Moscow authorities are considering closing the monorail due to its perceived unpopularity and high operating costs, proposing to replace it with an all-day park. The monorail, which runs from the northern entrance of VDNKh to the Timiryazevskaya metro station, has seen a significant decrease in passenger numbers over the past decade, with officials stating that it no longer fully serves its transport function.

Despite the claims of declining ridership, data indicates that the Moscow monorail has seen fluctuating but significant passenger numbers between 2021 and 2025. In 2021, the monorail served over 723,000 passengers, increasing to over 773,000 in 2022, and further to over 839,000 in 2023. By 2024, the number had risen to approximately 975,000 passengers.

The first quarter of 2024 saw the highest ridership during this period, with over 290,000 passengers, potentially influenced by the “Russia” exhibition at VDNKh, which attracted 18.5 million visitors.

The “Exhibition Center” station consistently remained the busiest, serving over 243,000 passengers in 2021, over 279,000 in 2022, over 322,000 in 2023, and over 371,000 in 2024. “Timiryazevskaya” consistently ranked as the second busiest station.

Conversely, stations like “Ulitsa Akademika Koroleva” and “Ulitsa Milashenkova” saw the lowest passenger numbers. In 2021, “Ulitsa Akademika Koroleva” served just over 58,000 passengers, and “Ulitsa Milashenkova” served a little more than 66,000 passengers.

Experts suggest that the infrequency of the monorail service contributes to its low ridership, making its closure more impactful for tourists visiting VDNKh than for local residents. Transport experts also noted the difficulties in acquiring new equipment for the monorail due to sanctions, limiting the number of trains that can operate on the line.