Bengaluru Metro fares to go up 5% from February 9, BMRCL kicks off annual revision

Bengaluru Metro

• Bengaluru Metro fares to rise by Rs 1-5 from Feb 9, 2026 across 10 fare zones
• Annual fare revision capped at 5 percent to avoid steep hikes
• Smart card and NCMC discounts will continue for commuters

Did our AI summary help?

Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) on February 5 announced an annual metro fare revision that will come into effect from February 9, in line with the recommendations of the First Fare Fixation Committee (FFC).

The revised fares will apply across the metro’s 96.10-km network, with a minimum increase of Re 1 and a maximum of Rs 5 across 10 fare zones.

The move is intended to avoid steep fare hikes after long gaps. The FFC, constituted under Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, said the previous revision after seven-and-a-half years, along with the optimisation of fare zones from 29 to 10, resulted in an average increase of 51.55 percent.

Also read: After last year’s up to 71% hike, Bengaluru Metro may raise fares by Rs 1 to Rs 5 from February 9 despite public backlash

“To prevent such sharp increases in the future, the committee recommended a transparent annual automatic fare revision formula linked to operation and maintenance costs or capped at 5 percent per annum, whichever is lower, with fares rounded off to the nearest rupee,” BMRCL said in a statement.

'Cost index showed 10.2% rise, hike restricted to 5%'

According to BMRCL, the formula-based index, calculated using audited financial data for FY2024–25 compared with the base year FY2023-24, indicated a cost increase of 10.2 percent. However, the fare revision has been restricted to only 5 percent, in line with the FFC’s stipulation, it said.

The annual automatic fare revision is being implemented one year after the FFC-recommended fares were introduced by BMRCL on February 9, 2025.

Revised fare structure from February 9

Fares will now range from Rs 11 for trips up to 2 km to Rs 95 for journeys exceeding 25 km. The maximum fare for trips beyond 30 km will also be Rs 95.

With the revision, one-day tourist cards will cost Rs 313 for smart cards and Rs 263 for mobile QR tickets. Three-day tourist cards have been revised to Rs 628 for smart cards and Rs 578 for mobile QR tickets, while five-day tourist cards will cost Rs 943 for smart cards and Rs 893 for mobile QR tickets.

Smart card discounts to continue

BMRCL said all existing commuter-friendly discounts will continue for smart card and National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) users. These include a 5 percent discount during peak hours, a 10 percent discount during non-peak hours, and a 10 percent discount on Sundays and three designated national holidays.

The annual increase of up to 5 percent will also be applicable to tourist cards and group tickets.

BMRCL said the small annual revision is aimed at ensuring financial sustainability and service reliability, while protecting commuters from sudden and steep fare hikes. “The approach allows fares to rise gradually in line with inflation and operating costs, while maintaining high standards of maintenance, safety and service quality across the expanding metro network,” it added.

Also read: Bengaluru Metro cites Karnataka's financial strain for recent fare revisions of up to 71 percent