Chennai Metro serves the mass transit needs of the city of Chennai. Currently, Phase 1 is operational and under extension, while Phase 2 is under planning and tendering. The system has no at-grade tracks, and trains either run on elevated viaducts or underground. Chennai Metro uses 1,435 mm (standard gauge) tracks and overhead catenary carrying an alternating current of 25 kilovolts. Every day, around 2 lakh (200,000) people travel on the 52 trains on the system, each of which has four coaches, across a route length of 54.6 km
Chennai Metro Quick Info
- Owner: Chennai Metro Rail Limited (jointly formed by Government of Tamil Nadu and Government of India)
- Serving Cities: Chennai only
- Number of Lines: 2 (operational) 4 (under construction)
- Headquarters: Koyambedu
- Started Operations in: 2015
- Chennai Metro Timings: 5:00 am to 11:00 pm (Mon–Sat); 7:59 am to 10:03 pm (Sun)
- Fare: ₹10–60
Chennai Metro Lines
Currently, only two Chennai Metro lines, i.e. the Blue Line and Green Line are operational. The Purple Line, Red Line, and Orange Line are under construction. These upcoming lines will be partly elevated and partly underground.
Metro Line | Length (Km) | Stations | Starting Point – End Point |
Blue | 32.6 | 26 | Wimco Nagar Depot– Chennai International Airport |
Green | 22 | 17 | Chennai Central Railway Station – St Thomas Mount |
The table below summarises the Chennai Metro lines.
Metro Line |
Route |
Total Length (in km) |
Number of Stations |
Status |
Blue Line |
Wimco Nagar Depot– Chennai International Airport |
32.6 |
26 |
Operational |
Green Line |
Chennai Central Railway Station – St Thomas Mount |
22 |
17 |
Operational |
Inter Corridor Line |
Chennai Central – Chennai International Airport |
|
14 |
Operational |
Purple Line |
Madhavaram Milk Colony – Siruseri Sipcot 2 |
45.8 |
50 |
Under Construction |
Orange Line |
Lighthouse – Poonamallee Bypass |
26.1 |
30 |
Under Construction |
Red Line |
Madhavaram Milk Colony – Sholinganallur |
47 |
48 |
Under Construction |
Blue Line
The list below is of the stations covered on the Chennai Metro Blue Line.
Station Name |
Interchange/Connections |
Wimco Nagar Depot |
Chennai Suburban Railways |
Wimco Nagar |
Chennai Suburban Railways |
Tiruvottriyur |
Bus Terminus |
Tiruvottriyur Theradi |
|
Kaladipet |
|
Tollgate |
Bus Terminus |
New Washermanpet |
|
Tondiarpet |
|
Sir Theagaraya College |
|
Washermanpet |
Chennai Suburban Railways |
Mannadi |
|
High Court |
Bus Terminus |
Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M.G. Ramachandran Central |
Green Line, Inter Corridor Line, Chennai Central Railway Station, Chennai Park Suburban, Chennai Moore Market Suburban, Chennai Park Town MRTS |
Government Estate |
Inter Corridor Line |
LIC |
Inter Corridor Line |
Thousand Lights |
Inter Corridor Line, Purple Line |
AG – DMS |
Inter Corridor Line |
Teynampet |
Inter Corridor Line |
Nandanam |
Inter Corridor Line, Orange Line |
Saidapet |
Inter Corridor Line |
Little Mount |
Inter Corridor Line |
Guindy |
Inter Corridor Line, Chennai Suburban Railways |
Arignar Anna Alandur |
Inter Corridor Line, Green Line, Red Line |
Nanganallur Road |
Inter Corridor Line |
Meenambakkam |
Inter Corridor Line, Chennai Suburban Railways |
Chennai International Airport |
Inter Corridor Line, Chennai Suburban Railways, Chennai International Airport |
Pallavaram |
Inter Corridor Line |
Kothandam Nagar |
Inter Corridor Line |
Chromepet |
Inter Corridor Line |
Mahalakshmi Colony |
Inter Corridor Line |
Thiru.Vi.Ka.Nagar |
Inter Corridor Line |
Tambaram |
Inter Corridor Line |
Irubuliyur |
Inter Corridor Line |
Peerkankaranai |
Inter Corridor Line |
Perungalathur |
Inter Corridor Line |
Vandalur |
Inter Corridor Line |
Arignar Anna Zoological Park |
Inter Corridor Line, Purple Line |
Kilambakkam |
Inter Corridor Line, Bus Terminus, Purple Line |
*Note: The stations from Pallavaram to Kilambakkam are under construction. They will be fully operational in the coming years.
