Bengaluru metro ticket prices to increase by 5% from February onwards? Here's what we know

Bengaluru commuters face potential annual fare hikes on the Namma Metro tickets, with a proposal for increases of up to 5% starting February.

Bengaluru’s daily commuters could soon see their travel bills rise again, with Namma Metro fares expected to increase annually starting February, following a recommendation by the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC). The panel has proposed a yearly hike of up to five per cent in ticket prices.

This comes on the heels of a 71% increase in metro fares just a year prior. (AFP)

This development comes just a year after the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) rolled out a major fare revision in February 2025, which saw prices jump by as much as 71 per cent, said a report by The New Indian Express. That revision had already pushed Namma Metro into the position of being the costliest metro system in India, and the prospect of regular increases has heightened concerns about the affordability of public transport.

Many commuters have reacted angrily to the proposal, saying frequent fare hikes are making Metro travel unaffordable for the average citizen. One such resident said the service was meant to ease commuting costs, not become a burden. He added that coming so soon after last year’s steep increase, the idea of another hike feels deeply unfair, as quoted in the report.

BMRCL implemented the 2025 fare revision after accepting the FFC’s recommendations, which are mandatory under Section 33 of the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002. Under the same legal provisions, annual fare adjustments can continue until a new Fare Fixation Committee is set up, said the report.

Passengers also argued that higher fares are not being matched by improvements on the ground. Persistent overcrowding, delays in expanding new lines and poor last-mile connectivity have added to commuter dissatisfaction. Another regular Metro user said it was misleading to treat the Metro as a premium service when peak-hour trains are packed well beyond capacity.

An urban mobility expert also spoke on the issue and strongly criticised the proposed hike, calling it grossly unjust. He claimed commuters are already paying about 32 per cent more due to what he described as an incorrect application of the fare calculation formula. According to him, the lack of resistance to earlier increases has emboldened authorities to push through further hikes, and he urged elected representatives to intervene on behalf of the public.