WATCH | British vlogger left amazed by Delhi Metro, pays just ₹32 for what he calls ‘way more modern’ than London

Delhi Metro has found a new fan in British travel vlogger Jack Heaton.

During his ongoing trip to India, Heaton documented his first ride on New Delhi’s sprawling rapid transit network, declaring it cleaner, cheaper, and noticeably more modern than several European systems, including London’s iconic Tube.

Adding to his surprise was the highly affordable ticket price, with the vlogger noting he paid just ₹32 ($0.34) for his journey.

‘Way more modern than London’

Taking to Instagram, Heaton shared his experience of navigating the transport network. Although his first metro ride coincided with recent protests that caused some delays, he remained highly appreciative of the overall infrastructure.

“But besides that it is a HUGE metro system, kept pretty clean, way more modern than say the London but that’s because it’s underground, so obviously all the technological improvements that have come with time,” he said in the viral video.

Desi netizens divided

The viral video quickly sparked a debate in the comments section, with some Indians beaming with pride and others offering a reality check regarding European transport.

“Thank you for showing the good side of India to the world. Have a great time while you are here,” one user commented. Another regular metro commuter agreed, saying, “Been using the Delhi Metro service for years and I can vouch for its excellence.”

However, not everyone agreed with the European comparison.

“I don’t think so. Europe’s transport system is robust and unmatched. Trams give you last door connectivity, metros are seamless and buses are the cherry on top,” one comment read. “Delhi Metro is good but it needs new cross lines, it needs support of other transport system, its over burdened. But no, it definitely doesn’t mock European public – city transportation systems.”

Defending the Indian network, another individual commented, “Many European cities have excellent metro systems, but the Delhi Metro is also considered one of the world’s top five metro systems in terms of reliability.”

Pointing out the city’s massive population, one user mentioned, “It’s still not enough for the size.” Meanwhile, a local offered a helpful tip on pricing: “Bro, you bought a ticket from counter, try online apps. There you can get cheap tickets for $0.06 and sometimes even for free.”

Scale of Delhi Metro

New Delhi boasts one of the largest metro networks in India.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) currently operates nine main routes—Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Violet, Pink, Magenta, and Grey lines—along with the Airport Express line. Together, these cover a massive 374.46 km across 271 stations.

When combined with other NCR transit services such as Noida’s Aqua Line, Gurugram’s Rapid Metro, Namo Bharat, and the Meerut Metro, the entire regional network spans an impressive 519.50 km and includes 330 stations.