Indore Airport Metro Station: Status & Ujjain Options

No, there is no working Indore metro airport station yet. As of October 2026 the Indore Metro Yellow Line runs about 17 km across 16 stations, none of them at Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport (IDR). The airport station is still under construction with no announced opening date, and no Indore-Ujjain metro exists, so the roughly 55 km trip to Ujjain is by taxi, bus or train.

If you are flying into Indore for Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga and have heard the city now has a metro, this page sets out what the Yellow Line covers today, a station name that misleads many visitors, where the airport section stands, what two news reports say about an Indore-Ujjain metro before Simhastha 2028, and what to use instead. If you only need the numbers for the road leg, our page on the Indore airport to Ujjain distance covers the route, the roughly 55 km distance and the usual 1 to 1.5 hour drive.

Is There a Metro Station at Indore Airport? The Short Answer

Not one you can use. The Yellow Line of the Indore Metro, operated by Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL), is planned as a ring of about 33.53 km with 29 stations. According to the station table on Wikipedia (accessed 24 October 2026), 16 of those stations are operational and 13 are under construction. Airport is listed as station 29, after BSF/Kalani Nagar and Ramachandra Square, and it carries no opening date.

The airport's own Wikipedia page mentions an underground metro station being built about 200 m from the terminal building. That distance is uncited, so treat it as reported; either way, the station is being built, not run. Some pages also say the Yellow Line "connects the airport". That describes the plan, not the service you will find when you land.

What "under construction" means for your 2026-27 trip

For any trip you are booking now, assume the metro plays no part in your airport transfer. In July 2026 the Free Press Journal reported that a launch shaft about 70 feet deep had been excavated at the proposed Airport Metro Station and that tunnel boring machines were expected shortly. A station still at the tunnelling stage has civil work, systems testing and safety approval ahead of it before it can carry passengers. No official opening date has been published, and we will not guess one.

What the Indore Metro Yellow Line Runs Today

The operational Yellow Line is an elevated stretch between the Gandhi Nagar end and the Radisson Square / Malviya Nagar Chauraha area. It is useful for residents and commuters along that corridor. None of its 16 open stations is at the airport, and the old-city section around Rajwada is part of the unfinished underground route.

Opened sections: May 2025 and September 2026

The first stretch of about 6 km, from Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Terminal station to Veerangana Jhalkari Bai station, opened on 31 May 2025. A second priority corridor of about 11 km with 11 stations was inaugurated on 5 September 2026, and regular passenger service began the next day, as reported by Swarajya. Together they give the network about 17 km and 16 operational stations.

Hours and frequency at launch

At the September 2026 launch, trains were reported to run from 9 am to 7 pm at intervals of about 15 minutes, with more than 80 trips a day. Launch timetables often change once ridership settles, so confirm current hours with MPMRCL before you plan around them. We do not list fares here because we could not verify a current fare table; check at the station or with the operator.

The name trap: Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Terminal station is not the airport

The airport is Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, named after Ahilyabai Holkar, the 18th-century ruler of the Holkar state. The metro terminus at the Gandhi Nagar end of the Yellow Line is called Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Terminal. Seen on a map app or in a news headline, "Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Terminal" sounds like an airport terminal, but it is a metro station. If a driver, hotel or search result tells you to "take the metro from Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Terminal", it does not mean the metro starts inside the airport.

When you book a cab or message a driver, say "Indore airport arrivals" or use the code IDR. That removes any chance of being sent to the metro terminus instead.

The Airport Underground Section: Route and Status

The stretch that will eventually reach the airport is underground through the dense central part of the city. Its alignment has been revised, which is one reason dates keep moving.

Revised route via Khajrana, Palasia, Rajwada and Bada Ganpati

In February 2026 the Free Press Journal reported a survey for a revised underground route running Khajrana, Palasia, MG Road, Rajwada, Bada Ganpati and then Airport, with an underground airport station. The same report said the underground corridor beyond Khajrana was expected to take more time than the elevated work. For a traveller, that matters: the airport is the far end of the hardest part of the project.

