Women's Safety in Public Transport in India: Metro, Bus and Train Guide

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The short answer

For women commuting by metro, bus or train in India, the key numbers are 112 for any emergency and 139 for anything on Indian Railways, including security. Delhi and Chennai metros use 155370, Mumbai's railway police use 1512, and Bengaluru's metro is 1800-425-12345. Use women's coaches, stay near staff or other women in crowds, share your live location for the last mile, and report harassment quickly.

• Dial 112 for emergencies anywhere and 139 for help on any train or railway station.
• Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai metros reserve coaches or doors for women.
• Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh run free bus travel schemes for women.
• RPF Meri Saheli teams watch over women travelling alone on long-distance trains.
• You can report harassment at any police station as a Zero FIR.

This guide is for women who ride the metro, city buses and trains every day, and for families who want to know what help exists along the way. It covers women's coaches and free bus schemes city by city, how railway help works through RPF Meri Saheli and Rail Madad 139, what to do in a crush or on the last stretch home, and a table of helplines you can save now.

How do you stay safe on the metro in Indian cities?

Use the women's coach or women-only doors, travel in the busier part of the train late at night, and save your metro's helpline number. Stations have security screening at entry, CCTV and staff on platforms, so help is usually close by.

• Delhi Metro: the first coach of every train has been reserved for women since October 2010. Men found in it can be fined ₹250 under the Delhi Metro (Operation and Maintenance) Act, and DMRC runs periodic drives to enforce it. DMRC's 24x7 helpline is 155370; the CISF unit that guards the metro is on 155655.
• Bengaluru Namma Metro: the first coach of six-coach trains is reserved for women, and on three-coach trains the first two doors of the front car are for women. BMRCL's toll-free helpline is 1800-425-12345 and covers security issues.
• Chennai Metro: first-class coaches are reserved for women at the normal fare, and CMRL runs a women's helpline on 155370 alongside its 24x7 helpline 1860-425-1515.

If someone bothers you, move towards other women or staff, say clearly and loudly what is happening, and get off at the next station where staff are present. Note the coach number printed inside the train before you leave it.

Which states offer free bus travel for women?

Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh all run free bus travel schemes for women on state-run buses, each with its own rules on residency and bus types. More women on buses means busier, better-watched journeys, but it also means crowding at peak hours.

Rules on which buses qualify change from time to time, so check your state transport corporation's current notice before a long trip.

How do you stay safe on city and state buses?

Sit near the driver or conductor where you can, use seats reserved for women, and wait at a lit, busy stop rather than an empty one. The conductor is the person in charge of the bus and the first person to tell if someone is troubling you.

• Board from the front door where your city allows it, so you are close to the crew.
• On a crowded bus, keep your bag in front of you and stand where you can see the conductor.
• Note the bus number and route number when you board. You will need both if you report anything.
• At night, check live bus timings where your city offers them, so you spend less time waiting alone.

How do you stay safe on Mumbai local trains?

Use the ladies' compartment, know who patrols it at night, and save 1512, the Mumbai Railway Police helpline. The same habits work on suburban trains in other cities, where 139 is the railway helpline.

• Night patrols: in July 2023 the Government Railway Police (GRP) said uniformed staff from the GRP, Home Guards, Maharashtra Security Force and RPF would be posted in ladies' compartments between 9 pm and 6 am, and asked women to call 1512 if they found none.
• 1512 helpline: started on 2 October 2017 for any passenger in difficulty. The railway police aim to reach callers even before the train pulls into the next station.
• Quiet compartments: if the ladies' compartment is nearly empty late at night, sit near the door, keep your phone in hand and move to a busier coach at the next station.
• Doorways: avoid standing at the open door when the train is packed, and hold a handle inside instead.

What is RPF Meri Saheli, and how does 139 help on long-distance trains?

Meri Saheli is a Railway Protection Force initiative that keeps watch over women travelling alone on long-distance trains, and 139 is the single Rail Madad number for any help on a train or station. Between them, a woman travelling overnight has a team that knows her seat number and a number that works from any phone.

How Meri Saheli works

1. A team of young women RPF personnel meets women passengers, especially those travelling alone, at the originating station and briefs them on precautions.
2. The team notes only their seat numbers and passes them to RPF staff at stations along the route, who keep an unobtrusive eye on those coaches.
3. RPF teams at the destination collect feedback, and the railway acts on it.

The initiative started as a pilot in South Eastern Railway in September 2020 and was extended to all zones from 17 October 2020. In a 2025 reply in the Rajya Sabha, the government said about 250 RPF teams cover roughly 500 trains a day.

How Rail Madad 139 works

139 brings together railway security, medical help, complaints and enquiries in one number, with service in several Indian languages besides Hindi and English. It replaced the old railway security line 182. You do not need a smartphone; for non-urgent complaints you can also use the Rail Madad app or website, which sends you a complaint ID by SMS.

