Pune Metro crosses 1-lakh milestone in smartcard sales 

Pune Metro has crossed a key milestone by issuing over one lakh smartcards, reflecting the growing acceptance of its cashless ticketing system among city commuters. With Phase 1 of the Metro now fully operational — covering the Vanaz to Ramwadi and PCMC to Swargate routes — the service has steadily gained the trust of Punekars as a reliable mode of public transport. The metro’s daily ridership currently stands at around 1.6 lakh passengers. 

Work on the expansion of Phase 1 is also progressing, with construction underway for the extended route from PCMC to Nigdi, and the tendering process in progress for the proposed underground corridor from Swargate to Katraj. 

Among the various ticketing options available — including ticket vending machines, WhatsApp ticketing, kiosks, and counters — the smartcard has emerged as the most preferred choice, thanks to its convenience and ease of use. On August 12, 2023, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched the ‘One Pune Metro Card’ (NCMC-compliant), and as of April 21, 2025, Pune Metro has sold over 1 lakh cards. 

Of these, 58,277 are ‘One Pune Cards’, 23,378 are student pass cards, and 18,389 are non-KYC cards. Currently, nearly 80% of Pune Metro’s revenue comes through digital payments, making it the leading metro network in the country in terms of digital transactions. 

There are three types of Pune Metro cards, including one Pune card, a student pass card, and a non-KYC card.  

“Commuters using these smartcards benefit from fare discounts — 10% on weekdays and 30% on weekends for One Pune and Non-KYC cards. These cards allow seamless travel by simply tapping at the AFC gates during entry and exit, eliminating the need to queue for tickets. The fare is automatically deducted based on the distance travelled,” said Hemant Sonawane, Pune Metro director (Administration and Public Relations).