tui travel agent requirements

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Recruitment process.

We ensure that all applications are dealt with in a fair, respectful and effective way at each of the four stages of the recruitment process. It’s a two-way conversation: not only are we keen to get to know you, but it’s also your opportunity to find out more about TUI UK & Ireland. Our recruitment process consists of four stages

For each stage of the process, please ensure that you provide us with as much relevant information as possible to support your application.

• Stage 1: The first stage is to search for a suitable vacancy and apply online. We will confirm receipt of your application by email.
• Stage 2: A member of our Recruitment team considers your application against the role criteria. Your application will be handled professionally according to best practice and our commitment to Equal Opportunities.
• Stage 3: If your application is successful, you will be invited to attend a competency based interview/assessment. Interviews, on average, last for approximately one hour and are held with the relevant line manager and, whenever appropriate, a member of the HR / Recruitment team.
• Stage 4: You will be notified within five working days of your interview if you have been successful and what the next stage will be.

We wish you every success with your application. If you have any questions, please contact our Recruitment Team on 0800 169 5692 or email: [email protected]

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• Home: Explore careers

Travel agent

Alternative titles for this job include travel consultant.

Travel agents book business and leisure travel for customers.

Average salary (a year)

£18,000 Starter

£27,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

37 to 40 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on a rota

How to become

How to become a travel agent.

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• working towards this role

You could do a Level 3 Diploma in Travel and Tourism.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• funding advice
• search for courses

Apprenticeship

You could do a travel consultant advanced apprenticeship.

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
• guide to apprenticeships

You can start as a trainee travel agent and receive on-the-job training from your employer.

There are no set entry requirements, but a good general standard of education is expected. Some employers may ask for English and maths GCSEs or equivalent. Good geographical knowledge will also be helpful.

Career tips

It may help if you have customer service experience and can speak a second language.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in travel from the Institute of Travel & Tourism .

What it takes

Skills and knowledge.

You'll need:

• customer service skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to sell products and services
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• administration skills
• active listening skills
• persuading skills
• a desire to help people
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

What you’ll do

What you'll do, day-to-day tasks.

In this role you could:

• talk to customers to understand their needs
• help customers find a suitable package holiday or plan independent travel
• make bookings and payments using online computer systems
• advise customers about passports, insurance, visas, vaccinations, tours and vehicle hire
• inform customers of changes like cancelled flights
• arrange refunds and handle complaints
• meet sales targets
• keep up to date with developments in the travel industry

Working environment

You could work in a contact centre or at a store.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

With training and experience, there may be opportunities to progress into senior roles like:

• branch or call centre manager
• operations director
• regional director

You could also move into other roles in the travel sector, like tour operating.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships in england, tui retail apprentice.

• Wage: £13,530.00 Annually
• Location: Great Yarmouth

Travel Consultant Apprentice

• Wage: £12,480.00 Annually
• Location: Golden Square, Warrington

Courses In England

Travel and tourism diploma.

• Provider: LUTON SIXTH FORM COLLEGE
• Start date: 05 September 2024
• Location: Luton

L2 Travel & Tourism Diploma

• Provider: SOUTH HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE GROUP
• Start date: 02 September 2024
• Location: Fareham

Jobs In the United Kingdom

The Find a job service can help you with your search for jobs and send alerts when new jobs become available.

Not what you're looking for?

Search further careers, related careers.

