Indian Railways registered robust growth in both freight transportation and passenger traffic in June 2026, carrying 142.21 million tonnes of freight and nearly 64 crore passengers, reflecting sustained operational performance and continued expansion of rail services across the country.
According to the Ministry of Railways, freight loading rose by 4 per cent in June to 142.21 million tonnes from 136.71 million tonnes in the corresponding month last year. Freight earnings also increased by 3 per cent, generating an additional revenue of around ₹430 crore over June 2025.
Several key commodities recorded strong growth during the month. Fertilizer loading increased by 19.1 per cent, followed by Balance Other Goods at 17.3 per cent, Iron Ore at 9.4 per cent, Clinker at 7.2 per cent, Domestic Coal at 4.9 per cent and Total Coal at 3.6 per cent, indicating sustained demand from core sectors of the economy.
The ministry said Indian Railways also stepped up coal transportation to meet the higher demand for electricity during the extended summer season. Coal supplies to thermal power plants increased by 7 per cent in June compared to the same month last year, supporting uninterrupted power generation across the country.
The growth in June added to the strong performance recorded during the first quarter of the financial year 2026-27. Between April and June, Indian Railways loaded 419.08 million tonnes of freight, surpassing the 413.05 million tonnes handled during the corresponding period of the previous financial year. During the quarter, Iron Ore loading grew by 7.44 per cent, Clinker by 6.54 per cent and Balance & Other Goods by 12.16 per cent.
Passenger traffic also witnessed steady growth during June. Indian Railways carried 63.81 crore passengers during the month, compared to 62.37 crore passengers in June 2025.
The Non-Suburban segment, which includes short- and long-distance travel, registered a growth of 3.9 per cent, with passenger numbers rising from 28.90 crore to 30.04 crore. The Suburban segment also recorded positive growth of 0.9 per cent, increasing from 33.46 crore to 33.77 crore passengers.
Indian Railways also continued expanding its modern passenger services. The number of Vande Bharat trains has increased to 164, including the recently launched Vande Bharat Sleeper service between Howrah and Kamakhya. Meanwhile, the Amrit Bharat network has expanded to 72 services, with four new trains introduced during June to strengthen affordable long-distance connectivity.
The Ministry of Railways said the sustained increase in freight loading and passenger traffic reflects Indian Railways’ continued focus on improving logistics efficiency, expanding capacity and modernising passenger services while supporting India’s economic growth through safe, reliable and customer-centric transportation.
