How to Pay in Moscow: Metro, Taxi, Cafes and Shops (2026)
How to pay in Moscow without a Russian card: Troika and metro fares, Yandex Go, SBP QR codes in cafes and shops, museums, markets and tips. October 2026.
Contents
How to pay in Moscow without a Russian card: buy a Troika card for the metro (75 ₽ a ride), carry rubles in cash for taxis and markets, and pay SBP QR codes in cafes, shops and museums from a ruble balance funded from USDT. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards do not work anywhere in the city, including metro gates and Yandex Go.
Key facts (October 2026)
- Metro, MCC, central MCD, bus and tram fares since 2 January 2026: 75 ₽ per ride on a Troika card, 83 ₽ by bank card or phone, 90 ₽ for a single ticket.
- A Troika card has a 150 ₽ deposit, refunded when you return the card at a ticket office. It holds up to 10,000 ₽.
- Unlimited passes: 415 ₽ for one day, 800 ₽ for three days.
- Bus and tram drivers have not sold tickets since 2021, so you need a Troika or a ticket before you board.
- Foreign cards cannot be used at the turnstiles, in Yandex Go or at ATMs.
- Paying an SBP QR code from a Matrimix ruble balance costs a 3% fee; the rubles are bought with USDT at the wallet rate, shown before you confirm.
How to pay for the metro in Moscow
The metro, the MCC ring, the central zone of the MCD lines, buses and trams share one fare system.
| Ticket | Price | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Single ticket («Единый», 1 ride) | 90 ₽ | One ride, valid 5 days |
| Troika card, per ride | 75 ₽ | Most visitors |
| "90 minutes" on Troika | 112 ₽ | One rail ride plus buses and trams within 90 minutes |
| Unlimited, 1 day | 415 ₽ | Heavy sightseeing day |
| Unlimited, 3 days | 800 ₽ | A long weekend |
| Bank card or phone at the gate | 83 ₽ | Russian cards only |
Buy a Troika at any metro ticket office or ticket machine and load it with rubles. Transfers between the metro and the MCC are free within 90 minutes.
Topping up Troika without cash
According to the SBP operator NSPK, ticket machines in metro stations accept SBP: choose top-up, choose SBP, and the machine shows a QR code. With a ruble balance in Matrimix you can scan that code with the QR button → Scan like any other till. Not every machine shows the option and it may change, so keep a few hundred rubles in cash for the ticket office. The turnstiles themselves cannot read a wallet screen: you tap the Troika.
From the airport
Aeroexpress ticket offices and machines can top up a Troika card, and metro ticket offices sell the card itself, so you can sort out transport soon after landing. Change a small amount of cash at the airport for the first ride; rates are better in the city.
Taxis and Yandex Go
Yandex Go is the main ride-hailing app, with an English interface. You cannot link a foreign card. Choose Cash as the payment method when you order and pay the driver in rubles; carry 100–500 ₽ notes, because drivers often lack change. Some taxis show an SBP QR code; if yours does, the wallet can pay it, but do not rely on it.
For a pre-arranged private transfer, a driver may accept rubles to a phone number. A Matrimix payout can send that: Services → Payouts via SBP and card number → SBP → receiver's phone and bank → Send rubles. The fee is 6% and the minimum is 1,500 ₽, so it suits an airport transfer, not a short ride. Details: /rub-payout and how to pay someone in Russia.
Cafes, restaurants and shops
SBP QR codes are widespread in Moscow: many chains, supermarkets and cafes accept them, and so do plenty of small shops. The code appears on the card terminal screen, on a sticker at the till or on the bill. The merchant receives rubles, as from a Russian bank app.
How to pay at the till
Matrimix is a custodial crypto wallet inside Telegram, the Mini App of @MatrimixBot. You need rubles on its balance first: convert USDT in Swap (USDT → RUB) or on the Ruble card → Swap before you go out. The wallet never pays a merchant in crypto. Fund the wallet over USDT TRC20 or USDT TON.
- Ask: «Можно оплатить по QR-коду СБП?»
- Tap the QR button in the centre of the bottom menu → Scan. If the camera does not read the code, take a photo of it and use From gallery.
- Check Recipient, Amount, Fee and You pay. If a sticker has no amount, enter the amount the cashier tells you.
- Slide Pay …, wait for Paid and show the screen to the cashier. Receipt opens a PDF.
