskoye highways, as well as Ryazansky and Oktabrskaya avenues, Enthusiasts Highway, Kievskoye, Borovskoye and Nosovikhinskoye highways, fewer vehicles are circulating, reflecting a shift toward multimodal travel options.
Looking ahead, he stated that the diameters will continue to develop. Construction is underway on new Moscow city stations Mitkovo on D3 and Petrovsko-Razumovskaya on D1. Ongoing reconstruction is improving Begovaya, Rizhskaya, Malino and Kursky stations, while the renewal of rolling stock proceeds steadily. The goal is to replace the remaining trains on the MCD-3 remote suburban routes with new units by the end of 2024.
On the procurement and replacement schedule, the head of the Department of Transport indicated that the rolling stock for MCD-4 is planned to be fully renewed by the end of 2025. There are also plans to extend the Central Transport Hub with new routes that will reach Kaluga, Tver, Tula, Ryazan, Yaroslavl and additional destinations, broadening the geographic footprint and linking more communities to rapid transit options.
For context, the first two diameters, MCD-1 Belorussko-Savelovsky and MCD-2 Kursko-Rizhsky, began service on November 21, 2019. They created direct links between Odintsovo and Lobnya, as well as Nakhabino and Podolsk, laying the groundwork for a longer, more resilient urban-rail network around Moscow.