Delhi Metro is a railway system serving India's National Capital Region of Delhi, along with the neighbouring towns of Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida. It has 10 colour-coded lines - some underground and some raised - totalling 348 kilometres of track in a mix of standard and broad (1676 mm) gauge. While it is actually the second metro system in India (opening in 2002, 18 years after Kolkata), its success and sheer size have made it the template for urban transport systems across the country.
Those familiar with The London Underground may notice many similarities in the Delhi version, starting with the roundel-like logo - two parallel horizontal lines in a circle, connected by a diagonal bar. But since the DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, owned by the Governments of India and Delhi) took lessons from many subway and metro systems across the world, and also added some features of their own, it might be useful to mention a few quirks of the system. (Note that all of these also apply to other Indian urban transport systems.)
The lines are known by their colours - Unlike London, but like Moscow or Washington DC, the lines are known by their colours. The one exception is the Airport Express (which is usually orange on maps).
There is no flat fare or fare zone - While most subway systems use either a flat fare or a series of fare zones, Delhi Metro calculates a fare for each journey based on the distance travelled. There are many different types of tickets, from single-use plastic tokens to smart-cards and an Android app that displays a QR code. In general, the Metro is more expensive than an equivalent bus service.
The stations are very plain - Most stations are built of steel and glass, so as to cut costs while not sacrificing utility. Many are almost identical in design. Similarly, most seating is bare metal.
All trains are air-conditioned - Required, as Delhi gets quite hot (and dusty) in summer.
The first coach in each train is reserved for ladies - Delhi has a reputation for not being very safe for women (at least compared to other Indian cities like Kolkata, Mumbai or Chennai). The first coach on every train is therefore reserved for them. For a similar reason, all stations and newer coaches have security cameras.
Do not eat in the trains or stations - The entire system is kept squeaky clean, so eating (and otherwise littering) is not allowed. However, there are small cafes in some of the stations.
All announcements are in Hindi and English - Coaches also have an LED display showing the name of the next station, as well as the last station on the line. Stations usually have a countdown timer for the next train (usually less than ten minutes).