• Tour manager
• Tourist guide
• Airport information assistant
• Customer service assistant

Skills assessment

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Speak to an adviser

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• About TUI Group
• Vision & Values
• Our business
• TUI History

TUI Group is a leading global tourism group and operates worldwide. The Group is headquartered in Germany. TUI shares are listed on the FTSE 250, an index of the London Stock Exchange, on the regulated market of the Hanover Stock Exchange and on the Open Market segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The TUI Group offers integrated services from a single source for its 19 million customers. The entire tourism value chain is covered under one roof. This includes over 400 hotels and resorts with premium brands such as RIU, TUI Blue and Robinson and 16 cruise ships, from the MS Europa and the MS Europa 2 in the luxury class and expedition ships to the Mein Schiff fleet of TUI Cruises and cruise ships at Marella Cruises in Great Britain. The Group also includes leading tour operator brands and online marketing platforms across Europe, five airlines with more than 130 modern medium and long-haul aircraft and around 1,200 travel agencies. In addition to expanding its core business with hotels, cruises via successful joint ventures and activities in holiday destinations, TUI is increasingly focusing on the expansion of digital platforms. The Group is transforming itself into a digital company.

Global responsibility for sustainable economic, ecological and social action is at the core of our corporate culture. The TUI Care Foundation, initiated by TUI, focuses on the positive effects of tourism, on education and training and on strengthening environmental and social standards with projects in 25 countries. It thus supports holiday destinations in their development.

Holiday Experiences

Hotels & Resorts

TUI Group comprises more than 400 hotels worldwide. The resorts of our hotel brands are located in prime locations in the holiday destinations – offering a variety of hotel experiences with high standards of business performance, service quality and environmental management. The Group’s hotel portfolio includes well-known brands such as Riu, Atlantica, TUI Blue and the premium club brand Robinson.

More information.

TUI Group gears operations to the specific desires of different customers. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, with five ships, is the leading provider of expedition and luxury cruises in the German-speaking market. TUI Cruises offers premium voyages. The fleet currently consists of six vessels. Marella Cruises has five liners serving the British market.

TUI MUSEMENT

A leading Tours & Activities business that combines a scalable digital platform with local service delivery in more than 140 countries worldwide. Available in all major holiday and city destinations to travelers around the world, including the 19 mio. annual TUI customers, there are currently more than 160,000 “things to do” - including excursions, activities, tickets and transfers. These are distributed through the Musement and TUI websites and apps, and B2B partners, including the world's leading OTAs, tour operators, cruise lines and travel companies. TUI Musement is one of the major growth areas of TUI Group and in FY23, generated a revenue of EUR 1.2bn delivered by 9,000 colleagues. 

Markets & Airlines

Tour operators

Many strong tour operators with leading positions in their own domestic markets are clustered under the roof of the TUI Group. In Germany they include TUI Deutschland and airtours, in the UK First Choice. TUI operators are also among the leading national brands in Austria, Poland, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

There are five airlines in the TUI Group operating around 130 medium- and long-haul aircraft, including the largest fleet of the latest Boeing Dreamliners. The airlines are TUI Airways, TUI fly, TUI fly Belgium, TUI fly Netherlands and TUI fly Nordic, serving more than 180 destinations around the world.

• Group Presentation (PDF)

More information

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Apprenticeships

Our apprenticeships offer a great route into a varied and exciting career with TUI. We have lots of opportunities whether you join us in our finance team, or at our Hangar in engineering with TUI Airline, we’ll offer you heaps of support and encouragement – and all the opportunity you need to take your future where you like. All you need to do is show us that you’re serious about working hard, being an important member of our team – doing whatever it takes to make our customers ‘Live Happy’.

Find out more about our programmes for 2024 – Aircraft Engineering , Finance , Commercial and Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship

Aircraft Engineering

As a fully qualified engineer, you’ll be involved in Heavy Maintenance of our fleet of 130 Boeing aircraft.  TUI Airline operates Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 737-800 and 737 MAX, and if successful you’ll be qualified to work on some of the highest tech aircraft currently in operation. Your expertise will ensure the safe and reliable operation of our fleet, ensuring customers discover their smiles on their next TUI holiday.

Watch our video to find out more about the team.

