Key takeaways
- NCMC (National Common Mobility Card) is a RuPay card feature that lets one card pay for metros, buses and parking across India.
- Major banks including SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, PNB, IDFC FIRST and Federal Bank issue NCMC cards, often on select debit variants.
- The offline wallet holds up to ₹2,000 and works without a network connection at the gate.
- Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and Noida metros accept NCMC in 2026.
NCMC, the National Common Mobility Card, is India's "One Nation One Card" for transport. One tap-and-go RuPay card works on metros, city buses and parking across cities that have NCMC readers, and it can also be your regular debit or credit card. In 2026, most big metro systems accept it. Here's which banks issue NCMC cards, how to get one and how it works.
What makes a card an NCMC card?
An NCMC card is a RuPay contactless card with a special offline wallet on the chip. You'll see "NCMC" or the "One Nation One Card" mark on it. Two parts matter:
- The offline wallet (up to ₹2,000): the transit gate deducts fares from here without going online, so it works underground with no signal.
- The normal card (debit, prepaid or credit): works like any RuPay card at shops, online and ATMs.
A regular contactless Visa or Mastercard, or a RuPay card without NCMC, won't open NCMC transit gates.
Banks that issue NCMC cards
| Bank | NCMC cards offered |
|---|---|
| State Bank of India | RuPay NCMC debit cards, plus city prepaid cards (Singara Chennai Card, SBI NMRC City1 in Noida) |
| HDFC Bank | Select RuPay debit and credit cards; One Pune Card |
| ICICI Bank, Axis Bank | Select RuPay debit and credit cards |
| Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Bank of India | RuPay NCMC debit cards |
| IDFC FIRST Bank, Federal Bank, Karnataka Bank | RuPay NCMC debit cards |
| RBL Bank | Namma Metro NCMC prepaid card; RuPay credit cards with NCMC |
| Airtel Payments Bank | Co-branded DMRC RuPay NCMC card sold at Delhi Metro stations since May 2026 |
| PhonePe (with partner bank) | RuPay On-The-Go NCMC card, sold at Hyderabad Metro counters |
Card variants change. Check with your bank that your specific card has NCMC before relying on it. NPCI publishes the full list of RuPay contactless issuers.
How to get an NCMC card
- Check your current card. If your RuPay debit card has the NCMC mark, you may already have one. Activate the transit wallet in your bank's app.
- Ask your bank for an NCMC variant at a branch or in the app. Many banks will replace your debit card with one, sometimes for a card fee.
- Buy one at a metro station. Several metros sell NCMC prepaid cards at counters: Delhi (Airtel Payments Bank), Bengaluru (RBL Bank), Chennai (SBI Singara Chennai Card), Hyderabad (PhonePe On-The-Go) and Noida (SBI City1).
How to top up the offline wallet
- Load money into the NCMC wallet from your bank's app or net banking, or at a station counter.
- Tap the card at a station's add-value point or reader so the chip picks up the new balance ("service" the card).
- Some cards allow auto top-up from your bank account when the balance falls below a threshold.
Where NCMC works in 2026
| City | NCMC status |
|---|---|
| Delhi | All Delhi Metro lines, including the Airport Express Line |
| Mumbai | Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line); reported on Lines 1, 2A and 7 |
| Bengaluru | Namma Metro and, since June 2026, BMTC buses |
| Chennai | Chennai Metro and MTC buses (Singara Chennai Card) |
| Hyderabad | Hyderabad Metro |
| Pune | Pune Metro and Puneri Metro Line 3 |
| Noida | Aqua Line, since 15 August 2026 |
Details for each city are in our metro card guides.
NCMC credit cards: worth it?
A few RuPay credit cards (for example from RBL Bank) include NCMC. The offline wallet is loaded from your credit limit or bank account depending on the card. Transit rewards are usually small, so choose your credit card for its main rewards and use NCMC as a convenience. If you want a RuPay credit card, it also works on UPI. See RuPay credit cards on UPI.
NCMC vs city metro cards
City metro cards (like the older DMRC smart card) work only on that city's metro. NCMC cards work across cities and double as bank cards. The trade-off: city cards sometimes had small fare discounts, and NCMC wallets need topping up through your bank. If you travel between cities or want fewer cards in your wallet, NCMC is the better long-term choice.
Lost your NCMC card?
Block it immediately in your bank's app, like any debit card. Note that the offline wallet balance works like cash, so a lost card's wallet balance may not be recoverable. Keep the wallet balance modest.
FAQs
Which banks give NCMC cards?
SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, PNB, Bank of India, IDFC FIRST, Federal Bank, Karnataka Bank, RBL Bank and Airtel Payments Bank, among others. Often only select card variants have NCMC.
How much money can the NCMC offline wallet hold?
Up to ₹2,000.
Does my contactless Visa card work at metro gates?
Only if the metro accepts open-loop contactless cards. NCMC gates generally need a RuPay NCMC card.
Can I use one NCMC card in different cities?
Yes. That is the point of NCMC. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and Noida metros accept it in 2026.
Sources
- NPCI: banks issuing RuPay contactless cards
- Federal Bank: RuPay NCMC debit card
- Bank of India: NCMC debit card
- DMRC: National Common Mobility Card
