Indian Railways Sees 5.4% Increase in Freight Traffic in August 2026

New Delhi, September 13 (Daily Kiran) : Indian Railways recorded a notable 5.4% increase in freight traffic in August 2026 compared to the previous year. The rise in freight movement coincides with a significant boost in passenger traffic, indicating sustained demand for rail transport across the country. This information was released by the Ministry of Railways on Sunday.

In August, the railway system transported 137.9 million tons of goods, up from 130.9 million tons during the same month last year. Revenue from freight operations also saw an annual increase of 6.27%.

The growth in freight traffic was supported by higher loading of several key commodities. Iron ore loading rose by 12.1%, clinker by 10.4%, domestic containers by 9.2%, and coal by 6%. Additionally, loading of finished steel increased by 4.9%, while mineral oil and fertilizers saw respective increases of 3.1% and 1.6%. Loading of other goods also surged by 8.2%.

This uptick in freight movement is expected to bolster rail-based supply chains for industries, enhancing the transportation of essential goods, raw materials, and finished products across various sectors.

During the month, the railway network expanded its handling infrastructure, launching five new Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals (GCTs) located in Shivlakha, Gujarat; Nalli, Tamil Nadu; Shaktinagar, Uttar Pradesh; Devragram, Madhya Pradesh; and Brajrajnagar, Odisha. With these additions, the total number of GCTs operational as of August 31, 2026, reached 149. These terminals aim to provide efficient handling facilities closer to production and consumption centers, streamlining cargo movement.

Passenger traffic also performed impressively, with Indian Railways transporting 672.7 million passengers in August 2026, up from 644.3 million in August 2025. There was a particularly strong increase in suburban passenger traffic, which saw a rise of 9.02%, with the number of passengers climbing from 348.9 million to 380.1 million year-on-year.

Furthermore, Indian Railways expanded its regular passenger connectivity during August, adding 14 Amrit Bharat services, bringing the total to 86. The newly regularized routes include Sobedar Ganj-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Gorakhpur-Bandra Terminus, Gorakhpur-Delhi Junction, Ahmedabad-Bhagalpur, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Prayagraj Junction, Prayagraj Junction-Udhna Junction, and Dhanbad-Kochi.