Jeevan Singh Sagoo, Aircraft Engineer Apprentice

“I’ve always been fascinated by how things work, from the humble vacuum cleaner to aircraft. Living under the flight path of landing planes quickly led me to become obsessed with the world of airlines and aviation. As a result, I knew exactly which industry I wanted to enter from a young age, and here I am!   Relocating to Luton from Birmingham was daunting, but I’m glad I trusted my gut. Each morning, I feel motivated and proud to work for a company that recognises all its colleagues as being part of one global team, delivering on the customer promise of ‘Living Happy’. The entire business excites me.   The amount of research I conducted into the programme proved invaluable, as this ensured I had a sound understanding of exactly what I was applying for. Consequently, this would be my biggest piece of advice: learn the details and facts of the opportunity you’re interested in and demonstrate a genuine passion at each stage of the recruitment process.   The culture at TUI embraces your uniqueness, career goals, character and skill development. I’m currently working towards my CAT-A license, which will enable me to conduct a variety of work on TUI’s diverse fleet of aircraft. The apprenticeship programme is perfect, as TUI provide unrivalled support, guidance and growth opportunity. If you want this too, then without a doubt, go for it. Good luck!”

Millie Henry, Aircraft Engineer Apprentice

“I’m currently working as a first year Aircraft Engineer Apprentice with TUI. I always knew engineering was the career path I wanted to take, and during college I studied Aircraft Engineering which interested me even more! In a field that would be previously looked at as being male dominated, it’s great to see that more and more women are getting involved in the industry, which motivated me even more to follow my dream. Now, I’m studying towards my required theory work before I start my hands-on experience within the Hangar, where I’ll help maintain live TUI aircraft. The great thing about this apprenticeship is the chance to gain vital knowledge and exposure that you wouldn’t get from a book. This prepares you to qualify as an A-Licensed engineer at the end of the 4 years! If you’re like me and are eager to get your foot through the door within the industry, the TUI Aircraft Engineering Apprenticeship is a perfect opportunity! It was daunting at first moving 4.5 hours away from home to Luton, however, after my first day with TUI, I knew it was worth it. So, if you’re thinking of applying, go for it! I’m glad I did!”

Connor Rhodes, Engineering & maintenance Apprentice

“I’m currently a second year apprentice working in Hangar 61 gaining the practical experience I need to be able to apply for my A licence. Having spent the last year in a specialist aviation college gaining my modules for my qualification, I now work on the Hangar floor undertaking tasks which develop my skills, as well as give me knowledge on the range of aircrafts which we work on. The favourite thing I’ve done so far would be assisting with a 787-engine change! Every day is different and I constantly learn new things. As well as gaining the theoretical knowledge in the first year, I also gained a lot of practical experience from the sheet metal tasks in the workshop and the aircraft-based jobs which we did whilst on our short secondment to the Cotswolds in the training hangar there. Now I’m in the hangar, it’s all about building on that experience to gain my A-licence and push on to my B-licence, whilst learning all about the differences between the aircraft in our fleet. To anyone who’s interested in applying for this apprenticeship, I would say just do it! It’s the perfect apprenticeship for anyone with a passion for aviation and wants to learn about aircraft engineering in a hands-on, practical way.”

Rob Carr, Base Maintenance Manager

“I started as an apprentice at TUI in 2003, and throughout my apprenticeship I studied for my B1 licence. After graduating I moved into an Aircraft Engineer role and finalised my licence application through the next two years. I achieved my B1 licence in 2008 and shortly after gained my first type approval on the Boeing 767 and was promoted to a B1 Licenced Engineer within the Base Maintenance Environment at Hangar 61, Luton. In 2013 I moved into a Bay Manager position and then in 2017 moved to be the Outsourced Maintenance Manager. In 2021 I became H61 Base Maintenance Manager.

In my current role as Base Maintenance Manager, the Base Maintenance team carry out heavy maintenance checks for all five of the TUI Airlines. We can also carry out minor and unscheduled checks as well as AOG (aircraft on ground) recovery to support the operation. We’re currently reviewing the use of drones and how they can be used in aircraft inspections in the future and we’re also reviewing the use of laptops and tablets to improve the efficiency for engineers working on aircraft rather than desktop PCs at fixed work stations. It’s a really exciting time within Engineering.”

