Amid Chennai’s growing traffic congestion, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has established itself as a fast, reliable, and preferred mode of public transport, second only to suburban trains. Especially during festivals, weekends, and holidays, when roads are jammed and travel to bus stands, railway stations, and the airport spikes, Chennai Metro provides commuters with hassle-free connectivity.Marking a decade of service since operations began on 29 June 2015, CMRL has carried an impressive 46.73 crore passengers up to 31 December 2025. Ridership has grown steadily over the years, despite temporary COVID-19 disruptions, with 2025 alone seeing a record 11.19 crore passengers, the highest annual figure since inception.
Passenger Growth Highlights:
2015–2018: 2.80 crore
2019: 3.28 crore
2020 (COVID impact): 1.18 crore
2021: 2.53 crore
2022: 6.09 crore
2023: 9.11 crore
2024: 10.52 crore
2025: 11.19 crore
CMRL promotes affordable, digital-friendly travel, offering a 20% discount on NCMC cards, QR tickets via WhatsApp, Paytm, PhonePe, and the Store Value Pass on the CMRL Mobile App (excluding single-journey paper QR tickets).
Serving government and private sector employees alike, Chennai Metro continues to enhance the city’s urban mobility, with ongoing expansion projects connecting more areas and easing traffic pressures. CMRL expressed gratitude to passengers for choosing the Metro, maintaining its premises responsibly, and supporting its growth.
With this milestone, Chennai Metro stands as a crucial lifeline, combining speed, safety, and efficiency for millions of commuters every day.