Yes, the Poonamallee to Vadapalani metro is open. Passenger service began at 4 pm on Sunday 11 October 2026 on the 14.6-km elevated stretch, with 11 stations in service, trains every 10 minutes at weekday peaks and fares of ₹10 to ₹40. Six stations between Porur and Vadapalani are built into the line but will open later, and that split is the single most important fact for anyone buying a home along the route.

Updated 13 October 2026. We read the DT Next, Swarajya and Daily Jagran reports on the opening, CMRL's Phase II page and the latest Knight Frank and portal price data. For the full timetable and fare chart, see Chennai Metro Poonamallee–Vadapalani Line Is Open: Timings, 11 Stations, Fares & Property Impact (2026); this article is about what the line means for a purchase.

Is the Poonamallee metro open, and how often do trains run?

It is. DT Next reported on 10 October 2026 that commercial operations would start at 4 pm on 11 October and run to 9 pm that day, and from Monday 12 October between 7 am and 9 pm in both directions. The same report gives the frequency: every 10 minutes from 8 to 11 am and 5 to 8 pm on Mondays to Saturdays, every 15 minutes at other times, and every 15 minutes all day on Sundays and public holidays.

  • Length: 14.6 km, elevated, on Corridor 4 (the Yellow Line) of Phase 2 (DT Next; Swarajya).
  • Stations in service: 11 (DT Next, 10 October 2026).
  • End-to-end journey: about 30 minutes, as reported by Swarajya ahead of the opening.
  • Fares: ₹10 to ₹40 (DT Next).
  • Cost of the stretch: about ₹4,900 crore, as reported by Daily Jagran.
  • Trains: around 15 deployed, per DT Next and Swarajya.
  • Hours may change. DT Next reports commuters on social media questioning the 9 pm last train. Check CMRL before planning a daily commute around it.

Which stations work today, and which open later?

Open from 11 October 2026, west to east, per DT Next: Poonamallee Bypass, Poonamallee Bus Stand, Poonamallee Government Hospital, Karayanchavadi, Kumananchavadi, Kattupakkam, Iyyappanthangal, Thelliyaragaram, Porur Bypass, Porur Junction and Vadapalani.

Opening later: Alapakkam, Karambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alwarthirunagar, Saligramam and Avichi School. Swarajya reported that these six would open at a later stage; trains pass through them without stopping. Four of them are double-decker stations shared with the Red Line (Corridor 5). We have covered why they were held back, and what the sources say about dates, in Why Valasaravakkam, Saligramam and Four Other Metro Stations Are Skipped on the Poonamallee–Vadapalani Line (2026)

A naming note: Wikipedia's Yellow Line page spells Iyyappanthangal as Iyyapanthangal and lists the Vadapalani end as an interchange with the Green Line. Use CMRL's signage when you check a station name in a brochure.

What does the line actually change for a Porur or Poonamallee buyer?

Three things, and none of them is an automatic price rise.

  • A predictable trip to Vadapalani. Until now, a commute from Poonamallee or Iyyappanthangal into the city meant Mount–Poonamallee Road traffic. A 30-minute, fixed-fare ride to Vadapalani, where the Green Line runs, is a real change for households working in the city.
  • Resale and rental depth near open stations. Tenants and later buyers can now walk to a working station rather than to a construction site. That matters most for compact flats, which rent to working singles and couples.
  • A clearer test of which locations are genuinely metro-served. A brochure can no longer say 'metro coming' for Porur Junction or Iyyappanthangal; the station either works within your walk or it does not.

Should you pay a metro premium in Porur or Poonamallee?

Pay for a working station within walking distance, not for the corridor name. The price data is a useful brake on enthusiasm. Knight Frank's H1 2026 report puts Porur at ₹6,646 to ₹7,054 per sq ft with 0% change over 12 months, even as the line neared completion. The same report counts West Chennai's unsold stock at 9,779 homes, taking 8.1 quarters to sell against 4.4 for the city. In plain terms, the west has the most homes waiting for buyers.

