New Delhi, Apr 1 (PTI) Railway Ministry on Wednesday said that a record 1,670 million tonnes of cargo and 741 crore passengers were transported in the financial year 2025-26, registering over 3 per cent annual growth in both sectors.
The cargo transport saw an increase of 3.25 per cent, while the passengers sector rose by 3.54 per cent, it said.
The total number of passengers carried rose to 741 crore in 2025-26, as compared to 716 crore in 2024-25, reflecting sustained growth in rail usage across the country, the ministry said in a press note.
“Correspondingly, total revenue reached approximately Rs 80,000 crore in 2025-26, marking a 5.96 per cent increase from Rs 75,500 crore in 2024-25, driven by strong passenger traffic and earnings. These figures underscore Indian Railways’ expanding role in passenger mobility and its improving financial performance year-on-year,” the ministry said.
The ministry said that the performance in cargo transport was complemented by a 4.56 per cent increase in the number of wagons handled, which rose from 2,79,12,271 in 2024-25 to 2,91,86,475 in 2025-26.
“This achievement reflects sustained improvements in operational efficiency, capacity augmentation, and growing reliance on rail-based transportation by key sectors of the economy,” it said.
“The steady rise in freight loading highlights the increasing demand for reliable, cost-effective, and efficient logistics solutions, positioning Railways as a preferred mode of transport for bulk commodities,” the ministry said.
The growth in freight transportation has been largely driven by key sectors such as fertilisers (13.49 per cent), pig iron and steel (13.11 per cent), it said.
Noting that the core infrastructure commodities have also played a crucial role in sustaining this momentum, the ministry said, “Iron ore transportation increased by 6.74 per cent, reaching 190.12 MT, while cement loading grew by 4.74 per cent to 157.17 MT.” “These trends indicate ongoing infrastructure development and construction activity across the country, where Railways continues to serve as a vital logistics partner,” it added.
Providing zone-wise loading performance, it said that the FY 2025–26 reflects broad-based growth across several regions, with South Western Railway recording the highest increase of 14.89 per cent over the previous year.
“Other zones demonstrating strong double-digit growth include North Central Railway at 12.62 per cent, East Coast Railway at 10.42 per cent, and West Central Railway at 10.06 per cent,” the ministry read. PTI JP APL APL APL
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