Martyn Green, Engineering Apprenticeship Manager

The time that our customers spend away on our holidays is precious. That’s why we need to understand what our customers want as well as how the world is changing so we can design, develop and deliver dream holidays. Many of this can only happen through our work. We look after our people and sustainably deliver growth and profitability through cleverly eking every penny out of what we sell by managing price, focusing on cost and controlling availability of product. From liaising with hotel buyers, to forecasting travel trends, developing holiday brochures, and pricing holidays – it’s all in a day’s work in this area of our business.

Kayla Van Zundert, Commercial Apprentice

“I decided to apply to the Commercial Apprenticeship because I’ve always been interested in travel and different cultures around the world. When at college, I was unsure on what to do next, until I found this amazing opportunity to work and gain experience in the travel industry, alongside working towards a business qualification. I get to learn from people who have so much experience in their roles, and I have an endless number of people that support me with my journey at TUI so that I can get the most out of my apprenticeship. Before I came to TUI, I worked part-time as a Team Leader at a supermarket whilst achieving my A-levels. I didn’t feel that University was the right step forward for me, so I started looking for apprenticeships around the subjects I was interested in and came across TUI’s Emerging Talent scheme. There are so many different apprenticeships to go for, but I decided the Commercial Apprenticeship was best suited for me. Currently, I’m working in Early Trading for the first year of my apprenticeship, which has massively increased my knowledge of the travel world already! I spend most of my time working in my trading role but get dedicated time each week to work towards my Business Administration qualification and diploma. In my second year, I will move to another area of the Commercial department, leading me to gain more experience and broaden my knowledge of the company and the travel industry. The benefits of taking an apprenticeship with TUI are that you can gain experience in your role whilst working towards a qualification to show your learnings and hard work that you have put in over the two years. You get to take part in so many unique opportunities and expand your skills in the travel industry alongside so many talented and experienced people, who all want you to succeed. My advice for future applicants is to throw yourself at every opportunity that comes your way. Apprenticeships are the best way to gain experience and have something to show for all your hard work and determination. Never doubt what you can achieve as you will surprise yourself!”

Our vision in Finance is to ‘Deliver a World Class Valued Service’. As part of our strategy to future-proof our business, we’re continuing with the ambition to build a modern finance function. Our focus is to drive best practice by staying close to the business and focusing on value creation.  We achieve this through excellent business partnering, utlising data to drive decision making, ensuring a robust control framework and driving forward the automation of processes.

Kirsty Birch, Finance Manager

Chelsea blackshaw, finance apprentice.

Jemma Poulton, Finance Apprentice, TUI Airline

“When I left Sixth Form, I was fortunate enough to get my place on the apprenticeship scheme. Whilst being an apprentice I’ve completed AAT Level 3 whilst working in an accounting role in the Tour Operator and most recently I’ve been working towards AAT Level 4 whilst in an accounting role in the Airline. I’ve worked with so many people during the apprenticeship and each person is invested in our development as the next. My colleagues at TUI have all had differing routes of progression to their current roles and their experiences are frequently shared throughout Finance. Outside of Finance I’ve worked with many colleagues from HR and Early Careers to Retail and Contact Centre.”

James Rowley, Finance Apprentice – Sales & Marketing

“I first joined TUI in September 2018. My first role was within the Cruise Accounting team which lasted 18 months. This was my first experience within Finance and being in an office environment. Alongside this, I was working to achieve my Level 2 and 3 AAT qualifications. Within my time at TUI, the most notable moment was transitioning from my Accounting role to my Commercial role as this was very different to a traditional accounting role. However, I was excited to be a part of Commercial Finance as it meant I would learn more about the business and how it operates. I chose TUI because of the amount support I get within the company. The support from managers and lecturers has been the key to me being happy within the company. I can always rely on someone to help me if I’m struggling with work or an upcoming exam which motivates me to become even better.”

