Indian Railways recorded growth in both freight and passenger operations during August 2026, driven by higher freight loading, increased passenger traffic and the expansion of rail infrastructure. The month also saw the regularisation of 14 Amrit Bharat train services and the commissioning of five new Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals.
Indian Railways reported strong operational growth during August 2026, with higher freight loading, increased passenger movement and continued expansion of freight and passenger infrastructure across the country.
During the month, Indian Railways loaded 137.9 million tonnes of freight, up 5.4 per cent from 130.9 million tonnes in August 2025. Freight revenue also increased 6.27 per cent year on year, supported by higher movement of key commodities including iron ore, coal, finished steel, clinker, domestic containers, mineral oil and fertilisers.
To strengthen freight connectivity, Indian Railways commissioned five new Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals (GCTs) at Shivlakha (Gujarat), Nalli (Tamil Nadu), Shaktinagar (Uttar Pradesh), Deoragram (Madhya Pradesh) and Brajrajnagar (Odisha). The additions increased the total number of commissioned GCTs to 149 as of August 31, 2026, improving last-mile connectivity and rail access for industries.
On the passenger front, 14 Amrit Bharat train services were regularised from special to regular services during August, taking the total number of Amrit Bharat services to 86. The newly regularised routes include Subedarganj–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Gorakhpur–Bandra Terminus, Gorakhpur–Delhi Junction, Ahmedabad–Bhagalpur, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus–Prayagraj Junction, Prayagraj Junction–Udhna Junction and Dhanbad–Coimbatore, among others.
Indian Railways also carried 67.27 crore passengers during August 2026, compared with 64.43 crore in the corresponding month last year. Suburban passenger traffic grew 9.02 per cent, reaching 38.01 crore passengers.
To meet increased travel demand during the festive season, Indian Railways operated 144 Rakshabandhan Special train trips between August 25 and 31, 2026, significantly higher than the 48 trips operated during the comparable period in 2025.
The developments highlight Indian Railways’ continued focus on expanding passenger connectivity, strengthening freight infrastructure and improving logistics efficiency to support economic growth and regional connectivity.
