Air passengers walks with their luggage towards Ahmedabad Airport (file photo) | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI

Ahmedabad’sairport is set to get long-awaited Metro connectivity after the Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a ₹2,169-crore project to extend the city’s Metro network to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, closing a key gap in Ahmedabad’s urban transport infrastructure.

The 6-km extension will provide direct Metro access to the airport, which has remained outside the city’s rail transit network despite the rapid expansion of Metro services across Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in recent years. The project is expected to improve connectivity for air passengers, airport employees and daily commuters while reducing dependence on road transport for access to one of Gujarat’s busiest transport hubs.

The approved Phase 2(A) of Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project will have a length of 6.032 Km with 05 stations (04 Elevated and 01 underground). On operationalisation of Phase 2(A), Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar will have 77.63 Km of active Metro Rail Network. The names of stations in the Phase 2(A) Corridor are- Ashram Road, Koteshwar Prachin Mandir, Sabarmati River, Sardar Nagar and Airport

The airport link assumes significance as Ahmedabad continues to emerge as a major commercial and investment destination, with growing passenger traffic and increasing movement between Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and GIFT City. A direct Metro connection is expected to integrate air travel more closely with the region’s expanding public transport network. For years, the airport had remained a notable missing link in Ahmedabad’s Metro map. While Metro services have expanded across key residential, commercial and institutional corridors, travellers heading to the airport have largely depended on private vehicles, taxis and buses.

The new corridor is expected to offer a faster and more predictable travel option, particularly during peak traffic hours, while supporting broader efforts to encourage the use of public transport and reduce congestion on roads leading to the airport. The approval also comes amid a wider push to strengthen transport infrastructure in the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar urban region through Metro expansions and connectivity projects aimed at supporting future economic growth.

Once operational, Ahmedabad will join a growing number of Indian cities with direct Metro access to their principal airport, bringing the city’s mass transit network closer to global urban mobility standards.

Ahmedabad Metro’s ridership growth has also accelerated significantly over the past three years, underscoring increasing public acceptance of Metro rail as a preferred mode of transport. The average daily ridership rose from around 69,000 passengers in 2023 to 1.01 lakh in 2024 and further to 1.33 lakh in 2025. By May 2026, daily ridership had reached approximately 1.53 lakh passengers, reflecting growing reliance on the Metro for daily commuting between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

Since the network’s expansion in October 2022, more than 13.81 crore passenger journeys have been recorded on the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar Metro system up to May 2026. Students, office-goers and other daily commuters now account for a substantial share of Metro ridership, highlighting its emergence as a fast, affordable and reliable public transport option.

Published on June 10, 2026