Minsk Metro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Minsk Metro
Minsk metro logo.svg
Overview
Native name
  • Мінскі метрапалітэн
  • Minski mietrapaliten
  • Минский метрополитен
  • Minskiy metropoliten
OwnerGovernment of the Byelorussian SSR (1984–1991)
Government of the Republic of Belarus (1991–present)
LocaleMinsk, Belarus
Transit typeRapid transit
Number of lines3[1]
Number of stations33[1]
Daily ridership872,700 (2014)[1]
Annual ridership318.5 million (2014)[1]
Websitemetropoliten.by
Operation
Began operation30 June 1984; 37 years ago (1984-06-30)[2]
Operator(s)Минский Метрополитен [Minsk Metro]
Number of vehicles361[1]
Technical
System length40.8 km (25.4 mi)[1]
Track gauge1,524 mm (5 ft)
Average speed41 km/h (25 mph)[1]
Construction of Minsk metro

The Minsk Metro (Belarusian: Мінскі метрапалітэн, Russian: Минский метрополитен) is a rapid transit system that serves Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Opened in 1984,[2] it presently consists of 3 lines[1] and 33 stations,[1] totaling 40.8 kilometres (25.4 mi).[1] In 2013, the system carried 328.3 million passengers,[3] which averages to a daily ridership of approximately 899,450.

History[]

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.

Timeline[]

Segment Line Date opened
Instytut Kultury–Maskoŭskaja Maskoŭskaja 30 June 1984
Maskoŭskaja–Uschod Maskoŭskaja 30 December 1986
Traktarny zavod– Aŭtazavodskaja 31 December 1990
Pieršamajskaja Aŭtazavodskaja 28 May 1991
– Aŭtazavodskaja 3 July 1995
Traktarny zavod–Aŭtazavodskaja Aŭtazavodskaja 7 November 1997
Aŭtazavodskaja–Mahilioŭskaja Aŭtazavodskaja 5 September 2001
–Kamiennaja Horka Aŭtazavodskaja 7 November 2005
Uschod–Uručča Maskoŭskaja 7 November 2007
Instytut Kultury–Piatroŭščyna Maskoŭskaja 7 November 2012
Piatroŭščyna–Malinaŭka Maskoŭskaja 3 June 2014
Jubiliejnaja plošča–Kavaĺskaja Slabada Zelenalužskaja 6 November 2020[5]

Operational characteristics[]

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.

Expansion plans[]

Platform of a Minsk Metro station
Proposed expansion plan
Main article: List of Minsk Metro stations

Construction of a third line, the Zelenoluzhskaya line (shown in green), began in 2014. When completed, this third line will run from the south to the northeast of the city via the centre, creating two new transfer points with the existing lines.

The first stage of the line was opened on 7 November 2020.[7] This follows a northern contour parallel to Maskowskaya, and relieved the extensive congestion in the city area.

As of November 2020, the Zelenoluzhskaya line consisted of four stations. While this Line 3 is planned to be extended north to the residential area of Zeleny Lug, a southern extension to Slutskiy Gostinets is already under construction (est. 2023).[8]

A planned fourth line is expected to connect southeastern parts of the city with the northwestern residential areas, from Vesnyanka in the northwest to Serebryanka in the south, via Akademiya Nauk and Traktornyiy Zavod on the existing lines.[9]

Incidents[]

1999 stampede[]

Main article: Nyamiha stampede

On 30 May 1999, a sudden thunderstorm caused a large crowd, from a nearby rock concert, to seek shelter at the Nyamiha station. The limited size of the underpass leading into the ticket hall and the wet pavement caused a human crush. Fifty-three people died.

2011 bombing[]

Main article: 2011 Minsk Metro bombing

The Kastrychnitskaya station was the site of a terrorist bombing on 11 April 2011. Fifteen people were killed.

Lines and stations[]

# Name (Belarusian Latin/Cyrillic) Opened Length Stations
1 Maskowskaya (Маскоўская) 1984[2] 19.1 km 15[1]
2 Awtazavodskaya (Аўтазаводская) 1990[2] 18.1 km 14[1]
3 Zelenaluzhskaya (Зеленалужская) 2020[2] 3.5 km 4[1]
Total 40.8 km[1] 33[1]

Map[]

Maskoŭskaja line[]

  • Plošča Jakuba Kolasa

  • Akademija navuk

  • Park Čaliuskincaŭ

  • Maskoŭskaja

  • Uschod

  • Barysaŭski trakt

  • Uručča

Aŭtazavodskaja line[]

  • Kamiennaja Horka

  • Kuncaŭščyna

  • Spartyŭnaja

  • Puškinskaja

  • Maladziožnaja

  • Frunzienskaja

Zielienalužskaja line[]

  • Jubiliejnaja Plošča

  • Plošča Franciška Bahuševiča

  • Vakzaĺnaja

  • Kavaĺskaja slabada

Rolling stock[]

  • 81-717/714

  • Stadler M110/M111

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Метро сегодня [Metro today] (in Russian). Государственное предприятие "Минский Метрополитен" [State Enterprise "Minsk Metro"]. 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f История развития метрополитена [History of the metro]. Государственное предприятие "Минский Метрополитен" [State Enterprise "Minsk Metro"]. 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  3. ^ ОСНОВНЫЕ ТЕХНИКО-ЭКСПЛУАТАЦИОННЫЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ МЕТРОПОЛИТЕНОВ ЗА 2013 ГОД. [Main technical and operational specifications for Subways for Year 2013.] (pdf). asmetro.ru (in Russian). Международная Ассоциация "Метро" [International Association of Metros]. 2013. p. 3. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  4. ^ "City News in Brief". Railway Gazette International. 11 December 2007.
  5. ^ Minsk’s third metro line opens
  6. ^ a b "Minsk metro | Belarus.by". www.belarus.by.
  7. ^ 4 stations of 3rd line of Minsk metro to be opened for passengers in 2020
  8. ^ UrbanRail. net, Minsk Metro Information
  9. ^ Id.

External links[]

Coordinates: 53°53′41″N 27°32′53″E / 53.89472°N 27.54806°E / 53.89472; 27.54806

Retrieved from ""