Delhi is served by one of the world’s largest metro networks, and for a visitor it’s by far the easiest way to get around — cheaper and faster than fighting the city’s traffic by road. The Delhi Metro (DMRC) covers most of what you’ll need; DTC and cluster buses fill in the gaps. Both plug into overlapping payment systems, so once you’re set up with a smart card, you’re covered almost everywhere.
The basics
The backbone is the Delhi Metro, a network of color-coded lines run by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) across Delhi and the wider National Capital Region. One line, the Airport Express Line, runs express from New Delhi Railway Station to Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi International Airport and on to Dwarka — it was extended all the way to Yashobhoomi Dwarka Sector 25 in September 2023.
Buses fill in where the metro doesn’t reach: the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) runs the bulk of the city’s routes, alongside privately-operated cluster buses run under contract and overseen by DIMTS (Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System).
How to pay
On the metro, you’ve got a few options:
- Single-journey QR ticket — a paper ticket with a scannable QR code, bought at a station counter or machine for one ride. Fine if you’re only riding once or twice, but there’s no discount.
- DMRC smart card or NCMC card — tap it at the gate. Every ride gets a 10% discount off the printed fare, plus another 10% off if you enter during off-peak hours (that off-peak bonus doesn’t apply on the Airport Express Line). NCMC (National Common Mobility Card) cards issued by any participating bank work the same way as a DMRC-issued card, and are accepted network-wide, including on the Airport Express Line.
- MJQRT (Multiple Journey QR Ticket) — a virtual smart card inside the official Delhi Metro Sarathi (Momentum 2.0) app. Register, load a minimum of ₹150 (top up in ₹50 increments by UPI or card, up to a ₹3,000 balance, ₹60 minimum to travel), and you get the same tiered discount — 10% off at peak hours, 20% off at off-peak hours. No security deposit, and if you lose your phone the balance is recoverable by logging in elsewhere.
Buses take cash on board, or you can buy a DTC day pass (the Green Card, below) or a monthly pass at a DTC pass counter.
Fares
Delhi Metro fares are distance-based: the farther you go, the more you pay. As of the most recent revision — August 25, 2025, the first increase in eight years — fares run from ₹11 for the shortest trips up to ₹64 for the longest cross-city journeys, with most distances in between rising ₹1–4 in that revision. The Airport Express Line has its own separate fare table, which also rose (by up to ₹5) in the same revision.
Tap a smart card, NCMC card, or the MJQRT virtual card and every one of those fares drops by 10% automatically — 20% if you’re also traveling off-peak (except on the Airport Express Line, where only the base 10% applies).
Buses are cheaper still. DTC’s Green Card is an unlimited-ride day pass for ₹40 (non-AC) or ₹50 (AC), covering all regular DTC city routes (it doesn’t cover Palam Coach, tourist, or express services). Monthly passes are also available — a general all-route pass runs ₹800 (non-AC) or ₹1,000 (AC) — and women can ride DTC and cluster buses free with the government-issued Saheli Pink smart card.
Getting from the airport
Take the Airport Express Line — it runs directly from New Delhi Railway Station to Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi International Airport, then continues on to Dwarka and the Yashobhoomi Dwarka Sector 25 convention center. DMRC increased the line’s operating speed from 90 to 120 km/h when it extended service to Yashobhoomi in September 2023. The line runs on its own fare table, priced higher than the regular metro fares — check the current price and train times in the official app before you travel.
DTC also runs an airport coach service as a bus alternative; ask at a DTC pass counter or check the DTC website for the current schedule.
Apps to download
- Delhi Metro Rail — the official DMRC app: find your nearest station with GPS, check fares and routes, see first/last train times, and report lost property.
- Delhi Metro Sarathi (Momentum 2.0) — DMRC’s ticketing app, and where you set up the MJQRT virtual smart card described above.
- Google Maps — solid for general trip planning across both the metro and DTC buses.
When it runs
First and last train times, and how often trains run, both vary by line and by station — DMRC publishes current timings in the Delhi Metro Rail app rather than as one fixed citywide schedule, so check your specific station there before planning an early-morning or late-night trip.
Accessibility
India’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs requires metro and regional rapid transit projects, including the Delhi Metro, to meet national universal-accessibility design standards. If you need step-free access or other accommodations, it’s worth confirming what’s available at your specific stations before you travel, since older stations were built to earlier-generation standards than the newest lines.
Etiquette & local quirks
- Every station has a security check. Bags go through an X-ray scanner and you’ll be frisked (separately for men and women) before entering — this is run jointly by DMRC and the CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) and applies to everyone, every time. Budget a few extra minutes, especially at busy stations.
- The first coach is reserved for women. On every line except the Red Line, the lead coach (in the direction of travel) is women-only; the last coach is open to everyone. DMRC also reserves 4 seats in every coach for women, plus 2 more seats per car marked for anyone who needs them more than you do.
- NCMC cards work everywhere on the network, including the Airport Express Line — handy if you already have one from another Indian city’s transit system.
Good to know
- Fares went up in August 2025 — the first increase in eight years — so if you’re reading an old blog post or forum thread with fare numbers, they’re out of date.
- Cash tokens are gone. The old single-ride tokens have been replaced by paper QR tickets; the underlying idea — pay per ride, no discount — is the same.
- Buses are Delhi’s real bargain, especially the Green Card day pass, but route numbers (not names) are how you’ll navigate — a trip-planning app is worth having open.