Metro Glossary – Common Travel Terms Explained
This metro glossary explains the everyday terms used across Indian metro systems: interchange station, platform, concourse, AFC gate, token, smart card, QR code ticket, fare chart, peak hours, train frequency, and more. Each definition is written in plain language for first-time riders, daily commuters, and tourists travelling on Delhi Metro, Bengaluru Metro, Chennai Metro, Kolkata Metro, Hyderabad Metro, and other metro networks across India, grouped into station infrastructure, ticketing and fares, train operations, and onboard rules and safety.
Station & Infrastructure Terms
Terms describing the parts of a metro station and the network — interchange stations, platforms, concourses, paid/unpaid areas, terminal stations, and station types.
Interchange Station
A station where you can change from one metro line to another without exiting the paid area.
Platform
The area where passengers stand to board and exit trains. Platforms are usually numbered (Platform 1, Platform 2, etc.) and marked with the line's destination/direction.
Concourse
The level inside a station where ticket counters, AFC gates, and customer care are located, before you reach the platforms.
Paid Area
The zone beyond the AFC gates that only passengers with a valid token, smart card, or QR code ticket can enter — it includes the concourse area past the gates and the platforms.
Unpaid Area
The zone before the AFC gates where anyone can enter without a ticket — it includes ticket counters, customer care desks, and the station's entry lobby.
Terminal Station
The station at the end of a metro line where a train's journey on that line begins or ends — trains typically reverse direction here.
Elevated Station
A station built on a raised viaduct above road level, with platforms reached via stairs, escalators, or lifts from street level.
Underground Station
A station built below ground level, usually in dense city areas, with platforms accessed via stairs, escalators, or lifts from the surface.
Foot Over Bridge (FOB)
An elevated walkway connecting platforms or station entrances, letting passengers cross tracks or roads safely without stepping onto them.
Entry / Exit Gate
A numbered gateway at a station's unpaid area through which passengers enter or leave — each gate usually faces a specific road, locality, or landmark, so picking the right one saves walking time.
Mezzanine Floor / Concourse Level
The intermediate level of a station — typically housing the concourse, ticketing, and AFC gates — that connects the street-level entrance to the platform level above or below.
Skywalk
An elevated, climate-protected walkway connecting a metro station to nearby landmarks such as railway stations, bus terminals, or commercial complexes, letting passengers move between them without crossing road traffic.
Park & Ride
A facility at select metro stations where commuters can park their private vehicles and continue their journey by metro — aimed at reducing road congestion and easing last-mile travel to the station.
Feeder Bus Service
Dedicated bus routes operated by the metro authority or local transport bodies that connect metro stations to nearby residential areas, offices, and other transit hubs not directly served by the metro line.
Platform Screen Doors (PSD)
Glass barrier doors installed along the edge of a platform that open only when a train has stopped correctly, preventing passengers from accidentally falling onto the tracks and improving station safety and climate control.
Ticket & Fare Terms
Terms covering how to pay for and validate a metro journey — tokens, smart cards, QR code tickets, AFC gates, fare charts, recharge, and tourist passes.
Token
A coin-shaped, single-journey ticket used to enter and exit through AFC gates — usually bought with cash at ticket counters or vending machines and returned at the exit gate.
Smart Card
A rechargeable travel card that is tapped at AFC gates for entry and exit on multiple journeys — smart card users typically get a discount (commonly around 10%) over the token fare and can skip the ticket counter queue.
QR Code Ticket
A digital, single-journey ticket generated through a mobile app or ticket vending machine and scanned at AFC gates instead of inserting a token or tapping a card.
AFC Gate
Short for Automatic Fare Collection gate — the gate at station entry/exit points that reads tokens, smart cards, or QR codes, validates the fare, and opens its flap doors automatically for a valid ticket.
Fare Chart
A table published by the metro operator listing ticket prices for different distance or station-count slabs, often with separate rates for tokens, smart cards, weekday/weekend travel, and special passes.
Top-Up / Recharge
Adding balance to a smart card — usually done at station counters, automatic vending machines, or through the metro operator's mobile app or website.
