Metro 2033: Cursed Station Guide

Despite originally releasing over a decade ago, Metro 2033 continues to be a fan favorite in the series, and has seen renewed popularity following the release of the VR-exclusive Metro Awakening. Serving as the starting point for Artyom's story, Metro 2033 takes place predominantly in the tunnels of Moscow. The Cursed Station, or Turgenevskaya as it is named in the books (and real life), is where the first anomalies are encountered in the game, followed by a brief but difficult mission in which Artyom and Khan must help out a small group of survivors as they fend off relentless attacks from nosalises.

The mission has caused problems for many players as the instructions and objectives are not entirely clear, and the layout of the station can be confusing at times. After witnessing the anomaly wipe out the nosalis horde in the previous mission, Khan proceeds through to the next station using a railcar and "Cursed" will begin at the end of this journey. Having got out of the railcar, follow Khan through the tunnel and around the corner to the defenders standing by the barricaded escalators.

Where To Find The Bomb

Upon speaking with the defenders, they will explain that an explosives crew set off down the tunnel earlier on in an attempt to blow it up and collapse it, preventing the onslaught of nosalises getting through. However, the crew has gone missing, and no explosion was heard, so they ask Artyom to complete the task of both finding the bomb and detonating it. Throughout the mission, nosalises will attack constantly. As Khan states, it is best to retreat back to the defenders for support if you become overwhelmed. In all likelihood, you will need to run back towards the defenders at least once when searching for the bomb.

The bomb itself can be found at the far end of the right-hand tunnel. Don't try to proceed straight onwards past the ghostly shadows, as this will cause damage to the player. Once the bomb is retrieved, either head directly into the adjacent tunnel or run back towards the defenders if you are overwhelmed by enemies.

How To Destroy The Tunnel

With the bomb acquired, setting it off is simply a matter of traveling deep into the left-hand tunnel (left from the view of the defenders) and waiting for the cutscene to trigger. Artyom will automatically place the bomb and light the fuse, but it will be up to the player to escape in time. Make sure to run as far away from the blast-zone as possible since it will kill Artyom if he remains too close.

A full video guide of the mission can be found below:

Alternatively, you can throw a grenade/pipe bomb into the same area of the tunnel, which will also cause it to collapse. Keep in mind that even with this main tunnel destroyed, enemy nosalises will still continue to enter through other ways, so stay on guard and keep your weapon loaded.

How To Destroy The Airlock

With the left-hand tunnel destroyed, there is still a further task to complete in order to secure the station. During the initial conversation between Khan and the defenders, an airlock is mentioned which can be collapsed to keep out further mutants. To find this area, take the stairs on the right-hand side of the main platform up to the area in glowing torchlight. There should be several nosalises running around here, but it is okay to ignore them.

To destroy the airlock and complete the objective, simply head up to the support columns and interact with them. This will cause Artyom to place a pipe bomb on the columns with a lit fuse. Much like the downstairs tunnel, you will need to run away and evacuate this area as soon as possible, as the explosion will be large. With both entrances now blown up and collapsed, follow Khan through to the next stage of the mission which takes place in a small shrine room. After a brief dialogue with Khan, Artyom will have to descend through a panel in the floor which will commence the next mission in the game's story: "Armory."