Portal asking prices tell a different story, which is why you should never rely on one number. Homebazaar's May 2026 table shows Porur at about ₹8,000 per sq ft, Iyyappanthangal at ₹6,700 and Poonamallee at ₹6,600. Those are asking rates without a stated method; Knight Frank's are research-firm ranges. The gap between them is your negotiating room.

A reasonable rule: compare the asking rate of a project within about 1 km of an open station with similar projects 2 to 3 km away. If the difference is large and the station is not open, you are paying for a promise. Our wider view on prices near the line: Homes Near Chennai Metro's Poonamallee–Porur Stations: 22 Projects by Station Area and Budget (2026)

Station by station: how to think about each cluster

  • Poonamallee cluster (Bypass, Bus Stand, Government Hospital): the western end, three stations close together. Useful for households in Poonamallee town; check whether your project is closer to the bypass or the town, because the walk differs.
  • Karayanchavadi, Kumananchavadi and Kattupakkam: the stretch along the Poonamallee–Porur road. The metro is the main upgrade here; judge flats on the walk to the station and on road noise from the viaduct.
  • Iyyappanthangal: one of the busiest apartment pockets on the line. Guide: Iyyappanthangal, Chennai: Buyer's Guide 2026 — Prices, Metro Phase 2, Projects and Risks
  • Porur (Thelliyaragaram, Porur Bypass, Porur Junction): three stations around the Porur hub. Porur Junction is the last open station before the six that open later. Locality page: Porur, Chennai
  • Alapakkam to Saligramam: stations built, not yet open. Buy here for today's road access; treat the metro as a later benefit with no firm date.
  • Vadapalani: the eastern end, joining the existing network. DT Next reported in July 2026 that no parking had been earmarked at the Phase II Vadapalani station.

What about parking and the last mile?

This is the most under-discussed part of the opening. In July 2026, commuters told DT Next that parking at the Porur station was smaller than the expected demand, and that the Phase II Vadapalani station had no parking earmarked. A CMRL official told the paper that parking would be increased as per demand, but only after an assessment once commercial operations began.

For a buyer, that means a flat 1.5 km from a station is not 'near the metro' unless there is a safe walk, a feeder bus or reliable parking. Walk the route at 8.30 am and at 8 pm before you decide.

What opens next on this corridor, and does it matter?

Yes, because the line becomes more useful as it extends. These are targets, not commitments:

  • The six skipped stations between Porur and Vadapalani: no firm CMRL date that we could verify.
  • Vadapalani to Panagal Park (T Nagar), about 3.5 km underground: Swarajya reported in February 2026 that tunnelling was complete and that CMRL was working to a March 2027 opening.
  • Vadapalani to Lighthouse: Wikipedia's Yellow Line page shows June 2028 for the remaining 11.5 km.
  • The Red Line's Koyambedu to Chennai Trade Centre section, which will make the Arcot Road double-decker stations interchanges: trials targeted from November 2026, with about four months of testing before commercial service (Construction World, 8 September 2026).
  • Full status of every corridor: Chennai Metro Phase 2 Opening Date: Every Corridor's Status, 2026

A buyer's checklist for homes along the line

  • Name the station. Ask the seller which open station the project is closest to, and measure the walk yourself.
  • Check the station is in the list of 11 open stations, not the six that open later.
  • Ask for the price difference against a comparable project away from the line, and negotiate if the premium is for an unopened station.
  • Visit at peak hours: viaduct noise, footpaths, crossings and evening lighting matter more than the map.
  • Verify the project on the Tamil Nadu RERA portal and read the approved plan before paying a booking amount.
  • If your budget is tight, see what ₹30 to ₹50 lakh buys near the line: Flats in Chennai Under 50 Lakhs: 2 BHK Near the Metro, 2026
  • Buying in October or November? The north-east monsoon is due; use our monsoon checklist on the specific building: Chennai Flood 2026: Monsoon Site-Visit Checklist for a Flat