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Delhi Metro ticket fares hiked. It's still not the costliest in India
Amid the Delhi Metro fare hike, here’s a look at how a commute in the national capital compares with those in Mumbai or Bengaluru, and some Tier-II cities.
The Delhi Metro, despite the fare hike today, isn’t still the costliest in India, but isn’t far from it either, a comparison with ticket prices of other metro networks showed.
A trip in the Bengaluru Metro costs ₹10-90 depending on the distance travelled, as against ₹11-64 in the Delhi Metro and ₹10-60 in Mumbai, according to data from the websites of these metro networks. A metro ride in Kolkata ( ₹5-25) is the cheapest, with Jaipur ( ₹6-23) not too far behind.
To be sure, at ₹11 for 2 km, Delhi Metro’s minimum fare is the highest in the country, but that reduces to ₹9 for 2 km if the commuter is using a smart card. A smart-card user continues to get a 10% discount, irrespective of the distance travelled, as well as extra 10% off for travel during off-peak hours.
And while Bengaluru is the most expensive metro system in India, Mumbai has the highest per-km fare of ₹3.50/km. A smart-card user in both these cities enjoys a 5% discount and an extra 10% during off-peak hours and during the weekend.
On Monday, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. effected a hike in passenger fares, with the increase ranging between ₹1 and ₹4 depending on the distance travelled.
According to the revised structure, fares on normal days have increased to ₹11 km for a 0-2 km commute from ₹10 earlier. The highest fare for journeys beyond 32 km has increased to ₹64 from ₹60. A similar fare hike, up to ₹5 per journey, has also been introduced on the Airport Express Line. Commutes made during the weekend and on national holidays have become costlier as well.
The hike is “minimal”, according to the DMRC, and is intended at balancing operational costs while continuing to provide “affordable” public transport.
Delhi vs Bengaluru
To be sure, Delhi isn’t the first city to hike metro fares this year.
In February, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.—the operator of the ‘Namma Metro’—raised fares by up to 50% on some routes. While the minimum fare remained unchanged at ₹10 for 0-2 km, the maximum fare jumped to ₹90 from ₹60 earlier. A smart-card user gets a 5% discount, and an additional 10% on weekends and national holidays.
That makes the Namma Metro the most expensive in India, despite Delhi Metro’s fare hike on Monday—a fact that Bengaluru South’s Member of Parliament Tejaswi Surya was quick to point out.
“Just compare these reasonable hikes in the Delhi Metro to what BMRCL has made in Bengaluru,” Surya posted on X, formerly Twitter. “The steep hike in Bengaluru is absolutely illogical and makes the Bengaluru Metro the costliest in the country and unaffordable to many. It’s even more shameful that they haven’t published the Fare Fixation Committee report yet!”
While Bengaluru Metro has an average occupancy of 7,75,000-8,04,000/day, according to an India Today report, the Delhi Metro enjoys a daily ridership of 46.3 lakh, according to its latest annual report. The revenue picture wasn’t immediately clear for both.