Tourist / Day Pass
A special ticket that allows unlimited travel on a metro network for a fixed period such as one day or three days — useful for visitors planning to cover several stations and attractions in a short trip.
National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)
An interoperable smart card under the 'One Nation One Card' initiative that can be used across metro networks, buses, and other transit systems in different cities, as well as for retail payments — removing the need for a separate card in every city.
Ticket Vending Machine (TVM)
A self-service machine installed in a station's unpaid area that lets passengers buy tokens or QR code tickets and recharge smart cards using cash, cards, or UPI, without queuing at a staffed counter.
Group / Combo Ticket
A single ticket option that covers multiple passengers travelling together, or bundles metro travel with entry to attractions, often sold at a discounted combined rate compared with buying tickets separately.
Season Pass / Monthly Pass
A prepaid travel pass that allows a fixed number of journeys, or unlimited travel within a defined period such as a week or month, on a metro network — aimed at regular commuters who want to save on per-trip fares.
Minimum Fare / Maximum Fare
The lowest and highest amounts charged for a single journey on a metro network, as set out in its fare chart — the minimum fare typically applies to the shortest trip between adjacent stations, and the maximum fare to the longest end-to-end journey.
WhatsApp Ticket / Mobile QR Ticket
A digital ticket booked through the metro operator's WhatsApp chatbot or mobile app and delivered as a scannable QR code on the passenger's phone — useful for quick, contactless ticket purchase without visiting a counter or machine.
Travel & Operations Terms
Terms about how trains run and how to plan a journey — peak/non-peak hours, frequency, first/last train, route maps, line colour codes, and train operation.
Peak Hours
The busiest travel times of the day when trains are more frequent, usually morning and evening office hours.
Non-Peak Hours
Periods outside the morning and evening rush — typically mid-morning, afternoon, and late evening — when trains run at longer intervals due to lower passenger demand.
Frequency / Headway
The time gap between two consecutive trains on the same line — shorter frequency during peak hours means trains arrive more often, while non-peak frequency is usually longer.
First Train / Last Train
The earliest and latest scheduled train timings on a line each day — knowing these helps plan early-morning travel to the airport or railway station, or a late-night return journey.
Route Map
A diagram showing all stations on a metro network, their lines (often colour-coded), and interchange points — used to plan a journey from the origin station to the destination.
Line Colour Code
The colour assigned to each metro line on the route map and station signage (such as Blue Line, Yellow Line, or Red Line) to help passengers quickly identify and follow their route.
Train Operator / Pilot
The person responsible for operating the train — on several Indian metro lines, trains run under Automatic Train Operation (ATO), with the operator overseeing safety, doors, and announcements.
Up Line / Down Line
The two parallel tracks on a metro line, each carrying trains in one direction — the 'up' direction usually runs towards the city centre or a defined reference terminal, and the 'down' direction runs the opposite way.
Unattended Train Operation (UTO)
The highest grade of train automation, in which trains start, run, stop, and open or close their doors without an onboard operator — used on fully driverless lines such as Delhi Metro's Magenta and Pink lines.
Depot / Yard
The facility at the end of a metro line where trains are stabled overnight, cleaned, inspected, and maintained or repaired — depots typically also serve as the operational base for that line's rolling stock.
Dwell Time
The duration a train halts at a station to let passengers board and alight before its doors close and it departs — typically around 20-30 seconds, and longer at busy interchange stations.
Station Spacing
The average distance between consecutive stations on a metro line — closer spacing in dense city centres improves access for nearby residents, while wider spacing on outer corridors lets trains run faster over longer stretches.
Real-Time Train Tracking
A live information service — shown on station display boards, mobile apps, or websites — that tells passengers how many minutes remain until the next train arrives on a given platform.
Safety & Rules Terms
Terms about onboard etiquette and station rules — security checks, the ladies coach, priority seating, and penalty fares for ticketing violations.
Security Check
The mandatory baggage scanning and frisking carried out at station entry points (similar to airport security) before passengers can proceed towards the AFC gates.
Ladies Coach
A coach — usually the first or last of the train — reserved for women passengers; male passengers travelling in it may be fined as per the operator's rules.
