Everything you need to know about fares on Dhaka metro rail

The minimum rate has been set at Tk 20, while discounted fares and concessions will also be on offer

The countdown to the opening of the country's first metro rail service, widely viewed as a panacea for Dhaka's crippling traffic jams, is nearing its end.

In the first phase, elevated trains will operate on the Uttara North- Agargaon route made up of nine stops. The urban railway network will eventually be expanded to Kamalapur via Motijheel, consisting of 17 stations over a distance of 20.1 km.

But how much will it cost to travel on the metro rail? The minimum fare has been set at Tk 20, which will apply to a passenger who takes the train to go to the next station on the route.

After that, passengers will be charged Tk 5 per kilometre, which means if they travel from the network's northernmost point in Uttara to the southernmost point, Kamalapur, the journey would cost them at least Tk 100.

The fare from Uttara North (Diabari) to Agargaon has been fixed at Tk 60. The minimum fare of Tk 20 will apply to trips from Uttara North to Uttara Centre and South stations.

From Uttara North, it will cost Tk 30 to travel to Pallabi and Mirpur-11, Tk 40 to Mirpur-10 and Kazipara, and Tk 50 to get to Shewrapara.

Passengers headed to Mirpur-11, Mirpur-10 and Kazipara from Pallabi will be charged the minimum fare. The rate from Pallabi to Shewrapara and Agargaon is Tk 30.

Once the metro rail network is fully operational, commuters boarding trains at Mipur-10 can travel to Farmgate for Tk 30 and Karwan Bazar for Tk 40.

They will have to pay Tk 50 to go from Mirpur-10 to Shahbagh and Dhaka University, and Tk 60 if they travel further to the Secretariat and Motijheel stations. However, the fare from Mirpur-10 to Kamalapur will be Tk 70.

However, travellers will get a 10 percent discount on a long-term pass. Freedom fighters can use the metro rail service for free, while concessions will also be offered to people with special needs.