Chennai Metro Sees Record Passenger Growth

Chennai Metro Rail has become an important part of the city’s daily transport system. Since it began operations in 2015, the metro has carried more than 46.7 crore passengers, even though travel was badly affected during the Covid-19 pandemic years. This shows that the metro has grown from being just an extra travel option to a daily necessity for many working people in the city.

In 2025, the metro recorded its highest-ever passenger numbers, with 11.19 crore people using the service in a single year. This was the biggest annual figure since the metro started running. The steady rise in ridership reflects both the expansion of metro lines and changes in the city’s economy.

From the launch on June 29, 2015, till the end of 2018, Chennai Metro carried about 2.8 crore passengers. In 2019, ridership increased sharply and crossed 3.28 crore, showing growing public acceptance of the service.

However, in 2020, passenger numbers fell sharply to 1.18 crore as nationwide lockdowns and work-from-home arrangements brought travel to a near halt for several months.

In 2021, metro usage slowly improved, with ridership rising to 2.53 crore, even though travel restrictions continued during the second wave of Covid-19. Since then, passenger numbers have continued to recover, underlining the metro’s key role in Chennai’s transport network.