Park-and-ride is the cheat code for Chennai Metro - but only if you know the two-tier pricing trick. CMRL's parking tariff (in force since 1 February 2025) charges actual metro riders roughly half of what walk-in parkers pay. Here's how it works and what you'll pay.
The golden rule: tap your card
The discounted "commuter" rate applies when you've used your Singara Chennai Card / NCMC card at the fare gates that same day. No metro ride on the card = you pay the full non-commuter rate. So always enter the metro with the same card you'll show at the parking lot.
Standard rates (most stations)
| Duration | Two-wheeler (commuter) | Two-wheeler (walk-in) | Car (commuter) | Car (walk-in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 hrs | ₹10 | ₹20–25 | ₹20 | ₹30–50 |
| 6–12 hrs | ₹15 | ₹30–40 | ₹30 | ₹40–75 |
| 12+ hrs | ₹20 | ₹40–55 | ₹40 | ₹60–90 |
| Overnight (beyond service hours) | ₹50 | ₹50–70 | ₹100 | ₹100–125 |
The walk-in range varies by station group - lots at busier stations like Egmore, Guindy, Alandur and Mannadi sit at the higher end.
Special-rate stations
- Chennai Central: slab-based (0–4/4–8/8–12/12+ hrs). Two-wheelers stay cheap (₹5–₹20 for commuters), but cars climb fast - up to ₹200 for a full commuter day, ₹250 for walk-ins.
- Airport Lot 1 (two-wheelers only): commuters pay ₹20–₹100 by duration; non-commuters ₹50–₹200. Lot 2 near Pallavaram follows the standard tariff.
- Vadapalani and Thirumangalam (near VR Mall) carry premium walk-in rates (₹30–₹40 for the first couple of hours) - these lots fight mall traffic.
Free parking
- Differently-abled riders: free during service hours at all lots
- Electric vehicles: free during service hours - but only if you're a CMRL commuter that day
Night-halt charges still apply to both.
Which stations have parking?
Around 36 stations have CMRL parking, covering most of both lines - including Wimco Nagar, Washermenpet, High Court, Chennai Central, Egmore, Kilpauk, Shenoy Nagar, Anna Nagar East, Thirumangalam, Koyambedu, CMBT, Arumbakkam, Vadapalani, Ashok Nagar, Ekkattuthangal, Alandur, St. Thomas Mount, Guindy, Little Mount, Nandanam, Teynampet, Meenambakkam and the Airport.
A handful are two-wheeler only: Thiruvottiyur, Thiruvottiyur Theradi, Kaladipet, New Washermenpet, Meenambakkam, AG-DMS, Anna Nagar Tower, Tondiarpet, Kilpauk and Ekkattuthangal. Rolling up in a car there won't end well.
Pro tips
- Check live parking availability before you leave - CMRL publishes a real-time dashboard on its commuter data portal
- Monthly parking passes exist with discounts tied to how often you actually ride - ask at the station
- Overnight airport trip? Two-wheeler night halt is just ₹50 - cheaper than any airport cab
- Pay at the lot with the same NCMC card for the smoothest exit
Do the math: two-wheeler + metro card = about ₹10 parking + a 20%-discounted fare. That's hard for any cab app to beat.