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Chennai Metro
Chennai Metro Overview
Hop on a Chennai Metro Metro train for a convenient, fast, and eco-friendly way to explore Chennai and its neighbouring areas. With well-defined routes and an easy-to-navigate route map, the Chennai Metro is a popular public transit system and a preferred mode of travel to visit top attractions in and around Chennai. At present there are 41 active metro stations. YoMetro helps you with information such as Chennai Metro route, service updates, timings, first/last train schedule, metro route map, fare charts, ticket details, interchange, top attractions near metro stations, and metro news.
Chennai Metro Route Map 2026
View and download the official CMR route map.
Chennai Metro Lines & Terminal Stations 2026
All CMR metro lines with terminal station details and current operational status.
| Line | Terminal Stations | Status & Length |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Line | Wimco Nagar Depot ⇄ Chennai International Airport | 23.1 km |
| Green Line | MGR Central (Chennai Central) ⇄ St Thomas Mount | 22 km |
Chennai Metro Fare Chart 2026
Distance-based Fare
| Distance (km) | Normal Fare (₹) | Smart Card (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1 km | ₹10 | ₹8 |
| 2 – 3 km | ₹20 | ₹16 |
| 4 – 8 km | ₹30 | ₹24 |
| 9 – 15 km | ₹40 | ₹32 |
| 16 – 25 km | ₹50 | ₹40 |
| 25 – 100 km | ₹60 | ₹48 |
Tickets & Cards
Chennai Metro — History, Facts & Expansion Plan
- The Chennai Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Chennai's oldest suburban railway network was established around 1931 and operated on a metre-gauge line.
- The first phase of the Chennai Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) was established in 1995, making it India's first elevated line.
- The Chennai government hired the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to prepare a Detailed Project Report for the Chennai Metro.
- The project was approved by the state cabinet on 7 November 2007, and the Planning Commission gave in-principle approval on 16 April 2008.
- Construction work on the Chennai Metro began on 10 June 2009 with piling work.
- In July 2012, the Chennai Metro's first tunnel boring machine was launched.
- By October 2012, more machines were commissioned to bore tunnels along the underground stretches, divided into three sections.
- On 14 February 2014, the maiden trial run for the metro was conducted between the Koyambedu and Ashok Nagar stations.
- In January 2015, a report was submitted to the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety for approval.
- For the first time in Chennai, commercial operations began on 29 June 2015 between the Alandur and Koyambedu stations.
- Almost one year later, on 21 September 2016, commercial operations commenced between the Chennai International Airport metro station and Little Mount.
- The first underground line started operations between Thirumangalam Metro Station and Nehru Park Metro Station on 14 May 2017.
- On 10 February 2019, the underground Blue Line was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- The first operation began on 29 June 2015 for the public, covering seven stations from Koyambedu to Alandur over a distance of 10 kilometres.
- The services operate daily between 4:30 AM and 11:00 PM, with a varying frequency of 5 to 14 minutes.
- The Chennai Metro runs on a standard gauge track measuring 1,435 millimetres (56.5 inches), and the lines are double-tracked.
- The average speed of operation is 35 kilometres per hour (22 mph), while the maximum speed is 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph).
- The Chennai Metro is also planning to use solar power for five of its stations on the elevated corridor, with a production capacity of 200 kW.
- The first car in each train is a First Class compartment, with tickets costing twice as much as the Second Class tickets.
- There is a discount of 50% for all journeys taken on Sundays and public holidays, applicable to Single Journey Tokens (Rs. 5 to Rs. 30) and Stored Value Cards (Rs. 4 to Rs. 27).
- There are various slabs of penalties for offences, starting from Rs. 50 to Rs. 5,000, with imprisonment of up to 10 years. The charges depend on the type of penalty.
Chennai Metro network expansion plan: Phase 2
The Chennai Metro's expansion plan under Phase 2 is to extend the metro network to 118.9 km, which will include 128 stations. In July 2017, the state government announced this expansion, and the foundation stone for the second phase was laid on 20 November 2020, after which construction work began. In 2022, the state government proposed expansion plans for the three under-construction lines of the second phase.
Three new lines are introduced in this phase: the Purple Line (Madhavaram to Siruseri, 45.4 km), the Orange Line (Light House to Poonamallee, 26.1 km), and the Red Line (Madhavaram to Sholinganallur, 44.6 km).
The Chennai Mass Rapid Transit System operated by the Indian Railways is planned to be incorporated into the Chennai Metro. A light rail has been proposed to connect Tambaram on the Chennai Suburban Rail network to Velachery on the MRTS. Further extensions are also planned for the three under-construction lines. The second phase of Chennai Metro is expected to be operational by 2026.
Chennai Metro — Frequently Asked Questions
- Sharp Objects: Knives, swords, meat cleavers, etc.
- Explosive Materials: Gunpowder, fireworks, hand grenades, plastic explosives, etc.
- Flammable Items: Paints, petroleum products, aerosol cans, wet batteries, etc.
- Offensive Items: Blood, carcasses of dead animals, unsealed raw meat/fish, plants or saplings, skeletons, bones, rags, etc.
- Pets: Includes birds and other animals.
This list is updated periodically by Chennai Metro.
Top Attractions in Chennai
Explore popular places to visit near Chennai Metro.
