But it also serves as a sort of museum of Russian history. Opened in 1935, the marble walls, high ceilings, stained glass, mosaics and chandeliers were a testament to the values of Joseph Stalin and his Communist party. Ironically enough, while the stations were built and designed with Soviet labor, the main engineering work was done by British workers.

 

　　Stalin ordered the arrest of many British engineers on the project for espionage, because they had gained so much inside knowledge about the city's subway system. The engineers were eventually deported and whatever business climate existed between the two countries was effectively killed.

 

　　The system is currently under expansion, and is expected to grow an additional 90 miles by 2020. That would make it the third largest subway system in the world, behind Beijing and Shanghai.

 

　　Below, via Reuters, a look into the average day on Moscow's subway system:
 

 

People walk near the entrance to Arbatskaya metro station, which was built in 1953, in Moscow August 17, 2013.

 

People walk through Prospekt Mira metro station in Moscow August 14, 2013.
 

Two men in matching shirts travel down an escalator at a metro station in Moscow August 12, 2013.

 

A woman works at a news-stand in the Moscow metro August 14, 2013.

 

A woman walks on the platform as a train arrives at Mayakovskaya metro station, which was built in 1938, in Moscow August 17, 2013.
 

A ceiling panel is seen in Novoslobodskaya metro station, which was built in 1952, in Moscow August 17, 2013.

 

A stained glass panel is seen in Novoslobodskaya metro station, which was built in 1952, in Moscow, August 17, 2013.

 

Men use their mobile phones as they stand in front of a mosaic depicting former Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin at Biblioteka Imeni Lenina metro station in Moscow August 13, 2013.

A woman touches the nose of the "lucky dog" statue at the Ploshchad Revolyutsii Metro station in Moscow, August 14, 2013. Commuters believe that rubbing the nose of the bronze dog statue will bring them good luck.

 

A woman reads a magazine in Chistye Prudy metro station in Moscow August 16, 2013.

 

A woman and a man hold their heads as they walk toward a train at a Russian Metro station in Moscow August 11, 2013.



A train driver pulls into Biblioteka Imeni Lenina metro station in Moscow August 14, 2013.

 

A map of the Moscow metro system is seen behind a poster warning passengers to avoid

 

Two women read a book as they sit in a train on the metro in Moscow August 10, 2013.