Moscow’s Subway Just Got an Internet Speed Upgrade

Riders in Moscow can now browse, stream, and scroll underground at speeds that rival many above-ground networks.

Commuters in Russia’s capital will see a major change in their digital routine: local carrier T2 has tripled mobile internet speeds across 100 metro stations, pushing connections up to 200 Mbps.

The upgrade comes thanks to new LTE2300 spectrum equipment, according to the company. T2 focused first on the busiest subway lines, including the Bolshaya Koltsevaya (Big Circle Line) and the Zamoskvoretskaya Line. By the end of the year, the carrier says it will expand the faster service to the rest of Moscow’s sprawling underground system.

Other telecom operators are racing to keep pace. In St. Petersburg, rival provider MegaFon boosted capacity at 59 stations late last year. Meanwhile, in Novosibirsk, MTS has already completed a full LTE rollout, delivering fast connections both on platforms and inside moving trains.

The result: Russia’s metros are becoming some of the fastest connected transit systems in the world — places where commuters can video chat, stream, or work without losing signal as the train dives beneath the city.