Overview
Hyderabad Metro is an elevated rapid transit system serving Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, India. It is run under a public–private partnership: the special purpose vehicle L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited (L&TMRHL), set up by the construction firm Larsen & Toubro, developed and operated the network, with the state government holding a minority equity stake. The first stretch opened on 28 November 2017, and the system now carries hundreds of thousands of passengers a day, with trains running roughly every four minutes from early morning until late at night.
Riding it end to end as a visitor is straightforward. Because the network is fully elevated, you enter at street level, take a lift or escalator up to the concourse, buy or tap your ticket, pass through the fare gates, and go up once more to the platform. Signage and announcements are in three languages, including English, so finding your way is easy. Trains are clean, fast and cheap, and for the areas they serve they are usually a better choice than driving or taking a cab. Expect crowding during the morning and evening rush hours.
The network
Hyderabad's public transport is a mix of an elevated metro, a limited suburban rail system, an extensive bus network, and auto-rickshaws and app-based cabs that fill in the gaps. There is no tram, light-rail or ferry service in the city.
- Hyderabad Metro — the rapid transit system, with three lines arranged in a secant model and 57 stations. The lines are known simply by colour:
- Red Line — LB Nagar to Miyapur, about 29.21 km with 27 stations, running from north Hyderabad through the centre and Old City to the east.
- Blue Line — Nagole to Raidurg, about 27 km with 24 stations, serving west Hyderabad, Secunderabad and east Hyderabad, including HITEC City.
- Green Line — JBS (Jubilee Bus Station) to Falaknuma, about 11 km with 10 stations, connecting Secunderabad with the Old City.
- MMTS (Multi-Modal Transport System) — the city's suburban local-train network, launched in August 2003 by the state government and South Central Railway. It covers only a few parts of the city, with peak frequencies of about every 10 minutes and much less frequent service off-peak and on Sundays. It is the cheapest option and fast over the stations it does serve.
- TSRTC buses — the local bus network run by the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation, with good coverage across the city. Most buses start at the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS, also called Imlibun).
Hyderabad's three main railway stations are served by Indian Railways rather than by the metro itself: Hyderabad Deccan (HYB), locally called Nampally, near Nampally metro station on the Red Line; Secunderabad Junction (SC), near Secunderabad West on the Green Line and Secunderabad East on the Blue Line; and Kacheguda (KCG). Note that there are no direct interchanges between the railway stations and metro stations.
Tickets & fares
On the metro you can buy a single-journey ticket or a reloadable card. Ticket vending machines are available but may not work reliably, so allow a little extra time. Fares are distance-based and were revised for the first time since the system opened, effective 17 May 2025, following the recommendations of a Fare Fixation Committee. As of that revision, the minimum fare is ₹12 and the maximum is ₹75 — enough to take you from one end of the city to another. These figures are approximate and change, so check the current fare before you travel.
On the MMTS, daily, monthly and quarterly passes are available at the stations, and first class is worth considering if you prefer not to travel in packed trains.
From the airport
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) sits at Shamshabad, about 22 km from the city centre, and is connected to the city by the Nehru Outer Ring Road Expressway (exit 16) and the P V Narasimha Rao Expressway, which links the airport with Mehdipattnam in south Hyderabad. Public-transport options into the centre include:
- The Pushpak – Airport Liner — an air-conditioned bus service operated by the Telangana government, running to Secunderabad (Jubilee Bus Station), Miyapur, BHEL and the Mahatma Gandhi Bus terminal (Imlibun) near Charminar. These routes cover most major areas of the city. Tickets cost between ₹106 and ₹265 depending on the stop, and buses run every 10–40 minutes depending on the time of day and route. The airport website has detailed pickup points, stops and timings.
- Metered cabs — Meru and Sky cabs are the two metered services approved by the airport, at about ₹20/km, bookable at counters in the airport departure area.
- App-based rides — Ola and Uber are both available; you can book at the baggage carousel and walk to the designated pickup area.
- Pre-paid taxis — a pre-paid counter operated by the Hyderabad Traffic Police, plus She Cab, a government pre-paid service with women drivers that you can use as long as at least one passenger is a woman.
Beware of taxi touts in the airport greeting area, who will try to charge exorbitant rates. Note that the metro does not yet reach the airport; a planned extension of the Blue Line from Raidurg to the airport was announced under Phase II.
Etiquette & customs
- Trains are crowded during the morning and evening rush hours, so let passengers off before you board and move down the platform rather than clustering at the doors.
- A ladies-only coach operates on all trains, introduced on 7 May 2018 — check the markings before you board.
- Stand on the correct side of escalators and hold the handrail; lifts are available at all stations for those who need them.
- Keep noise down and give up priority seating to elderly passengers, pregnant women and those with disabilities.
- Eating and drinking are best avoided on the trains and in the paid areas; save your snacks for outside the station.
- At busy interchanges such as Ameerpet, Parade Ground and MGBS, follow the signs for your line and keep moving rather than stopping at the top or bottom of stairs.
Official links
Survival terms
- Metro / subway — మెట్రో (metro) — the elevated rapid transit system
- Ticket — టికెట్ (tiket) — your single-journey or stored-value fare
- Line — లైన్ (lain) — one of the colour-coded routes (Red, Blue, Green)
- Entrance — ప్రవేశం (praveśaṁ) — the way into the station
- Exit — నిష్క్రమణ (niṣkramaṇa) — the way out of the station
- Transfer — మార్పిడి (mārpiḍi) — changing lines at an interchange
- Single fare — ఒక్క ప్రయాణ ఛార్జీ (okka prayāṇa chārjī) — the price of one journey
- Day pass — రోజు పాస్ (rōju pās) — a pass valid for a full day
Buy your ticket or top up your card before the rush begins, and keep a little change handy in case the vending machines are out of order.