Kolkata Metro rolls out unlimited travel passes for Durga Puja rush, special services for Mahalaya

Durga Puja

The Kolkata Metro is launching a special unlimited travel pass to manage the enormous crowds expected during the upcoming Durga Puja festival. The iconic network is anticipating daily passenger numbers to exceed 1.2 million, a significant jump from last year’s 9 lakh.

The initiative targets the thousands of tourists and ‘pandal-hoppers’ for whom the metro remains the most convenient mode of travel. The festive period will be observed from September 28 to October 2.

Unlimited travel offers for tourists

The centrepiece of the plan is the Tourist Smart Card. For a flat fee, holders can enjoy unlimited journeys across the network. A three-day pass is priced at Rs 250, while a five-day pass costs Rs 550.

According to an official statement from Metro Railway, Kolkata, the move is “in order to facilitate travel of large number of tourists/visitors during ensuing Durga puja.” These dedicated tourist cards are available for purchase at all metro station booking counters.

Digital push to ease queue chaos

Alongside the tourist passes, authorities are strongly urging all commuters to switch to digital ticketing to avoid long queues. This includes standard smart cards and mobile QR tickets booked via the official ‘Aamar Kolkata Metro’ app.

There is a financial incentive for doing so. The Metro Railway, Kolkata is providing a 5% rebate on the fare for journeys paid for with smart cards or mobile QR tickets.

Data from Metro Railway, Kolkata shows a rapid shift towards this system. In the last 11 days alone, 24,170 smart cards have been sold. Furthermore, over 4.56 lakh passengers have booked mobile QR tickets this month.

Special services for Mahalaya



The metro’s festive preparations begin early with special services scheduled for Mahalaya on Sunday, September 21. On that day, the Blue Line will operate 182 services, a major increase from the normal Sunday schedule of 130.

The first trains from key stations like Noapara, Dakshineswar and Dum Dum will depart between 6.50 am and 6.55 am. The timing of the last services will remain unchanged.

The anticipated jump in passenger numbers this year is partly due to the recent expansion of the metro network into new corridors. This growth makes efficient crowd management more critical than ever.

The administration has appealed for passenger co-operation. Commuters are asked to follow instructions given via the public address system by on-duty staff to ensure services run smoothly.

The Kolkata Metro expressed its pride in the system and its commuters, thanking them for their continuous co-operation in keeping the city moving.