Indian Railways posted steady operational growth in June 2026, reporting higher freight loading, increased passenger traffic and continued expansion of premium passenger services, underlining its focus on strengthening the country’s logistics network and enhancing travel connectivity.
Freight loading rose 4% year-on-year to 142.21 million tonnes in June 2026 from 136.71 million tonnes in the same month last year. Freight earnings also increased by around ₹430 crore, registering a 3% growth over June 2025.
Fertiliser, iron ore drive freight growth
Several key commodity segments recorded strong growth during the month. Fertiliser loading surged 19.1%, followed by Balance & Other Goods at 17.3%, Iron Ore at 9.4%, Clinker at 7.2%, Domestic Coal at 4.9%, and Total Coal at 3.6%.
The June performance extended the momentum seen during the first quarter of FY2026-27. Between April and June, Indian Railways transported 419.08 million tonnes of freight, up from 413.05 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year.
During the quarter, Iron Ore loading grew 7.44%, Clinker increased 6.54%, while Balance & Other Goods registered a 12.16% rise, reflecting sustained demand from core industrial sectors.
To support electricity generation during the extended summer season, Indian Railways also increased domestic coal transportation, supplying 7% more coal to thermal power plants in June compared with the same month last year.
Passenger traffic continues upward trend
Passenger traffic also witnessed healthy growth during the month, with Indian Railways carrying 63.81 crore passengers, compared with 62.37 crore in June 2025.
The Non-Suburban segment, covering short- and long-distance travel, recorded a 3.9% increase in passenger numbers to 30.04 crore from 28.90 crore a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the Suburban segment grew 0.9%, with passenger volumes rising to 33.77 crore from 33.46 crore.
Premium train network expands
Indian Railways continued expanding its modern passenger services during June. The number of Vande Bharat train services has reached 164, including the recently launched Vande Bharat Sleeper service connecting Howrah and Kamakhya.
The Amrit Bharat network has also expanded to 72 services, with four new trains introduced during June to improve affordable long-distance connectivity.
The latest performance reflects Indian Railways’ continued emphasis on capacity augmentation, operational efficiency and customer-focused initiatives aimed at supporting India’s economic growth while strengthening freight logistics and passenger transportation across the country.