Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was among the first passengers to ride to Botanicheskaya, a new station on the Yekaterinburg metro.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was among the first passengers to ride to Botanicheskaya, a new station on the Yekaterinburg metro.
The president looked around the spacious entry hall at the Botanicheskaya station, which took over four years to build, and then descended to the train level where he met with metro builders. Following an established tradition, he joined them on a test ride from Botanicheskaya to Geologicheskaya.
During the short ride, Sverdlovsk region Governor Alexander Misharin, background, told the president that the city metro now has eight stations and will have nine after another new station, Chkalovskaya, enters service next year. The metro will account for 20% of public transportation trips in Yekaterinburg, up from the current 14%.
Medvedev asked how much it cost to use the metro. The governor said the regular fare on any city transport was 18 rubles.
The new station has several exits and is entirely disabled accessible with elevators, rising platforms as well as special amenities for people with impaired vision. The interior design uses a honeycomb pattern used for the ceiling lights and traced on the walls and columns.
