| Karen Demirchyan Yerevan Metro | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Native name | Կարեն Դեմիրճյանի անվան Երևանի մետրոպոլիտեն | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Government of Armenia,Yerevan Municipality | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Yerevan,Armenia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transit type | Rapid transit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of lines | 1[1](2 more planned) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of stations | 10[1] (total 12 more planned - 1 of them under construction) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Daily ridership | 81.000(2023)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Annual ridership | 29.6 million[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief executive | Babken Sedrakyan (acting) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | yermetro.am | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Began operation | 7 March 1981; 44 years ago[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Karen Demirchyan Yerevan Subway CJSC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of vehicles | 70 (1-3 Carriages per Trainset) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System length | 13.4 km (8.3 mi)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 1,524 mm (5 ft) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrification | 825 VDCthird rail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TheKaren Demirchyan Yerevan Metro (Armenian:Կարեն Դեմիրճյանի անվան Երևանի մետրոպոլիտեն,Karen Demirchyani anvan Yerevani metropoliten; since December 1999), colloquially known as theYerevan Subway (Armenian:Երևանի մետրո), is arapid transit system that serves the capital ofArmenia,Yerevan. Opened on 7 March 1981, it was theeighth metro system in theformerSoviet Union. Owned by the government, it is operated by the Karen Demirchyan Yerevan Subway CJSC of theMinistry of Transport and Communication.
As of 2025, the Yerevan Metro has 10 stations located on a singledouble-track line (as well as asingle-trackshuttle branch between Charbakh and Shengavit), with a total length of 13.4 km. There are deep-level and shallow-level stations, as well as three above-ground stations. AllYerevan metro stations were opened in the 1980s, exceptCharbakh station which was opened in 1996. The construction work for an 11th station is expected to begin in 2026.[3]
In terms of the length of lines in operation, it ranks 169th in the world, 14th among the metro systems of theformer USSR (afterMoscow,Saint Petersburg,Tashkent,Kyiv,Minsk,Kharkiv,Baku,Tbilisi,Nizhny Novgorod,Novosibirsk,Kazan,Samara andYekaterinburg), and third in theTranscaucasus.
The history of the Yerevan Metro began in the late 1960s under the leadership ofAnton Kochinyan,First Secretary of the Communist Party of Armenia. At that time, the population ofYerevan exceeded 700 thousand people, which exacerbated the city's transportation problems. The historically developed old urban development with a network of narrow streets in the center, the difficult terrain and the remoteness of new districts limited the possibility of normal operation of ground transportation. Consequently, the decision was made to build an overhead transportation system. However, since metro construction was unacceptable in cities with populations under one million, a high-speedtram with severalunderground stations was chosen instead.
Kavgiprotrans specialists visited Yerevan several times, conducting feasibility studies and developing design documentation. When selecting the route for the first phase of the Yerevan Metro, the goal was to connect densely populated residential areas with the railway station and the city's industrial zone, and to reduce the unproductive time spent traveling from home to work and back. The Armgiprotrans Institute designed the tunnels, and the Yerevanproject Institute designed the stationvestibules. Everything was calculated according to the dimensions and technical requirements of the metro. The station platforms were designed to accommodate five-car trains with a capacity of 40 trains per hour and a 90-minute headway.
In 1972, construction of a high-speed tram began, with the possibility of converting thetunnels into a metro system in the future.
By the end of 1978, approximately 4 kilometers of tunnels had been built. However, in 1981, theCentral Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and theCouncil of Ministers of the USSR issued a decree on the construction of a metro in Yerevan, which spurred widespread planning and construction of the underground transport artery as a metro. Its launch was planned for November 7, 1980, but only a test train, carrying representatives of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Armenian SSR, ran on that day. The State Commission signed the commissioning certificate for the launch complex on February 24, 1981 (the opening day of the26th Congress of the CPSU), and the metro's official opening took place on March 7, 1981.
The 7.6-kilometer-long (of which 1.9 kilometers was above-ground) launch section of the first phase included four stations:Barekamutyun (Friendship), Saralanj (nowMarshal Bagramyan),Yeritasardakan (Youth), andDavid of Sasun. With a delay of several months, in December of the same year, the intermediate station “Lenin Square” (now “Republic Square”) was opened.
In 1989, the first phase of the line was completed, adding the following stations to the existing ones:General Andranik,Gortsaranayin (Factory),Shengavit, and Suren Spandaryan Square (now "Garegin Nzhdeh Square"). The Charbakhdepot opened simultaneously with the Shengavit station.
After the construction of the Garegin Nzhdeh Square station, there were plans to extend the line north, to the Ajapnyak residential area. However, these plans were dashed by thecollapse of the USSR. The last station,Charbakh, was opened in 1996.
From April 1 to May 18, 2020, the metro was closed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
| Line | Segment | Date opened |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barekamutyun–David of Sasun | 8 March 1981 |
| 1 | David of Sasun–Gortsaranayin | 11 July 1983 |
| 1 | Gortsaranayin–Shengavit | 26 December 1985 |
| 1 | Shengavit–Garegin Nzhdeh Square | 4 January 1987 |
| 1 | Shengavit–Charbakh | 26 December 1996 |
In 1983, the Saralanj station was renamed in honor of the commander of the cavalry squadron of national defense at the Battle of Sardarabad, Soviet military commander of Armenian descent, Hovhannes Baghramyan.
