Bengaluru metro's Yellow Line trains to run every 12 minutes by year-end: Report

Bengaluru's Yellow Line metro service will see train intervals reduced to 12 minutes by year-end, said BMRCL officials.

Commuters on Bengaluru’s Yellow Line metro will have to wait a bit longer for faster, more frequent trains. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has confirmed that 12-minute intervals between trains during peak hours will only be possible by the end of this year.

Currently, trains run every 19 minutes on Bengaluru metro's Yellow Line.(PTI)

Currently, with just four trains operational, metro services on the 19-km stretch are running every 19 minutes. When the line launched in August with only three trains, the wait time was even longer, about 25 minutes between trains.

There’s some progress, though. A fifth train has recently arrived at the Hebbagodi depot and is undergoing static testing. It is expected to be introduced into service in early November, said a report by The Times of India. According to a BMRCL official, dynamic trials for the train, including traction, braking, and signalling tests, was to begin on October 17. Following these, it must complete 750 km of trial runs on the mainline before carrying passengers.

Once the fifth train is up and running, commuters can expect reduced waiting times, likely around 15 minutes. The sixth train is already under production, with bogies shipped from China. BMRCL anticipates its arrival and induction into the system by December, which would help improve the service frequency to every 12 minutes.

However, BMRCL currently lacks a standby train, which poses operational risks. A recent issue on Sunday, when a train had to be pulled out of service due to a technical fault, caused a 20-minute disruption. Officials said the situation will improve with the arrival of the seventh train, which will be kept as a backup.

Train coach deliveries were delayed for years due to COVID-19, diplomatic tensions with China, and supply chain issues. But with improved relations, BMRCL expects smoother deliveries, possibly two trainsets per month starting January 2026.

Currently, over 80,000 passengers use the Yellow Line on weekends, and demand for more frequent trains continues to grow.