Indian Railways registers growth in freight, passenger services
The Indian Railways registered steady growth in both freight transportation and passenger services during June 2026, when compared with the same month last year (2025)
The Indian Railways registered steady growth in both freight transportation and passenger services during June 2026, when compared with the same month last year (2025), according to a statement released by the Union Ministry of Railways. The Railways loaded 142.21 million tonnes of freight during June 2026, compared with 136.71 million tonnes in the corresponding month last year, registering a growth of 4%. “Freight earnings also recorded healthy growth, generating an additional revenue of about ₹430 crore, an increase of 3% over June 2025,” the statement said.
Fertilizer loading increased by 19.1%, the ‘Balance & Other Goods’ category by 17.3%, iron ore by 9.4%, domestic coal by 4.9%, total coal by 3.6%, and clinker by 7.2%. During the first quarter of FY2026-27 (April-June), the Railways loaded 419.08 million tonnes of freight, compared with 413.05 million tonnes during the corresponding period of FY2025-26. The quarter also witnessed growth across key commodity segments, with iron ore loading increasing by 7.44%, clinker by 6.54%, and ‘Balance & Other Goods’ by 12.16% over the corresponding period of the previous year.
“To meet the increased requirement of thermal power stations during the extended summer season, Indian Railways stepped up domestic coal transportation, supplying 7% more coal to power plants during June 2026 compared with the corresponding month last year,” the statement said. The Railways carried 63.81 crore passengers, compared with 62.37 crore passengers during the corresponding month in 2025. The non-suburban segment, covering short- and long-distance travel, recorded a growth of 3.9%, with passenger numbers increasing from 28.90 crore to 30.04 crore.
The suburban segment also registered positive growth of 0.9%, increasing from 33.46 crore to 33.77 crore passengers. The number of Vande Bharat services has increased to 164, including the recently introduced Vande Bharat sleeper service between Howrah and Kamakhya, Guwahati. The number of Amrit Bharat train services has reached 72, with four new services launched in June 2026.
The BriefWire