Human Resources

Our HR team is a really dynamic place to be. You’ll be working directly helping us to reach our goal of being the best-loved holiday company to work for, with inclusivity at its core and supporting our colleagues to live happy. You’ll experience and deliver in rotational HR roles that all aim to deliver a high-quality HR service to our Colleagues and Line Managers. Within each rotation, you’ll be working as part of a HR team developing your expertise in various HR specialisms.

Gemma Saunders, Head of People Services and Reward

Davina Gallagher, HR Apprentice

“I chose this HR Apprenticeship at TUI because I have always had an interest in the aviation industry. As a child we were always going to Holiday Villages with TUI (then Thomson) and I loved the TUI vibe so when I saw that they had apprenticeships it was a no brainer! When I came into the Head Office for my interview it just reminded of what I loved about TUI – there is such a friendly, homely vibe.

Before my apprenticeship I was at Sixth from completing my A Levels, I studied Media, Business and Sociology. I also worked part time at a uniform shop. At Sixth Form I didn’t have much of an idea of what I wanted to do- university or full time work. So when I had the opportunity to go to an apprenticeship fair I took it and that’s when I discovered Careers at TUI.

As part of my apprenticeship programme I get to do 6 months in different sections of HR. This includes Reward, Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition and the Early Talent Team. This allows me to gain so much knowledge from so many different sectors of HR and will allow me to gain skills that will help me to progress in my HR career.

The benefits of doing a HR apprenticeship at TUI are endless. There are so many talented and experienced people that are willing to help and want to see you succeed. This gives you so much motivation and courage to do your best and because there are so many opportunities for progression it makes you determined to work hard.

My advice for future applicants would be to just jump in and go for it! It was such a scary thing to apply for an apprenticeship in such a large corporate company with not very much professional experience at all. There were definitely times that I was second guessing myself but everyone is so friendly and welcoming and no one expects you to know everything – this is the point of the apprenticeship, so just go for it!”

Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship

The Chartered Management Degree Programme is a unique opportunity to study towards a management degree whilst gaining four years’ worth of experience across four different roles within our business all without the student debt. We’ve partnered with the University of Hertfordshire to develop a unique and innovative degree apprenticeship that allows you to explore our business to help you decide your future career path and allows us to develop our future leaders. Our programme is designed to ‘bring to life’ the theoretical side of the degree through storytelling from our very own senior leaders. Watch the video to find out more about the Chartered Management Degree Programme and meet some of our current apprentices below to see if this is right for you.

Julie Tindale, HR Director TUI UK&I

Beccie barton, apprenticeship operations specialist.

Tia Kerr-Miller, CMDA

“The Chartered Management Apprenticeship stood out to me as it offered a unique opportunity to rotate across four different areas of the business. Being passionate about travel, this apprenticeship seemed like the perfect opportunity to see first-hand how the travel industry works whilst being able to study towards my business management degree.

My journey at TUI began in HR where I joined the UK&I Reward team and gained valuable insights into the recognition and benefits strategies. This enhanced my understanding of the role HR plays in shaping a company’s success and employee motivation. My next HR placement took me to the Talent Acquisition team, where I gained hands-on experience in recruitment. This was not only educational but also rewarding as I contributed to bringing new talent into TUI and even learnt a few helpful recruitment tips for myself.

One of the highlights of my first year was the opportunity to experience the launch of Marella Voyager, TUI’s new cruise ship. Witnessing the ship’s unveiling and meeting the team that made it all happen was an unforgettable experience. My cohort has also recently been to Mallorca to shadow various roles within TUI Musement and spent time in our local retail stores to broaden our knowledge of TUI’s operations.