Priority Seating
Seats near coach entrances reserved for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and passengers travelling with infants.
Penalty Fare / Excess Fare
An extra charge collected when a ticket does not cover the journey actually made or a passenger overstays inside the paid area beyond the permitted time. Operators typically charge the fare difference — sometimes up to the line's maximum fare — for an invalid or insufficient ticket, and a much smaller flat per-hour fee with a fixed cap (commonly around ₹10 per hour) for overstaying.
CCTV Surveillance
The network of cameras installed across stations, platforms, and train coaches to monitor passenger safety, deter crime, and help security personnel respond to incidents in real time.
Prohibited Items
Items passengers are not allowed to carry into metro stations or trains — typically inflammable substances, weapons, large luggage beyond specified limits, and certain food and drink — checked during the security screening at entry.
Lost & Found
The customer care desk or counter at major stations where passengers can report misplaced belongings or collect items found and handed in by staff or fellow commuters.
Emergency Talk-Back Unit (ETU)
A help-point intercom installed on platforms and inside train coaches that lets passengers speak directly to station control or train staff during an emergency, medical issue, or security concern.
Accessibility Facilities
Station features designed for passengers with disabilities, the elderly, and those travelling with strollers — including ramps, lifts, tactile guiding pathways, wheelchair-accessible AFC gates, and audio announcements.
Metro Security Personnel (CISF)
The armed security force responsible for screening passengers, patrolling stations, and responding to security incidents — the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on networks such as Delhi Metro, and state police or private security on others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about metro tickets, fares, stations, and travel rules in India, explained in simple terms for first-time riders and daily commuters.
A token is a coin-shaped, single-journey ticket bought for cash at a counter or vending machine. It must be returned at the AFC gate when exiting. A smart card is a rechargeable travel card that can be tapped for entry and exit across multiple journeys, and usually carries a discount (commonly around 10%) over the token fare.
An interchange station is where two or more metro lines meet, letting passengers change from one line to another inside the paid area without buying a fresh ticket or exiting the station. Interchange stations are usually marked on the route map with a distinct symbol or ring.
The unpaid area is the part of the station before the AFC gates. It includes ticket counters, customer care, and entry lobbies, and anyone can enter without a ticket. The paid area begins after the AFC gates and includes the concourse and platforms; only passengers with a valid token, smart card, or QR code ticket can enter it.
An AFC (Automatic Fare Collection) gate reads a token, smart card, or QR code ticket at entry and exit. It checks whether the fare covers the journey, deducts or verifies the amount, and opens its flap doors to let the passenger through, closing automatically for an invalid or insufficient ticket.
Peak hours are the busiest travel periods of the day (typically the morning and evening office-commute windows), when trains run at shorter intervals (higher frequency) to handle larger crowds. Non-peak hours fall between these rush periods, when passenger numbers are lower and trains run at longer intervals.
Most Indian metro networks calculate fare either by distance travelled or by the number of stations between the origin and destination, grouped into slabs published on the operator's fare chart. Smart card holders typically get a discount over the token fare, and several networks also sell tourist or day passes for unlimited travel within a fixed period.
Priority seats near coach entrances are reserved for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and passengers travelling with infants. The ladies coach (usually the first or last coach of the train) is reserved for women passengers; male passengers travelling in it may be fined as per the operator's rules.
The NCMC (promoted under the 'One Nation One Card' initiative) is an interoperable card that can be used across metro networks, buses, and other transit systems in different cities, and even for retail payments. A regular smart card usually works only on the network that issued it, while an NCMC-enabled card removes the need to carry a separate card for every city you visit.
In each of these cases, the AFC gate typically does not let you exit normally, and station staff step in to collect the applicable charge before letting you through. An invalid or insufficient ticket usually attracts the fare difference (sometimes up to the line's maximum fare), while overstaying inside the paid area beyond the permitted time usually draws a much smaller flat per-hour fee with a fixed cap (commonly around ₹10 per hour on several networks). To avoid this, keep your token until you exit, avoid long stops inside the paid area, and always tap or insert your ticket at the correct destination station.