Huge lines at subways after Moscow starts digital travel passes

A smartphone displays a personalised QR code to permit movement around the city in Moscow, Russia, on April 14, 2020. Sobyanin tightened the lockdown on Russia’s capital, introducing a digital permit system for trips by vehicle this week after voluntary restrictions failed to curb travel and keep people off the streets. — Bloomberg

The first day of enforcement of a new system of digital travel passes in Moscow created huge lines in the Russian capital’s subway system as police officers individually checked each passenger.

The system, which requires a digital pass for any type of travel except on foot, is intended to slow the spread of coronavirus as Moscow’s hospitals strain from the growing number of cases. However, photos and video posted on social media showed long lines of commuters, many without masks, waiting to get their passes scanned outside of subway stations.