Example with an illustrative rate: a 1,000 ₽ lunch bill plus the 3% fee takes 1,030 ₽ from the ruble balance. If you bought those rubles at a wallet rate of 78.3 ₽ per USDT, they cost about 13.15 USDT. Real numbers show before you confirm; see /fees. More on the mechanics: SBP QR payment in Russia from a USDT balance.
Museums, theatres and hotels
Ticket desks at major museums generally take Russian cards and cash, and many show an SBP QR code on the terminal. Online ticket sites often want a Russian card; if the checkout offers SBP («СБП»), copy the payment link and use Pay by payment link in the wallet. Theatres are similar: the box office is the safer bet. At hotel reception, ask before check-in whether you can pay the bill by SBP QR code or in cash.
Markets and street food
Flea markets, small market stalls and kiosks often prefer cash, and payouts to a phone number start at 1,500 ₽, so a 300 ₽ purchase is a cash purchase. Food halls are mixed: the central till may show a QR code while single stalls want notes. Read more: how much cash can I bring to Russia.
Tipping
In sit-down restaurants around 10% is usual. Some bills carry a separate QR code for tips that opens a web page; for a visitor, leaving cash on the table is the simplest way.
Russian phrases for Moscow
- «Можно оплатить по QR-коду СБП?» (Mozhno oplatit' po QR-kodu SBP?) — Can I pay by SBP QR code?
- «Покажите, пожалуйста, QR-код на сумму» (Pokazhite, pozhaluysta, QR-kod na summu) — Please show a QR code with the amount.
- «Можно перевести по номеру телефона?» (Mozhno perevesti po nomeru telefona?) — Can I transfer to your phone number?
- «Чек, пожалуйста» (Chek, pozhaluysta) — Receipt, please.
Good to know
- The price is on screen before you pay. QR payments cost a 3% fee, and the rubles are bought at the wallet rate; payouts cost 6% with minimums of 1,500 ₽ over SBP and 3,500 ₽ to a card. The total is always shown before you confirm — no surprises at the till. Prices as of October 2026.
- Matrimix holds your coins and rubles for you. No seed phrases and no extra apps — everything opens in Telegram.
- A confirmed payment goes through at once. It cannot be cancelled, so check the amount and recipient. Merchant refunds go through Request a refund and return to the ruble balance without the fee.
- Buy your rubles in advance. Telegram is largely blocked in Russia: since mid-March 2026 most connections fail on mobile data and Wi-Fi alike, and since July 2026 foreign SIM and eSIM roaming is filtered too. Set up the wallet and swap USDT to rubles before you fly — they will wait on the balance until you pay. Carry a little cash for the metro office and taxis. See does Telegram work in Russia.
- Law. Russian law (282-FZ) forbids paying merchants in crypto; the wallet pays rubles only. Overview: is crypto legal in Russia. This is not legal advice.
- Not everywhere. Turnstiles, Yandex Go and many stalls need a Troika, cash or a Russian card.
Sources
- Moscow metro fares since 2 January 2026: news.metro.ru
- Troika deposit and top-up points: mos.ru
- Topping up Troika over SBP: sbp.nspk.ru
- Cards and cash in Moscow: themoney.ru
- Payments for visitors in 2026: gw2ru.com
Read also
FAQ
Can I use my Visa or Mastercard in Moscow?
No. Cards issued outside Russia are declined at shops, ATMs, metro gates and in Yandex Go. Bring cash, and if you hold USDT, convert it to rubles in the wallet to pay SBP QR codes.
How do I pay for the metro in Moscow as a tourist?
Buy a Troika card at a metro ticket office (150 ₽ refundable deposit) and load it with rubles: a ride costs 75 ₽. Top up with cash at the office or, where the machine offers SBP, by scanning its QR code. A single ticket costs 90 ₽.
Does Yandex Go accept foreign cards?
No. Yandex Go takes Russian cards and cash. Select cash when you order and pay the driver in rubles.
Can I pay with crypto in Moscow?
No. Merchants in Russia may not accept crypto. You convert USDT to rubles in the wallet as a separate step, and the wallet pays the SBP QR code in rubles; the cafe or shop receives rubles.
Do Moscow museums accept QR payments?
Many ticket desks show an SBP QR code on the terminal, and cash is always accepted. Online ticket sites often need a Russian card unless the checkout offers SBP.
