Yellow Line regular departures07:00–21:00. Monday–Saturday10-minute bands08–11 and17–20; otherwise15minutes. Sunday/publicholiday15minutes throughout. Special openingday hours are separate.
Original frequency-band diagram based on CMRL’s regular timetable. The weekday header differs from its07:00 departure cells; this graphic uses the cells and separates special opening-day arrangements.

For the Poonamallee Bypass–Vadapalani Yellow Line, CMRL’s current timetable gives first terminal departures at 07:00 and last terminal departures at 21:00. Monday through Saturday peak intervals are 10 minutes, with 15 minutes off-peak; Sundays and government public holidays use 15 minutes throughout. These are timetable departures, not a promise that every intermediate station closes at 9 pm.

The question follows the October 11, 2026 launch event for Chennai Metro’s Poonamallee–Vadapalani stretch. The Prime Minister’s Office advance notice schedules its inauguration during the Chennai visit. Indian Express’s October 11 commuter report distinguishes special opening-day passenger hours from regular service beginning October 12; do not substitute a ceremony’s time for the first passenger train.

The new stretch and the regular timetable

The official timetable’s Monday–Friday Yellow Line heading says 05:00–21:00, but its explicit first-train cells for both terminals say 07:00. Saturday and Sunday sections also give 07:00. The departure cells and the commuter report agree on 7 am; the conflicting weekday heading should be recognised rather than silently treated as a 5 am first departure.

For Monday through Saturday, the 10-minute bands are 08:00–11:00 and 17:00–20:00. The 15-minute bands are 07:00–08:00, 11:00–17:00 and 20:00–21:00. This means a trip around a band boundary can have a different scheduled interval. The graphic summarises those published bands without predicting an individual train’s actual arrival.

Peak intervals and Sunday service

On Sundays and government public holidays, CMRL’s table gives a 15-minute interval for 07:00–21:00 without the weekday peak bands. The Indian Express report describes October 11’s special passenger service as 16:00–21:00 at 15-minute intervals. That first-day detail is attributed to the report; the regular timetable is not independent confirmation of a special 4 pm opening.

The official launch notice says the corridor is expected to improve links between the western suburbs and the city centre. That explains its commuter importance, but it is a projected benefit rather than measured journey-time evidence. Departure planning should allow for reaching the platform and any onward connection; this article does not promise a specific time saved.

Check the correct fare table before travelling

For fares, open CMRL’s fare-table page below, select the current table and match your actual origin and destination. The page separately links a normal fare table and a 20%discounted table. A discount table alone does not prove that every payment method or passenger qualifies, so a generic price range is less useful than the correct station pair and displayed ticket conditions.

Before travelling, use CMRL’s timetable page for updated departures and its fare page for the station pair, then distinguish special notices from the regular pattern. The next useful evidence is whether CMRL clarifies the weekday heading or announces a changed schedule. Published intervals and expected connectivity should remain separate from observed punctuality and measured travel savings.

Sources & context

CMRL’s official timetable and fare page were compared with the PIB advance notice and a fully read Indian Express opening-day report. Conflicting weekday heading and departure cells are disclosed; special opening-day hours are attributed, not presented as a confirmed CMRL special timetable.

AI assisted with drafting and editing. This article is part of our preview edition. Editorial standards & corrections →