Published on: 2026-09-22
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
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The permanent exhibition of the Moscow Transport Museum features more than 50 rare vehicles, including unique exhibits preserved as the only examples in the world. Among them is a Moscow horse-drawn tram carriage reconstructed on the original 1872 running gear. Additionally, the collection includes a type V metro car from 1927, a BF passenger tram car, a TBEС-VSXV trolleybus developed for the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, an R1 tram car from 2014, and the driverless electric mini-bus MatrЁshka.
“The permanent exhibition of the Moscow Transport Museum tells the history of the capital through 53 unique transport vehicles. On the first floor, dedicated to ground urban transport, there are 46 exhibits — five of which are preserved in a single copy. For example, the 1872 horsecar and the BF passenger tramcar. By the order of Sergey Sobyanin, we preserve the unique transport heritage of the capital and make it accessible to residents and guests of the city,” noted the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry.
The museum aims not only to display vehicles but also to preserve the memory of urban life and engineering achievements of past eras. Behind each restored exhibit lies the meticulous work of specialists from the research department and restoration masters. They restore lost elements, allowing visitors to see unique vehicles from different periods.
“The Moscow Transport Museum is a living history of the city, told through its transport. And each page in it represents different eras, whose main characters are trams, buses, trolleybuses, and cars. These vehicles reflected the development of the city, the aesthetics and technologies of their time. It is a whole world that we strive to preserve for present and future generations. Our collection includes unique vehicles that have been restored by museum specialists from scratch or almost from scratch. Some of them were miraculously saved; they have survived only thanks to the persistence and meticulousness of our restorers. We are also actively working with contemporary heritage, seeking to museify what is happening in the city now: to preserve concepts, prototypes, and technologies that today shape the vision of the future of urban transport,” said Oksana Bondarenko, director of the Moscow Transport Museum.
Horse-drawn tram of 1872
The 1872 horse-drawn tram car is the only carriage from the Moscow horse-railway. Its running gear was used until the end of the 20th century as part of a tram tower designed for overhead line maintenance. In 1999, the base of the carriage was restored and a wooden body with an imperial — an upper deck — was built on it. This carriage symbolizes the birth of urban transportation in Moscow.
Type V metro car
The type B metro car is the only surviving car of the eight-door modification. It was decommissioned in 1968 but not scrapped. Until 2021, it was used as a utility room in the Krasnaya Presnya depot. During restoration, specialists discovered the original interior trim and various artifacts beneath later layers. Among them was a map of the Berlin metro. These findings helped to restore the car’s historic appearance as accurately as possible.
BF tram car
The BF tram car is one of the two preserved examples in the world and at the same time the only one brought to a fully exhibition-ready condition after restoration. The car serves as a vivid example of early Soviet tram manufacturing and represents immense value as a reflection of the technical approach and design solutions of its time.
Trolleybus TBES-VSKhV
The TBES-VSKhV trolleybus is the only surviving example from a series of vehicles created specifically for the excursion route at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (VSKhV, now known as VDNKh). The model was developed in 1955 based on the MTB-82, with special attention paid to passenger comfort: the interior featured soft seats, a carpet runner, and a mirror. An original design solution was the transparent plastic curtains instead of side windows — on clear days, they could be raised to improve the view.
The history of the trolleybus is inseparably linked to the post-war renewal of the VSKhV (All-Union Agricultural Exhibition). After a long hiatus, the exhibition reopened in 1954, and modern means of transport were needed to serve its territory. The task of creating them was assigned to specialists of the Sokolniki Car Repair and Construction Plant (SVARZ). In August 1955, the enterprise produced the first two trolleybuses of the SVARZ-TBES-VSKhV model. Their distinctive features were the letters “VSKhV” on the front part of the body and the bas-relief “Tractor Driver and Collective Farm Woman,” repeating the composition of the sculpture at the main entrance to the exhibition.
Later, city trolleybus depots began receiving a simplified version — the SVARZ-MTBES model with traditional glazing. It was produced until 1964. And in 1959, based on the TBES at SVARZ, an experimental model of a battery electric bus was designed.
Tram Car R1 (Russia One)
The 2014 R1 tram is a prototype of a three-section low-floor car. More precisely, a mock-up without a full chassis. It is distinguished by a radically black color, conceived as a reference to the nobility of Ural gemstones. The project incorporated a number of bold engineering solutions: an unconventional angle of the windshield improved visibility and protected the cabin from glare and overheating. The car accommodated about 300 people. Among the interior features were heated handrails and an adaptive music system that changed the sound depending on the weather and time of day. The model did not go into serial production.
Unmanned mini-bus MatrЁshka
MatrЁshka is the first unmanned electric minibus in Russia. The name refers to the modular architecture of the vehicle. This platform was intended for producing compact passenger, cargo, and utility transport. A prototype designed to carry eight passengers was released in 2016, but serial production did not follow.
The Moscow Transport Museum is located at 27 Novoryazanskaya Street. It is open from Tuesday to Thursday from 10:00 to 20:00, and from Friday to Sunday from 10:00 to 21:00. Monday is a day off.
The Moscow Transport Museum recommends planning your visit in advance and purchasing tickets online at official website.
The museum operates as an open urban space and a research center answering the question: what drives Moscow? The museum’s collections include more than 350 units of equipment. It features passenger and cargo cars, taxis, buses, trolleybuses, city service vehicles, as well as bicycles and motorcycles. The museum’s exhibits can be seen not only in exhibition projects but also in the city’s transport infrastructure.
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