A Complete Guide on Kolkata Metro (KMRC): Routes, Fares, and Contact Information

Kolkata Metro Guide (KMRC): Routes, Ticket Prices, Timings & Contact Details

The Kolkata Metro, officially called the “Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (KMRCL),” is a rapid transit system serving the Kolkata Metropolitan Region in West Bengal, India. It was constructed in 1984 and became India’s first operational rapid transit system. According to recently updated data, this metro system is the second-busiest and fifth-longest in the nation. It is owned by the Indian Railways and operated by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation and Metro Railway.

Digging deep into the history of Kolkata Metro, the metro system’s construction was first proposed in the 1920s. However, its construction began in the 1970s and commenced operations on October 24, 1984. This metro system manages a daily ridership of around half a million and an annual ridership of close to 200 million. Furthermore, it oversees more than 40 trains, each consisting of 6 to 8 coaches.

Read ahead to extract more indispensable facts about the Kolkata Metro, such as its fares, facilities, contact details, and whatnot, ensuring you can travel with them without any hassle. Let’s kick off by dissecting its metro route network:

Comprehend the Kolkata Metro Network

The KMRC manages passengers' travel through six metro lines; out of these, four lines are operational, and two are under construction. Their metro system comprises a mix of underground, at-grade, and elevated stations. It provides services for both broad-gauge and standard-gauge tracks, operating on a 750 V DC Third rail system. Here is a detailed segregation of the Kolkata Metro Route Network, discussing each metro line explicitly:

• Blue Line, also renowned as the “North-South Metro,” was India’s first underground railway. Its connectivity was extended from Dum Dum to Noapara (2013) and Noapara to Dakshineswar (2021). As of now, it runs from Dakshineswar to Kavi Subhash, serving 26 stations, including 15 underground, nine elevated, and two at-grade. It connects the northern and southern parts of the city and is one of the busiest lines in the Kolkata Metro.
• The Green Line, alternatively called the “East-West Metro Corridor,” connects Salt Lake Sector V to Howrah Maidan, mainly linking Salt Lake's IT hub with the central business district of Kolkata and Howrah railway station. It operates in two sections: from Salt Lake Sector V to Sealdah and from Esplanade to Howrah Maidan. Furthermore, it features India's largest underwater metro tunnel. However, this metro line is partially operational, except between Esplanade and Sealdah.
• The Purple Line connects the Joka in the south to the Esplanade in the north, stretching at a length of 16.67 km (10.36 miles). It serves a total of 12 stations, comprising eight elevated and four underground stations. This metro line is also partially operational and provides passenger interfaces with the Green Line at Esplanade and the Blue Line at Park Street.
• The Yellow Line, also called “Line 4,” provides connectivity from Noapara to Barasat. It is under construction, but once completed, it will be the first metro line to connect to the Kolkata Airport (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (Biman Bandar)), interchanging with the Orange Line. It will traverse through multiple crucial destinations, such as Dum Dum Cantonment, Jessore Road, Madhyamgram, Hridaypur, and many more.
• The Pink Line is another KMRC metro line that is under construction and yet to operate. However, once it commences operating, it will provide connectivity from Baranagar to Barrackpore, linking the northern suburbs to the city center and reducing commuters' travel time. Alternatively called “Line 5,” eleven metro stations are planned on this route.
• The Orange Line is a partially operational metro line that provides rapid connectivity from New Garia to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. Its Phase II extension, running from Ruby to Sector V, has yet to be constructed. It will make Kolkata much more accessible, connecting the southern and eastern parts of the city with the airport. Furthermore, it will establish seamlessly linked metro routes among the industrial sectors, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions.