How do you handle crowds and the last mile home?

In a crowd, keep your belongings in front, stay near other women or staff, and use your voice early. For the last mile, decide how you will get from the station to your door before you leave, not after you arrive.

• Use your voice. A loud, clear "Move your hand" tells everyone around you what is happening, which makes it harder for the person to carry on.
• Find allies. Look at another woman nearby and ask her directly to stand with you. A specific request is easy to say yes to.
• Step off. Getting off at the next station and waiting near staff for the following train is always a reasonable choice.
• Plan the last mile. Book the auto or cab while you are still on the train, or arrange for someone to meet you. Our cab and auto safety guide covers what to check before you get in.
• Share your walk. Send your live location to one person until you are inside your building.

For that final stretch, Kavach has a Night Walk mode that shares your live location with one trusted person until you arrive and then sends them a safe-arrival note, with a siren and SOS one squeeze away. It is one option; a phone call with a friend on the line does much of the same job.

How do you report harassment on a bus, metro or train?

Tell staff or police on the spot if you can, note the details, and file a complaint at any police station, which must register it even if the incident happened elsewhere. You do not need to know which section of law applies; the police decide that.

1. Alert someone immediately: the bus conductor, metro staff or CISF, RPF or GRP on trains, or call 112.
2. Note the details: time, bus or train number, coach number, station and a description of the person.
3. File the complaint: Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) lets you report at any police station as a Zero FIR. Our guide to Zero FIR and e-FIR walks through it.

The offences that can apply include sexual harassment under Section 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) (earlier IPC 354A), stalking under Section 78 (IPC 354D), and words or gestures meant to insult a woman's modesty under Section 79 (IPC 509). Statements from women complainants in such cases are recorded by a woman police officer.

Which helpline numbers work for which city or system?

Save 112 and 139 on every phone, then add the number for the metro or suburban network you use most. All numbers below were checked against official or reputable sources in October 2026.

For the full national list, see our women helpline numbers guide. If a short code does not connect from your network, use 112, which works on every network. This article is general information, not legal advice.

If you or someone near you is in immediate danger, call 112. It works across India.

Questions people ask

What is the Delhi Metro helpline number for women?

DMRC's 24x7 helpline is 155370, and women can use it to report misbehaviour or men in the women's coach. For security matters you can also call the CISF unit that guards the Delhi Metro on 155655. In any emergency, 112 works from any phone. The first coach of every Delhi Metro train is reserved for women.

Which number should I call for help on a train in India?

Call 139, the Rail Madad helpline. It is Indian Railways' single number for security, medical help, complaints and enquiries, works from any phone without internet, and replaced the older railway security number 182. You can also file a complaint on the Rail Madad app or website. If you are in immediate danger, 112 also works on trains.

What is the railway police helpline number in Mumbai?

The Mumbai Railway Police (GRP) helpline is 1512, started in October 2017 for passengers in difficulty on suburban trains and stations. In 2023 the GRP said women who do not find security staff in ladies' compartments at night should call 1512. Indian Railways' 139 and the national emergency number 112 also work in Mumbai.

What is the Meri Saheli initiative of RPF?

Meri Saheli is a Railway Protection Force initiative for women travelling on long-distance trains, especially alone. Women RPF teams brief them at the starting station, pass their seat numbers to RPF staff at stops along the route, and collect feedback at the destination. It began as a pilot in 2020 and was extended to all railway zones from 17 October 2020.

Is bus travel free for women in Karnataka?

Yes, under the Shakti scheme, launched on 11 June 2023, women domiciled in Karnataka travel free on ordinary and express buses of KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC within the state. Luxury and premium services, such as AC and sleeper buses, and interstate routes are excluded. Transgender women are also eligible. Carry valid ID in case the conductor asks.

Is the ladies compartment in Mumbai local trains safe at night?

The ladies' compartment is usually the most comfortable choice, and Mumbai's railway police said in 2023 that uniformed personnel would be posted in ladies' compartments between 9 pm and 6 am. If the compartment is nearly empty late at night, sit near the door, keep 1512 ready, and move to a busier coach at the next station.

Sources

1. Vikaspedia: Meri Saheli initiative of the Railway Protection Force
2. Business Standard: Indian Railways announces integrated Rail Madad helpline 139
3. The Tribune: DMRC drive against men in women's coaches, helpline 155370 (August 2024)
4. Chennai Metro Rail Limited (helpline and women's helpline)
5. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (toll-free helpline)
6. The Logical Indian: Railway police to patrol ladies coaches in Mumbai, helpline 1512 (July 2023)
7. The South First: Who can use Karnataka's Shakti free bus scheme
8. The Week (PTI): Andhra Pradesh launches Stree Shakti free bus travel (August 2025)

Checked on 3 October 2026. Helpline numbers and rules change, so confirm with the official source before you rely on them.

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