If you ride the Delhi Metro more than a couple of times a month, get a card. Tokens mean queueing every single time, and you pay full fare. A card skips the line and cuts your fare - easy win.
Your options
| Option | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| DMRC Smart Card | ₹150 (₹50 deposit + ₹100 travel value) | Regular riders |
| NCMC Card | Issued by banks (SBI, PNB, etc.) or at DMRC NCMC counters | People who want one card for metro + buses + other cities |
| QR tickets (Momentum 2.0 app) | Free - pay per ride | Phone-first riders who hate carrying cards |
The NCMC (National Common Mobility Card) is basically the smart card's upgraded cousin - a RuPay-based card that also works on Delhi buses and metros in other Indian cities. DMRC is moving toward NCMC as the standard, so if you're buying fresh, ask for it.
Where to buy
- Customer care counter at any metro station
- Smart Card Vending Machines at bigger stations
- Bank-issued NCMC cards (prepaid/debit) from SBI, Bank of India, PNB and others
The card stays valid for 10 years from purchase or your last recharge.
The discounts (this is the whole point)
- 10% off every journey - automatic, on every trip you make with the card
- Extra 10% off during off-peak hours - that's entry before 8 AM, between 12 noon and 5 PM, or after 9 PM (Monday–Saturday, not on the Airport Express Line)
- Sundays and national holidays: the off-peak discount applies all day, plus fares themselves run on a cheaper slab (capped at ₹54 instead of ₹64)
Stack it right and you're paying up to 20% less than token users. Over a year of commuting, that's real money.
How to recharge
At the station: customer care counter or vending machine. Minimum recharge ₹200, in multiples of ₹100, up to a max balance of ₹3,000.
Online / app:
- DMRC Momentum 2.0 (Delhi Sarthi) app - recharge your card, buy QR tickets, and hold a wallet. Pay via UPI, debit or credit card.
- DMRC website (delhimetrorail.com) - online top-up
- Paytm / PhonePe and other UPI apps also support DMRC card recharge
Heads up: if you recharge online, some older cards need a tap on the AVM (Add Value Machine) at a station to sync the balance. NCMC and newer cards update automatically at the gate.
QR tickets - the no-card route
Don't want plastic at all? The Momentum 2.0 app sells QR tickets you scan at the gate. There's also the Multiple Journey QR Ticket (MJQRT) - a digital wallet-style ticket that gives 10% off in peak hours and 20% off in off-peak, matching the card discounts. If your phone dies mid-journey though, you'll have a fun conversation at the exit gate, so keep some charge.
Bottom line: occasional rider → QR tickets. Daily commuter → smart card or NCMC, and time your entries off-peak.