As I begin my next rotation in Digital Merchandising, I’m excited about the opportunity to work in a new team who’ll share their knowledge of their business area with me. The CMDA programme has been key in shaping my career path and I am looking forward to the continuous learning and development that lies ahead.”

Sam Croucher, CMDA

“Before joining TUI, I was studying towards my Maths, Business and Psychology A-levels, whilst also considering what route I wanted to take after sixth form. For me, the Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship stood out as it offered the opportunity to gain my degree free of charge, whilst also gaining first-hand experience across multiple areas of the business.

The scheme is rotational, which means you spend each year in a different department. My first rotation was within the PR team, which was really exciting. I got to work with celebrities and influencers on several brand campaigns, and also developed a strong understanding of reputational management. I am now working in the HR team, spending six months within the Emerging Talent team, before a further six months in the Reward team and I’m really excited to learn more about this business function. After this, I will complete another two rotations across the business within Digital Marketing and Commercial, ensuring I gain a well-rounded view of the business.

My advice for anyone thinking of applying would be to go for it! The business has an amazing culture and everyone wants to help you learn and develop… plus the holiday discounts aren’t bad either!”

Steven Wilson, CMDA

“When I finished my A levels in July 2022, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my career. But one thing I was sure of is that I wanted to continue my learning journey towards a degree and enter the workforce. 

It was at this point where I learnt about the Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship Scheme. This scheme gave me the best of both worlds; the earn, and the learn! 

To put a long story short, I’m now on the scheme working as a Bedstock Trading Assistant in Commercial alongside studying towards a Business Management Degree and I could not recommend this scheme more. I find fulfilment in my job every day, analysing and managing our risk, Bedstock availability and bed related trading strategy for Cyprus, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde over all of our active seasons. In this role I’ve developed massively on both a professional and personal level, learning the ins and outs of how we sell our holidays at TUI with some great people. I have met some truly lifelong friends in both my cohort and job role as well as successfully completing my first year of university where I’ve learnt about various areas of business and how they apply to TUI.

In the (just over a) year that I’ve worked here, I’ve partaken in my fair share of travel. I jetted off to Turkey for a Commercial Conference, Malaga for a cruise ship launch and Palma for an apprentice trip. Needless to say, working in travel has its benefits!

I was once looking at this website too thinking about applying to the course. One thing I’d say to myself if I could back then, is press apply!”

Retail Apprenticeship

At TUI we know just how important it is for our customers to get their holidays perfect, which is why our travel consultants form a key part in the booking journeys. Our retail team completes an important role through providing outstanding customer service, dealing with customer questions and delivering a range of accommodation bookings. Our Level 3 Travel Consultant apprenticeship is provided in-house to equip you with outstanding knowledge of the travel industry and customer journeys, allowing great progression upon completion.

Lily High, Retail Apprentice

“I chose to enroll on the apprenticeship scheme as I’ve always had a passion for travel and learning about different cultures. I had already had some experience in customer service so wanted to combine these things in a role that offered me a career path with lots of options. Prior to joining the scheme, I had a part time job during my time at Sixth Form, but decided to pursue an apprenticeship rather than go to university.

I spend one day a week concentrating on my apprenticeship duties, then spend the rest of the week on the shopfloor either in the bureau or helping customers find their perfect holiday.

The scheme itself provides lots of opportunities to develop my skills and earn qualifications within the travel industry. There is also the chance to go on educational trips to experience the full range of what TUI has to offer. Enrolling on an apprenticeship is a really good opportunity for people to learn on the job, with the help of a really supportive team. I have learnt so much and would recommend the scheme to anyone! It’s not always easy, but it’s a great place to work and always fun!”

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Firebird Travel

RUSSIA TRAVEL HOME

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RUSSIA TRAVEL PACKAGES A selection of Russian tours to take as they are or adjust to your needs.

THE GOLDEN RING Visit the heart of ancient Russia. What is the Golden Ring?

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Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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