After the collapse of the USSR and Armenia's restoration of independence, the names of three stations were changed in 1992:
| Station | Previous name(s) | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Marshal Baghramyan | Saralanj | 1981–1982 |
| Republic Square | Lenin Square | 1981–1992 |
| Garegin Nzhdeh Square | Spandaryan Square | 1987–1992 |
| General Andranik | Hoktemberyan | 1989–1992 |
At the time of its opening, access to the station was via automated ticket machines. The fare was paid in 5-kopeck coins.
After 1991, coins were replaced first by metal and then plastic tokens.
In May 2009, new turnstiles from the Kharkiv plant "LOT" were installed, supporting both tokens and plastic cards.
Since November 2023, Telpo T-20 validators have been installed at Yerevan metro stations. They scan QR codes from phones or paper tickets. QR codes can be purchased in the Telcell Wallet app or single-use paper tickets can be purchased at a Telcell terminal.
As of November 1, 2024, support for tokens has been discontinued. Fare payment is processed using a QR code, which can be purchased in the Telcell Wallet app (valid for 4 days from purchase), Telcell terminals (valid for 3 days from purchase), and at the ticket office. Payment is also possible with an NFC-enabled bank card and a Telcell transport card, which can be purchased at a special Telcell terminal, at all metro ticket offices, in administrative district buildings (district administrations), at Telcell offices, and at information points in Republic and Freedom Squares.
As of August 1, 2025, support for paper tickets was discontinued.
The single red line with a shuttle branch has 10 stations:
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According to the main development plan for the Yerevan metro, there should be 32 stations and 3 lines. The first line should be extended toAjapnyak andDavtashen districts. The second one should stretch from the Northern Bus Station throughKanaker-Zeytun,Arabkir,Kentron districts and further toErebuni district. The third line should connectAvan,Nor-Nork, andNork-Marash districts with the city center and continue through the Kilikia neighborhood toMalatia-Sebastia district.
The tunnels leading to the Ajapnyak station were dug during the Soviet years, and an entrance to the station was planned. However, due to the collapse of the USSR and a lack of funds, construction was halted.
The business program being considered by the mayor's office included two components: the construction of a shopping center near the new metro station and the renovation of the outdated apartment building in the adjacent area.
In June 2014, the results of a feasibility study for the construction of a new 3-kilometer route from the Yerevan metro to Ajapnyak were presented. Commissioned by a European consulting firm in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the study was commissioned. The project called for using only one of the previously dug tunnels, from the Mergelyan Institute to the left bank of the Hrazdan River, while a new tunnel was to be dug from the right bank to the National Science Laboratory. These tunnels were to be connected by a bridge.
Construction of the station was previously expected to begin in the spring of 2020. The project cost was not announced.
On August 4, 2020, Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan announced that the station would be built at the state's expense. According to him, the new metro station will cost Yerevan $35 million.
In October 2021, the Russian company Metrogiprotrans won a tender announced by the Yerevan Municipality to design a metro line and station in the Ajapnyak district, including the construction of Armenia's first cable-stayed bridge over the Hrazdan River. The Armenian government was also offered a project for the development of the Yerevan Metro worth approximately $500 million.
In August 2022, Metrogiprotrans presented the results of the first stage of design and estimate documentation and preliminary reports with two design options. According to preliminary estimates, after the preparation of the full version of the project, construction work will last approximately 4 years. The Armenian government allocated 1.1 billion drams to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure to finance preliminary work on the station. Construction of the new station was supposed to begin in 2024, but in December 2024 it was reported that a developer would be selected by the end of 2025, and construction would begin in 2026.
In June 2024, Yerevan Deputy Mayor Tigran Avinyan announced that design work was underway to construct a ground station, projected to be named "Surmalu," between existing General Andranik - David of Sasun section.
The station's construction will provide additional transportation links to the Surmalu and Petak shopping centers, as well as Komitas Park. According to the designers, the proposed station will have access to Kristapor and Sevan Streets.
The station is planned to be located in the Ajapnyak district, in the northwestern part of Yerevan. It is planned to be built near the Ararat Golf Club and the upscale Vahagni neighborhood. The station will be named after the Armenian military leader, hero of the Battle of Sardarapat, Lieutenant General Tovmas Nazarbekyan.
The station also has a projected name: “Gevorg Chaush Square”.
Construction work on the station was scheduled to begin in the late 1980s. However, it was suspended due to the Spitak earthquake and the collapse of the USSR.
The station will be located in the northwest of Yerevan, in the Davtashen district.
In 2011, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Armenia, in collaboration with Armenian Railways, developed a project to build a new high-speed rail line that would connect Zvartnots International Airport with the Charbakh metro station in Yerevan and the Karmir Blur railway station. This would integrate Armenia's rail system with the Yerevan Metro. As of early February 2018, the project has been frozen or cancelled.
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2018) |
The Yerevan Metro was thoroughly renovated for the first time since its founding 30 years ago, with funds of about $41 million allotted by theEuropean Union. A drainage system construction, one of the preconditions for the underground's security will be done first. Additionally, with the assistance of theEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development, tunnels were upgraded, metro cars were renovated and new logistical equipment was installed.[4] The renovation was fully finished by 2012.[5]
Each station is decorated with valuable types ofgranite,marble,tuff,basalt,gabbro, andtravertine, brought from many regions of theSoviet Union. Architectural details in the Yerevan Metro reflect a blend ofmodernist design and national identity through stylizedArmenian motifs. Craftsmen fromMoscow,Ukraine,Udmurtia, andBuryatia took an active part in the artistic decoration and design of the stations.
Media related toYerevan Metro at Wikimedia Commons
Rapid transit in Europe | |
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Italics: under construction. | |
