Novosibirsk Metro

The Novosibirsk Metro is a key component of the urban transport system in the largest city of Siberia. Since its opening in 1986, it has remained the only metro system east of the Ural Mountains, playing a vital role in the development of regional infrastructure.

However, much of the equipment at metro stations has become outdated—particularly the turnstiles installed in the 1990s. These older units no longer meet the current demands for throughput speed, cashless payment options, or the ability to handle high passenger volumes.

Project Objective

To enhance passenger convenience and safety, while optimizing metro operations in the context of the city’s digital infrastructure transformation.

Project Goals:

• Replacement of outdated turnstiles with modern units that meet current throughput requirements and support all modern payment methods

• Improved management of passenger flow and increased station safety.

• Integration of new turnstiles with the existing metro control system.

As part of the modernization project, modern smart turnstiles "Contour-EK" by Infomatika were installed at "Ploshchad Lenina"—one of the busiest stations in the system.

Instead of outdated turnstiles, 32 smart turnstiles were installed in two station lobbies: 22 entrance counters and 10 exit counters. This redistribution has significantly increased the station's capacity during peak hours and reduced passenger congestion.

"The peculiarity of turnstiles is that they are not traumatic, unlike turnstiles installed 40 years ago. The automation worked very roughly and strongly there, children could especially suffer from those shutters that work," said the head of the Municipal Unitary Enterprise Novosibirsk Metro.

The devices are designed taking into account the high throughput of the station, made of stainless steel and tempered glass. Each turnstile is equipped with built-in readers of bank and transport cards, QR codes, modern color display and intelligent light indication.

Smart turnstiles are integrated with key payment and transportation solutions, including SberTroika. The implemented integrations ensure reliable operation of the equipment within the existing infrastructure and make the payment process as convenient as possible for passengers.

"The new turnstiles are not only an increase in comfort and safety for passengers, but also an important step towards the introduction of modern technologies. The devices are ready to work with QR code payments and, in the future, with biometrics," said Maxim Serebrennikov, First Deputy Head of the Novosibirsk Metro.

On June 27, 2025, the Mayor of Novosibirsk, Maxim Kudryavtsev, tested the operation of new turnstiles at the Lenin Square metro station. Together with the mayor, the access control system was evaluated by First Deputy Iosif Kodalaev and Head of the Department of Transport Pavel Ivakhnenko.  

According to the mayor, modernization of equipment is planned at all stations of the Novosibirsk metro. In the near future, the replacement of turnstiles at Krasny Prospekt and Oktyabrskaya stations is planned to be completed within two to three years.

Project Deliverables:

1. Production, delivery, and installation of 32 Contour-EK smart turnstiles (31 passage lanes).

The equipment is designed with future functionality in mind: it is fully ready for biometric payment integration without requiring hardware replacement.

2. Integration with existing metro infrastructure

The smart turnstiles were connected to Novosibirsk Metro’s automated fare collection system (AFCMS), and integrated with the national "SberTroika" transport system and a payment platform supporting various cashless payment formats.

3. Commissioning and system setup of the installed equipment.