@ Chennai Metro Train: My Experience on the First Day!!
Woohoooo!! I managed to travel in the Chennai Metro Train whose service was inaugurated by the CM just today. That’s why you find all those flowers and garlands both outside and inside the train 🙂 Anyway, I went to CMBT (Koyambedu) to catch the Chennai Metro train at this junction. I then went to the Alandur junction (10 KM) by Metro and came back. In this post, I present some info gathered and some pics taken during this trip.
The Chennai Metro stations have both escalators and lifts for people to go up and down easily. And steps are there too 😛 These Metro stations are disabled-friendly. There is no separate bike parking now, but it is expected at the two junctions soon. At the Koyambedu junction the station is within the CMBT bus terminus. At Alandur, you can find it right opposite to the new AC bus-stand near St. Thomas Mount.
As you can see above, the ticket fairs are quite nominal: from Rs. 10 – Rs. 40. But a fellow passenger told me that Delhi Metro charges even lower for equivalent distance. Let’s see if the fairs are revised once the full circle for Chennai Metro is completed. There is an ATM for buying tickets (tokens) quickly. As you can see in the above photo, an operator is inserting cash! There is also a separate ticket counter nearby. Here’s the ticket (token) you get once you pay the money —
This place (above photo) is where you place the coin when you want to go the platform. Once you place the coin, the two planks blocking your path will automatically open. When you get down at the station and want to come out, you’ll find a similar arrangement. While going out, you need to drop the coin inside the hole and the path will open. It seems these tokens are coded with some info (that contains the name of the station) and hence only if you drop it in your destination station or before, the path will open!
Once you get to the platform, you need to wait for the train and board it once it arrives. There is a special compartment (double charge), ladies compartment, and general compartments — be careful which one you get into. The train stops only for 30 seconds in the stations, but a bit longer in the junctions. There are two tracks and two trains ply in each of them right now. The stations display the time when the next train is expected.
So this is how the insides of the train look. Since today is the first day of operation, there is abundant flower arrangement and everything looks neat 🙂 These coaches have been imported from Brazil, it seems. The seats are plastic (?!) but since the train is fully air-conditioned, it doesn’t get hot. There is a PA system (speaker) in every compartment. All the compartments are connected and one can walk from one end to another. There is a small luggage compartment on the side-top.
Frankly, the train travels quite slowly (30 Kmph being the average speed), but it was able to travel from Koyambedu to Guindy in less than 20 minutes. I hope the other phases will also be opened soon so that the Chennai Metro will be more useful to public. I will shortly upload a video I took from within the train today, here.
Here are the amateur videos taken @ Chennai Metro Rail first day run (by me):
Destination Infinity
Thanks for the wonderful write up and the photos. Finally, the Metro Train in chennai. I am glad. The photos look exactly like our BART System (Bay Area Rapid Transit).
These coaches are from Brazil. Perhaps there is some standardization for all Metros around the world — that might explain the similarity. Thanks for reading 🙂
Destination Infinity
Vow!!! I am so glad it started. I was in an assumption that the photos were not allowed. Looking forward to take a trip on the metro soon.
Yeah do go and write a blog post about your experience 🙂
Destination Infinity
I thought Chennai already had metro ?!!! Did it not have? Or was it local trains? Now I am confused 😛
Haven’t commented from a very long time. But I have been reading your posts regularly, thanks to the wordpress app on my phone. 🙂
Chennai has a local electric train and MRTS elevated rail system. Metro is new. Now they are trying to connect all the three somehow!
Destination Infinity
Now I am very eager to go by this train! Yes, it looks like BART like SG had said here. Neat and clean. The station and its other facilities look great! Hope it is clean like this forever.
Yes, I too hope it is maintained well and sufficient funds are generated for maintenance!
Destination Infinity
oh.. very detailed post.. we are waiting for metro in Hyderabad yet 🙁
by the way, i invited you to take 3 day quote challenge.
http://fantastic-feathers.blogspot.in/2015/06/motherhood-taught-me.html
Thanks.
Thanks for tagging me for the challenge. Will take it up shortly 🙂
Destination Infinity
The Metro Trains started earlier this month in Jaipur too. I am yet to travel in it though. Must try it soon!
Oh cool. Do go in the Metro sometime and post some pics. Would love to see them 🙂
Destination Infinity
Thank you .I could get a glimpse so soon though the metro runs through our road.I will take a trip.
Do take a trip soon and let us know about your experience 🙂
Destination Infinity
that’s cool!! It looks so swanky and clean 😀 Although I wish the seats were a little more comfortable.
Yeah, they spent so much on the project to give plastic seats to the passengers?? Should have put something more comfortable instead.
Destination Infinity
Supero-Super!
I am wondering when I would get to travel in that…
Also hoping that Bangalore metro opens soon!
Need of the hour 🙂
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Bangalore Metro is already running no? Maybe you mean the additional phases . . .
Destination Infinity
Wow! Great photos and detail covering the metro train… even the news papers haven’t carried such clean images inside the station and train. Being disabled friendly, my long time desire/dream to travel in a train could be fulfill by this now. Hope they maintain the facilities well and commuters keep it forever clean as we all eagerly waiting for this project, it is our responsible to sustain whatever exists.
Looking forward to go for a ride…
Go for it as soon as possible 🙂
Destination Infinity
Hi Rajesh, I am mighty envious that you managed to travel in the Chennai Metro Train, because I am yet to travel in the Bangalore Metro (its something I have been putting off from a long time).
I too forgot to travel in the Bangalore Metro during my recent trip. Will remember next time 🙂
Destination Infinity
Wonderful information.
Nice photos with details.
Thanks SM 🙂
Destination Infinity
We have A Similar Train Service in Mumbai . and Its Awesome .
Cool! I will try to travel in it if I come to Mumbai sometime 🙂
Destination Infinity
Wow! Looks so nice. When is the next section due to complete? And what are the stations/halts in between?
Some stations I remember are: Arumbakkam, Vadapalani, Ashok Nagar, Guindy Estate.
Destination Infinity
Awesome details man!!! Looking forward to travel in Chennai metro pretty soon..
There are quite a few etiquette which passengers should follow while in a metro station.
1. While on the escalator, keep to the left. Leave the right side to those who may want to walk on the escalator.
2. Do not.. Do not.. have food, drinks in the station or in the train. I would say please follow this in any public places.
3. Maintain queue in front of the screen door for boarding and give way for alighting passengers.
4. Most importantly this is our property. Please do not spoil it.