Facilities Offered by Kolkata Metro

From the moment you step into the metro station, board the train, and leave for your destination, KMRC takes care of each segment of your journey from head to toe. How? It offers a diverse variety of services and facilities at its stations as well as inside the metro, ensuring you face no issues throughout your travel. Please visit their official website to acquire in-depth information about their services. Below are some examples of the amenities that Kolkata Metro offers its passengers to enhance their travel experience:

• Dedicated Areas: KMRC metro stations provide dedicated spaces for their passengers so that they can manage their travel effortlessly and efficiently. These areas include parking lots, restrooms, paid cloakrooms, cafes, stalls, and many other services, ensuring you face no issues when commuting to the desired destination or within the metro stations. Please visit the KMRC website for detailed information about the concerned station.
• Medical Assistance: Whether you are a pregnant woman, an aged person, or have any particular health condition, you can travel with KMRC without any worries because they provide varied facilities and medical assistance at their metro stations as well as inside the trains. Emergency evacuation, fire safety, wheelchair assistance, tunnel ventilation, emergency lighting, diagnostic facilities, and the list of their amenities continues.
• Technological Amenities: Kolkata metro stations are equipped with a wide variety of technological amenities that make the passengers’ travel much more seamless and hassle-free, especially for disabled individuals. These services include elevators, escalators, platform screen doors, digital display boards, automated smart card recharge machines, and whatnot. These facilities ensure you can travel to the desired destinations and explore the city of Kolkata without any hassle.
• Advanced Accessibility: KMRC not only ensures passengers can travel seamlessly across and within different stations but also ensures they can reach the city downtown from the selected metro station without any hassle. This is why they offer a multi-modal transportation facility at their stations, connecting suburban and long-distance trains to buses, ferries, taxis, trams, and other transportation services.
• Customer Support: Last but not least, KMRC makes sure that customers do not have to rely on any third party for assistance in case of an emergency. For such instances, they provide a customer support helpdesk at their stations. Furthermore, you can reach out to their administrators via call if you are unable to find their helpdesk or have any other concerns.

Kolkata Metro Contact Information

Customers can easily convey their queries, problems, requests, compliments, suggestions, and other concerns to Kolkata Metro’s support team and seek professional and personalized assistance. Below are the varied contact mediums the concerned metro system provides its passengers to ensure they face no issues in accessing the appropriate support in case of any emergency. Let’s begin with these contact modes one by one:

• KMRC provides call assistance to its travelers to ensure they can get the required support for their queries without much delay or hassle. Here are the varied contact numbers based on the consumer queries and grievances:
  • Customer Support Number - 2226-4817 / 9007041844
  • MD Office Number - 66071181
  • Administration Number - 66071117
  • Electrical Number - 66071135
  • S&T Number - 66071146
• In addition to making phone calls, you can also communicate your grievances, questions, and requests to their administrations through mail. Send your mail to the KMRCL Official Headquarters Address–HRBC Complex, KMRCL Bhawan, 2nd & 3rd Floor, Munshi Premchand Sarani, Kolkata – 700021. Please make sure to attach the necessary documents to your email for authentication and faster processing.

FAQs About KMRC

How much does the KMRC ticket cost?

The ticket price varies from passenger to passenger based on multiple factors, such as travel distance, the ticket type you are using, the duration of your travel, and many more. Typically, the KMRC one-way ticket cost ranges from Rs. 5 to Rs. 50. Please note that the fare price may deviate from the mentioned ticket range in exceptional cases, such as weekends and national holidays. Also, keep in mind that the fare price changes depending on the type of metro line you selected for your conveyance.

Which is the best Kolkata Metro line?

“Which metro line would be best to travel with?” is one question that often crosses passengers’ minds when traveling with the Kolkata metro. According to customer reviews and passenger traffic trends, “Blue Line” is the best line in KMRC for multiple reasons. It provides connectivity to the key areas of the city and features both underground and elevated stations. Furthermore, it offers its customers frequent trains, clean cabins, and exceptionally qualitative services, ensuring seamless conveyance.

What are the Kolkata Metro operating hours?

The answer to this question is not straightforward because the operating hours of the Kolkata metro vary based on a myriad of factors, such as the metro line you are traveling through, the day of the week, which time of day you are traveling, and many more. Generally, the Kolkata Metro starts operating from 5 a.m. to 10:40 p.m. Please note that there are specific circumstances in which the metro time may vary, such as:

• The first metro runs at 7:10 a.m., and the last train on Green Line 2 is scheduled for 9:45 p.m.
• The Blue Line metro typically operates on regular working days from 6:50 a.m. to 10:40 p.m.
• On Sundays, most KMRC metro initiate their services around 8 a.m.