transportation

Comprehensive information on Belarus transportation issues including Minsk bus and train stations, Minsk transportation, Minsk airport building, etc.

Is Minsk transportation system efficient?

It is indeed. Minsk boasts of its efficient public transportation system. The latter includes buses, trolley buses, trams and metro (subway). Shuttle buses called marshrutki are also immensely popular and so are taxis.

Minsk metro is rather new and is not as deep as that in Moscow or St. Petersburg, Russia, just from 2 to 15 meters deep. By the way, it is forbidden to photograph inside metro.

There are two metro lines – Moscovskaya and Avtozavodskaya. Moscovskaya Metro Line runs underneath Independence Avenue – the core avenue of the capital that can take you to Independence Square (Ploschcha Lenina Station), Victory Square (Ploschcha Peramogi) amongst other destinations.

The other metro line will take you to Nemiga Street (Nemiga Station), Yubileinaya Square (Frunzenskaya Station) and uptown districts of Minsk. Minsk metro is comparatively the fastest, cheapest and the most comfortable way to get around Minsk.

Trolley buses connect Minsk central areas with the uptown districts and do not travel along Independence Avenue and Pobediteley Avenue. Buses travel everywhere, including the city center and the main avenues of Minsk.

Take bus No. 1 from the Central Railway Station to get to Minsk Hotel, Central Post Office, Minsk Old Town, Yubileiny and Planeta Hotels.

Take bus No. 100 from Central Post office to travel along Independence Avenue to October Square, Victory Square and Yakub Kolas Square with Komarovka Food Market within a walking distance from it.

There is a dozen tram routes in Minsk that connect industrial and residential districts of the capital and cross in the center, not far from Victory Square. Take trams No. 1 and No. 4 from Victory Square to get to the Minsk Central Railway Station. By the way, tram is one of the oldest transportation modes in the Minsk system – the first ones were launched in 1929.

Marshrutka minibuses are a faster transportation option but taking these you must either have a companion who knows the itinerary or speak some Russian to ask or rather scream for a stop to the driver. It will cost about USD 12 to cross the city from one end to another by taxi.

The thing you should know about the Minsk taxis is that the licensed ones always have yellow number plates. Naturally, the payments are to be carried out in Belarusian rubles, but once a taxi driver hears English, he might be tempted to charge you more. So, either ask for a card payment, or make sure the taxi ride is booked by your reception.

If you take a cab on the street, make sure the driver understands what your destination is and agree upon the budget before departure.