Green Line
The list below is of the stations covered on the Chennai Metro Green Line.
Station Name |
Interchange/Connections |
Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M.G. Ramachandran Central |
Inter Corridor Line, Chennai Central Railway Station, Chennai Park Suburban, Chennai Park Town MRTS, Chennai Moore Market Suburban |
Egmore |
Chennai Egmore Railway Station, Chennai Suburban Railways |
Nehru Park |
|
Kilpauk Medical College |
Purple Line |
Pachaiyappa’s College |
|
Shenoy Nagar |
|
Anna Nagar East |
|
Anna Nagar Tower |
|
Thirumangalam |
Red Line |
Koyambedu |
|
Koyambedu Depot |
|
Puratchi Thalaivi Dr. J. Jayalalithaa CMBT |
Red Line, Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus |
Arumbakkam |
|
Vadapalani |
Orange Line |
Ashok Nagar |
|
Ekkattuthangal |
|
Arignar Anna Alandur |
Inter Corridor Line, Red Line |
St. Thomas Mount |
Red Line, Chennai Suburban Railways, MRTS |
Inter Corridor Line
The list below is of the stations covered on the Chennai Metro Inter-Corridor Line.
Station Name |
Interchange/Connections |
Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M.G. Ramachandran Central |
Blue Line, Chennai Central Railway Station, Chennai Park Suburban, Chennai Park Town MRTS, Chennai Moore Market Suburban |
Government Estate |
Blue Line |
LIC |
Blue Line |
Thousand Lights |
Blue Line, Purple Line |
AG – DMS |
Blue Line |
Teynampet |
Blue Line |
Nandanam |
Blue Line, Orange Line |
Saidapet |
Blue Line |
Little Mount |
Blue Line |
Guindy |
Blue Line, Chennai Suburban Railways |
Arignar Anna Alandur |
Blue Line, Red Line |
Nanganallur Road |
Blue Line |
Meenambakkam |
Blue Line, Chennai Suburban Railways |
Chennai International Airport |
Blue Line, Chennai Suburban Railways, Chennai International Airport |
Pallavaram |
Blue Line |
Kothandam Nagar |
Blue Line |
Chromepet |
Blue Line |
Mahalakshmi Colony |
Blue Line |
Thiru.Vi.Ka.Nagar |
Blue Line |
Tambaram |
Blue Line |
Irubuliyur |
Blue Line |
Peerkankaranai |
Blue Line |
Perungalathur |
Blue Line |
Vandalur |
Blue Line |
Arignar Anna Zoological Park |
Blue Line, Purple Line |
Kilambakkam |
Blue Line, Purple Line, Bus Terminus |
*Note: The stations from Pallavaram to Kilambakkam are under construction. They will be fully operational in the coming years.
Purple Line
The list below is of the stations covered on the Chennai Metro Purple Line.
Station Name |
Interchange/Connections |
Madhavaram Milk Colony |
Red Line |
Thapal Petti |
|
Murari Hospital |
|
Moolakadai |
|
Sembiyam |
|
Perambur Market |
|
Perambur |
Chennai Suburban Railways |
Ayanavaram |
Bus Terminus |
Otteri |
|
Pattalam |
|
Perambur Barracks Road |
|
Doveton Junction |
|
Purasaiwakkam High Road |
|
Kellys |
|
Kilpauk Medical College |
Green Line |
Chetpet |
Chennai Suburban Railways |
Sterling Road Junction |
|
Nungambakkam |
|
Gemini |
|
Thousand Lights |
Blue Line |
Royapettah Government Hospital |
|
Radhakrishnan Road |
|
Thirumayilai |
Chennai Suburban Railways, Orange Line |
Mandaiveli |
Bus Terminus |
Greenways Road |
|
Adyar Junction |
|
Adyar |
Bus Terminus |
Indira- Nagar |
|
Thiruvanmiyur |
Chennai Suburban Railways |
Tharamani Link Road |
|
Nehru Nagar |
|
Kandanchavadi |
|
Perungudi |
|
Thoraipakkam |
|
Mettukuppam |
|
PTC Colony |
|
Okkiyampet |
|
Karapakkam |
|
Okkiyam Thoraipakkam |
|
Sholinganallur |
Red Line |
Sholinganallur Lake |
|
Sri Ponniamman Koil |
|
Sathyabama University |
|
St. Joseph’s College |
|
Semmancheri |
|
Gandhi Nagar |
|
Navallur |
|
Siruseri |
|
Sipcot 1 |
|
Sipcot 2 |
|
Orange Line
The list below is of the stations covered on the Chennai Metro Orange Line.
