MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Moscow Metro has installed sound-proofed booths at two busy stations to enable people to make pressing calls unhindered by the hubbub of fellow passengers rushing past or by the screech of wheels on train tracks.
Irina, a sales representative who declined to give her last name, said she would use the booths – located in the cavernous hallways between platforms – to continue working while travelling underground.
“I work remotely, so sometimes I have to work right here, right now. So if I have some urgent task to do, a booth where I can pretend to be in an office could really help,” she said.
The Moscow Metro’s famously opulent stations were conceived by the Soviet Union’s Communist rulers in the 1930s as palaces accessible to ordinary working people. Many are decorated with colourful mosaics, elaborate reliefs and crystal chandeliers.
But they are also noisy, crowded hubs serving a city of more than 13 million people, so the booths installed at Komsomolskaya and Nizhegorodskaya stations – both bustling intersections – are a welcome innovation for many passengers.
“You can not only work here but also take some rest, speak on the phone. There are so many people in the Moscow Metro, so sometimes you need just a few moments of silence to do something important,” said Alexei, a student.
The booths must be booked in advance via smartphone app, and they provide sockets to recharge users’ devices. Authorities plan to install more booths at other stations.
Pensioner Nikolai said the booths made him proud of his city.
“If I’m not mistaken, there’s nothing like it in London or Tokyo. But in Moscow, we have it, and it’s great. A big city sometimes needs silence for a simple phone call,” he said.
(Reporting by ReutersEditing by Gareth Jones)
