Facial Recognition Now Powers Subway Access in Moscow

Riders in Russia’s capital no longer need tickets or cards to access the metro—just a glance at a camera is enough, thanks to a homegrown biometric system.

In Moscow’s subway system, facial recognition is replacing transit cards. Riders can simply stand on a designated spot and look at a camera—no swiping, scanning, or tapping required. A turnstile opens automatically once the system verifies their identity.

The Russian-developed system uses advanced facial recognition algorithms to convert a rider’s features into a secure vector image. Trials have shown that the system has an extremely low error rate and can reliably distinguish between individuals even if a person is wearing a medical mask or has grown facial hair.

Attempts to spoof the system with photos, silicone masks or other tricks are reportedly ineffective. The underlying AI is designed to detect and reject such fraud attempts.

Biometric technology is seeing rapid adoption across Russia. Beyond public transit, it’s being integrated into retail, hospitality, and service industries. In many hotels, for example, guests can now check in and pay using facial data instead of passports.

This rollout reflects a growing national effort to replace conventional identity verification with frictionless, AI-powered alternatives.