Kochi Metro Railway Archives

Kochi Water Metro: Routes, Fares and How to Ride India's First Electric Ferry Network The Kochi Water Metro is India's first water metro and the world's first electric boat transit system of its kind. Launched in April 2023 and run by Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), it carries passengers across the backwaters on air-conditioned electric catamarans, using the same card as the metro. This guide covers the routes running today, fares and passes, what the boats are like, and how the network will grow. For visitors: This is one of the more rewarding ways to see Kochi. The ferries are cheap, air-conditioned, and cross genuinely scenic water rather than following a tourist route. Buy a Kochi1 card, since it covers both the Water Metro and the metro rail. Routes Running Now Services began with the High Court to Vypin route in April 2023 and have expanded since. The routes currently in operation connect: High Court to VypinThe original route, crossing in under 20 minutesHigh Court to Fort KochiUseful for visitors heading to the historic quarterHigh Court to South ChittoorServing the eastern shore communitiesSouth Chittoor to CheranallurConnecting northern suburbs across the waterVytila to KakkanadLinks the mobility hub with the IT corridor The busiest are Vytila to Kakkanad and High Court to Fort Kochi. Services generally run from around 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, with departures roughly every 15 minutes at peak on the main routes. New routes open as terminals and boats are commissioned, so check the KMRL site or the Kochi1 app for the current list before planning around one. Fares and Passes Single journey₹20 minimum to ₹40 maximumWeekly pass₹180 for 12 trips, valid 7 daysMonthly pass₹600 for 50 trips, valid 30 daysQuarterly pass₹1,500 for 150 trips, valid 90 days Confirm before you buy: Fares and pass prices are revised from time to time. Check the current rate at the terminal counter or in the Kochi1 app rather than relying on figures published elsewhere. How to Pay Kochi1 card, the same card used on the Kochi Metro, on select buses and with participating autorickshaws and merchants. Kochi1 app, which issues a QR code you scan at the terminal. Ticket counters at each terminal, for single journeys and passes. See our Kochi Metro guide for how the card works across both systems. What the Boats Are Like The vessels were built by Cochin Shipyard and are unlike ordinary ferries in several ways: Fully air-conditioned, with wide glass windows for the view. Catamaran design with twin hulls, giving stability and redundancy. Battery electric with diesel backup, running at around 8 knots on battery and slightly faster on diesel. Rapid charging, with a full charge taking roughly 15 minutes between runs. 100 passengers per boat, with 50 seated and 50 standing. Automatic passenger counting, displayed on a digital board, which prevents overloading. Access to the pontoon between terminal and boat is capped for the same reason. Closed doors throughout the crossing, life jackets including child sizes, and a feeding room on board. The Full Project What runs today is the first part of a much larger plan. When complete, the network is designed to comprise: BoatsAround 78 electric air-conditioned vesselsTerminalsAround 38Routes15, covering roughly 78 km of waterwayReach10 islands in and around KochiCostAround ₹1,136 croreFundingGovernment of Kerala with the German development bank KfW Terminals and boats are added in phases, which is why the number of live routes keeps growing. The intended beneficiaries are the roughly half a million people living along these waterways, many of whom previously depended on slow, weather-dependent ferries or long road detours. Why It Matters Kochi sits across a lagoon, and for many island and shoreside communities the road route to the city centre is many times longer than the direct crossing. The Water Metro turns that geography from a disadvantage into an asset, moving people quickly, cleanly and cheaply on the water while taking traffic off congested bridges. It has also drawn international attention as a model other coastal cities could copy, since the combination of electric propulsion, rapid charging and integrated ticketing had not been attempted at this scale before. Tips for Riding Buy a Kochi1 card if you are in the city more than a day, since it works on both the ferries and the metro. Start at High Court terminal if you are sightseeing, as several scenic routes radiate from there. Sit on the window side facing outwards, as the glass is generous and the backwater views are the point. Check the last service before heading out in the evening, since these are not late-night routes. Combine with the metro at Vytila, where the mobility hub joins ferries, metro, and city and long-distance buses. Back To Top ^ Frequently Asked Questions What is the Kochi Water Metro? India's first water metro, a network of air-conditioned electric ferries run by KMRL, connecting Kochi with its islands and shoreside communities. It launched in April 2023. What does it cost? Single journeys run from ₹20 to ₹40. Passes start at ₹180 for 12 trips over a week. Which routes are running? High Court to Vypin, Fort Kochi and South Chittoor, along with South Chittoor to Cheranallur and Vytila to Kakkanad. More open as terminals are commissioned. Can I use my metro card on the ferries? Yes. The Kochi1 card works on both the Water Metro and the Kochi Metro, plus select buses. What are the timings? Roughly 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, with services about every 15 minutes at peak on the main routes. How many passengers does each boat carry? 100, with 50 seated and 50 standing. An automatic counter prevents overloading. Is it worth it for a visitor? Yes. It is inexpensive, air-conditioned, and crosses genuinely scenic water. The High Court to Fort Kochi route is a good first ride. Quick Summary Launched25 April 2023, India's first water metroOperatorKochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL)BoatsElectric air-conditioned catamarans by Cochin ShipyardCapacity100 per boatFare₹20 to ₹40 single journeyTimingsAbout 7:00 am to 8:00 pmCardKochi1, shared with the metroFull plan78 boats, 38 terminals, 15 routes, 10 islands The Kochi Water Metro is the rare piece of public infrastructure that is both genuinely useful to residents and a pleasure for visitors. Buy the Kochi1 card, take a crossing at least once, and you will understand why other coastal cities are studying it. For more, see our guides on the Kochi Metro and metro railways in India. Have you ridden the Kochi Water Metro? Tell us which route in the comments, since readers often ask which crossing is the most scenic.

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