Bengaluru's First Blue Line Driverless Train Is at the Depot — But the Track Isn't Ready Yet

Bengaluru's future airport metro just got a lot more real: the first driverless Blue Line train has rolled into Baiyappanahalli depot. The track to run it on, however, is still very much a work in progress.

Make in India, delivered to Bengaluru

BEML manufactured the first six-coach driverless trainset for Namma Metro's Blue Line at its Thippasandra facility in Bengaluru and delivered it to Baiyappanahalli depot in early June 2026. The delivery is part of a ₹3,177-crore contract for 318 metro cars covering both the Blue and Pink Lines. Thirty-seven trains have been ordered for the Blue Line; notably, 21 of them are fitted with luggage racks — designed with air passengers in mind.

Like the Pink Line trains, these coaches use Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) technology and are built for full driverless operation. They will eventually carry commuters on the 58.19-km corridor from Central Silk Board to Kempegowda International Airport — Namma Metro's longest single line.

Static tests first, trial runs later

The train will undergo static testing at the depot through approximately end-July 2026. Dynamic trial runs — where the train actually moves on the mainline — cannot begin until the connecting track infrastructure is ready, which is expected around October–November 2026.

Track progress on Phase 2A (Silk Board to KR Puram) stands at 86.37% for Package 1 and 79.23% for Package 2 as of mid-2026. The KR Puram-to-Airport stretch (Phase 2B) is far behind at roughly 18% complete.

Timelines under pressure

BMRCL had targeted December 2026 for the 19.75-km Phase 2A (Silk Board to KR Puram, 13 stations) to open. That deadline is now considered at risk and may slip to 2027. Phase 2B, covering the 38.44 km to the airport, is targeted for December 2027.

The arrival of the first train is a genuine milestone — it proves manufacturing is on track and hardware is being delivered. But commuters waiting for a metro ride to the airport should plan around the realistic likelihood of late 2027 at the earliest.