Station Name |
Interchange/Connections |
Lighthouse |
|
Foreshore Estate Road |
|
Kutchery Road |
|
Thirumaylai |
Chennai Suburban Railways MRTS, Purple Line |
Alwarpet |
|
Bharathidasan Road |
|
Adyar Gate Junction |
|
Nandanam |
Blue Line |
Natesan Park |
|
Panagal Park |
|
Kodambakkam |
Chennai Suburban Railways |
Meenakshi College |
|
Power House at Damro |
|
Vadapalani |
Green Line |
Saligramam |
|
Avichi School |
|
Alwarthiru Nagar |
Red Line |
Valasaravakkam |
Red Line |
Karambakkam |
Red Line |
Alapakkam Junction |
Red Line |
Porur Junction |
Red Line |
Chennai Bypass Crossing |
|
Ramachandra Hospital |
|
Iyyapanthangal |
Bus Depot |
Kattupakkam |
|
Kumananchavadi |
|
Karayanchavadi |
|
Mullai Thottam |
|
Poonamallee |
Bus Terminus |
Poonamallee Bypass |
|
Red Line
The list below is of the stations covered on the Chennai Metro Red Line.
Station Name |
Interchange/ Connections |
Madhavaram Depot |
|
Madhavaram Milk Colony |
Purple Line |
Venugopal Nagar |
|
Assisi Nagar |
|
Manjambakkam |
|
Velmurugan Nagar |
|
Madhavaram Mofussil Bus Terminal |
Bus Terminus |
Shastri-Nagar |
|
Retteri Junction |
|
Kolathur Junction |
|
Srinivasa Nagar |
|
Villivakkam |
Chennai Suburban Railways |
Villivakkam Bus Terminus |
Bus Terminus |
Nathamuni |
|
Anna Nagar Depot |
Bus Terminus |
Thirumangalam |
Green Line |
Kendriya Vidyalaya |
|
Kaliammankoil Street Junction |
|
Puratchi Thalaivi Dr. J. Jayalalithaa CMBT |
Green Line, Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminal |
Grain Market |
|
Sai Nagar |
Bus Stop |
Elango Nagar |
Bus Stop |
Alwarthirunagar |
Orange Line |
Valasaravakkam |
Orange Line |
Karambakkam |
Orange Line |
Alapakkam Junction |
Orange Line |
Porur Junction |
Orange Line |
Mugalivakkam |
|
DLF IT SEZ |
|
Sathya Nagar |
|
Chennai Trade Centre |
|
Butt Road |
|
Arignar Anna Alandur |
Blue Line, Green Line, Inter Corridor Line |
St. Thomas Mount |
Green Line, Chennai Suburban Railways |
Adambakkam |
Chennai Suburban Railways |
Vanuvampet |
|
Puzhuthivakkam |
Chennai Suburban Railways |
Madipakkam |
|
Kilkattalai |
|
Echangadu |
|
Kovilambakkam |
|
Vellakkal |
|
Medavakkam Koot Road |
|
Kamaraj Garden Street |
|
Medavakkam Junction |
|
Perumbakkam |
|
Global Hospital |
|
Elcot |
|
Sholinganallur |
Purple Line |
Chennai Metro Lesser-Known Facts
- Second rapid transit system in the city after the Chennai Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS)
- A woman piloted the first train on the system
- All trains travel at up to 80 km/h
- Trains can be operated driverlessly
- Trains have a capacity of 1200 commuters