Railways Sets New Record in Passenger Traffic in 2025–26: Carries 741 Crore Passengers; Up 3.54% from 2024–25

Indian Railways has achieved significant milestones in both passenger operations and freight during 2025–26, setting new records in cargo transport while also reporting robust growth in passenger traffic and revenue.

Passenger Traffic & Revenue
- 741 crore passengers carried, up 3.54% from 716 crore in 2024–25.
- Passenger revenue rose 5.96%, from ₹75,500 crore to ₹80,000 crore.
- Indicates stronger demand for rail travel and improved financial performance.

Freight Performance
- Record 1670 million tonnes (MT) of cargo transported, up 3.25%.
- Wagon handling increased 4.56% (from 2.79 crore to 2.91 crore wagons).
- Freight earnings reached ₹1,77,754 crore, a 1.44% rise over last year.

Commodity Growth
- Fertilisers: +13.49%
- Pig Iron & Finished Steel: +13.11%
- Iron Ore: +6.74% (190.12 MT)
- Cement: +4.74% (157.17 MT)
- These sectors highlight agriculture demand and infrastructure expansion.

Zone-Wise Growth
- South Western Railway (SWR): +14.89%
- North Central Railway (NCR): +12.62%
- East Coast Railway (ECoR): +10.42%
- West Central Railway (WCR): +10.06%
- Other zones also showed positive growth, reflecting balanced regional performance.

This record-setting year underscores Indian Railways’ dual role:
- As a mass mobility provider for citizens.
- As a logistics backbone for India’s economy, supporting agriculture, industry, and infrastructure.