Who is funding and building it

The Asian Development Bank approved a loan of USD 190 million for an underground line of about 8.62 km with seven stations connecting congested areas of Indore to the airport, according to Swarajya. A contract worth about Rs 2,200 crore for the MG Road to Airport underground stretch has been reported, and in July 2026 the Free Press Journal named an HCC and Tata Projects joint venture for underground work of nearly 9 km, with stations including Bada Ganpati and Airport. Wikipedia gives the underground package as 8.65 km, a slightly different figure from the ADB one.

None of these sources gives an opening date for the airport station. When MPMRCL announces one, check whether it covers the airport station itself or only part of the tunnel.

Indore-Ujjain Metro: DPR Status and the Simhastha 2028 Question

Searches for an "Indore Ujjain metro" usually come from pilgrims hoping to ride straight to Mahakal. As of October 2026 there is no such line, not even under construction. What exists is a detailed project report, and two reports published four months apart describe its prospects differently.

What the December 2025 report said

On 10 December 2025 the Free Press Journal described a line of about 45 km with 11 stations from Lavkush Nagar in Indore to Ujjain railway station, at an estimated cost of about Rs 12,000 crore. It said the DPR was in its final stage but that running the line before Simhastha 2028 was not possible.

What the April 2026 report said

On 23 April 2026 Patrika reported that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had submitted the DPR, that it was under review with significant revisions expected, and put the estimate at about Rs 10,000 crore. It said the initial 11 stations could change, described the route as Lavkush Square to Mahakal, and said the state was aiming to have it ready before Simhastha 2028, which it dated 27 March to 27 May 2028. The same article also refers to the Ujjain end differently in places, so the terminus should be treated as undecided.

What to re-check before Simhastha

We searched again on 24 October 2026 and found no report of final state or central approval of the Indore-Ujjain DPR. A 45 km intercity line that has not been approved has very little time to be built, tested and certified before March 2028, so plan your Simhastha travel on road and rail. Before you travel, check three things with MPMRCL or the Madhya Pradesh government: whether the DPR has been approved, whether the Yellow Line has reached the airport, and whether any special Simhastha transport, such as shuttle buses, has been announced for Indore airport.

How to Get From Indore Airport to Ujjain Without a Metro

Indore airport is about 8 km west of the city and is run by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Three practical options reach Ujjain from there; we keep the comparison short and link the detailed guide for each.

Taxi or app cab

A direct cab is the simplest choice for most fly-in pilgrims: door to door, with your luggage, in about 1 to 1.5 hours for the roughly 55 km run. It suits families, senior travellers and anyone landing late. Fares vary by vehicle and time, so compare before you book; our airport taxi to Ujjain page explains pickup and booking.

City bus and intercity bus

Wikipedia lists city bus routes 03-C, 07 and 11 serving the airport at intervals of about 20 to 30 minutes; check current routes with Atal Indore City Transport Services Limited (AICTSL). From the city you can change to an intercity bus for Ujjain. It is the cheapest way but the slowest and least comfortable with luggage. See Indore airport to Ujjain by bus for the steps.

Train via Indore Junction

Take a cab or bus from the airport to Indore Junction and continue by train to Ujjain Junction. It works when a convenient train fits your landing time. Our train route from Indore airport to Ujjain explains the transfer.

For the full road picture, including where the route leaves Indore and how traffic around the city affects timing, return to our guide to the distance from Indore airport to Ujjain. We will update this page when MPMRCL announces an airport station opening or the Indore-Ujjain metro receives approval. If you want to follow the station list yourself, the Yellow Line station table on Wikipedia is the easiest place to watch the Airport entry change from "under construction".

Written and reviewed by the Fly to Ujjain editorial team. Facts checked against primary sources; see the reference above.

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