Chennai Metro is chill about most things, but there's a rulebook - and as of 19 June 2026, the penalties under the Metro Railways O&M Act got a serious upgrade. Here's what you can carry, what you can't, and what breaking the rules actually costs now.
Luggage limits
- Weight: up to 25 kg per passenger
- Size: max 80 cm × 50 cm × 30 cm
That's cabin bags, backpacks, shopping hauls and most regular suitcases - all fine. Everything goes through the X-ray scanner at entry. Oversized cargo (think furniture, huge cartons, that 32-inch TV) can be refused at security.
What you can't carry
CMRL's prohibited list is basically "anything that can burn, blow up, leak or bite":
- Explosives, fireworks and anything with a fire/explosion risk
- Compressed or liquefied gases (yes, that includes big aerosol cans)
- Petrol, kerosene and other inflammable liquids or solids
- Acids, corrosives, oxidisers and toxic substances
- Radioactive material
- Weapons, arms and ammunition
- "Offensive" items - animal carcasses, unsealed raw meat, blood, bones
- Live animals or birds - pets are not allowed, no matter how well-behaved. Only security sniffer dogs get a pass.
The fines (updated June 2026)
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Travelling without a valid ticket | Fare due + ₹50 excess charge |
| Drunkenness / creating nuisance | Up to ₹2,500 + removal from train |
| Carrying offensive material | Up to ₹2,500 |
| Carrying dangerous material | Up to 4 years' imprisonment + ₹5,000 fine |
| Demonstrations, pasting posters, graffiti | Up to ₹10,000 |
| Misusing the alarm / emergency systems | Up to ₹10,000 |
| Defacing public notices | Up to ₹20,000 |
| Walking on the metro track | Up to ₹20,000 |
| Unauthorised ticket resale | Up to ₹25,000 |
In short: a joyride without a ticket is a cheap mistake, but graffiti or track-walking is now genuinely expensive, and anything involving dangerous goods can mean jail time.
House rules everyone actually notices
- No eating or drinking inside stations or trains - save the snacks for outside
- No smoking anywhere on metro premises, and chewable tobacco + spitting will get you fined under the Act
- Stay behind the yellow line on platforms
- Don't hold or force the train doors (they will not reopen for you like a lift)
- Don't share one card or token between two people on the same trip - both gates will know
- Keep left on escalators and let people exit the train before you board
- Offer the reserved seats to elderly passengers, pregnant women and parents carrying infants
Need to stash a bag?
Select stations (Vadapalani, Alandur and Thirumangalam among them) have digital luggage lockers starting around ₹30 for a few hours - handy if you're between check-outs and flights. Availability changes, so ask at the customer care counter.
Follow the basics and you'll never think about this list again - the metro's security staff are far more interested in genuinely dodgy bags than your gym duffel.