‘Stereotypes about...’: German traveller stunned by Delhi Metro, says it rivals Europe’s best transit systems

When German traveller Alex Welder landed in India, he expected the usual tropes — crowded buses, chaotic rickshaws, and the din of city streets. But one ride on the metro changed everything. In a video now gaining traction on Instagram, Welder shared how India’s metro systems, particularly in Delhi and Agra, upended his assumptions and delivered a world-class commuting experience.

Welder praised the metro’s sleek infrastructure, efficient operations, and budget-friendly fares, noting that the system rivalled — and in some ways surpassed — its counterparts in Western Europe.

“Before coming to India, the stereotypes about public transport in the country were demolished or old buses and trains and noisy tuk-tuks and rickshaws,” he admitted in the video’s caption. But what he encountered was far from outdated.

“I didn’t know that some cities in India like Agra and Delhi actually have a very decent metro system,” he said, highlighting features like platform screen doors, phone charging points, and designated seating for women and the elderly—amenities he associated with metro systems in countries like South Korea, Japan, and China.

Recounting his daily commutes from South Delhi, Welder added, “I got a place to sit 80-90% of the time, as long as I didn’t ride the metros at rush hour and stayed away from the city center and tourist hotspots.” He also took note of the station design, calling out the abundance of “LOTS of food and shopping options.”

His video struck a chord with viewers. One user commented, “When you travel, you realize the western propaganda about many things.” Another chimed in, “Delhi Metro is sooo much better than the London Tube.”

Welder also remarked on the lack of visibility Indian metros get in global travel content. “I haven’t seen any content creator showing the metro system in Indian cities, usually it’s just the hectic road traffic that you see,” he said.