Indian Railways Freight Loads Rise 4%, Passenger Numbers Climb 2.3% in June

The Indian Railways recorded steady growth in both freight transportation and passenger services during June 2026 compared with the same month in 2025, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Railways.

Freight loading reached 142.21 million tonnes in June 2026, up from 136.71 million tonnes in June 2025, registering an increase of 4%. Freight earnings also rose by approximately ₹430 crore, a growth of 3% over the previous year.

Commodity-wise, fertilizer loading increased by 19.1%, 'Balance & Other Goods' by 17.3%, iron ore by 9.4%, domestic coal by 4.9%, total coal by 3.6%, and clinker by 7.2%.

In the first quarter of financial year 2026-27 (April to June), the Railways loaded 419.08 million tonnes of freight, compared with 413.05 million tonnes during the same period in the previous year. Key commodity segments that showed growth included iron ore (up 7.44%), clinker (up 6.54%), and 'Balance & Other Goods' (up 12.16%).

To meet the increased demand from thermal power stations during the extended summer, Indian Railways enhanced domestic coal transportation, supplying 7% more coal to power plants in June 2026 compared with the corresponding month in 2025.

Passenger numbers rose to 63.81 crore in June 2026 from 62.37 crore in June 2025, an increase of 2.3%. The non-suburban segment, covering short- and long-distance travel, recorded a growth of 3.9%, from 28.90 crore to 30.04 crore passengers. The suburban segment saw a modest increase of 0.9%, from 33.46 crore to 33.77 crore passengers.

The number of Vande Bharat services has increased to 164, including the recently introduced Vande Bharat sleeper service between Howrah and Kamakhya, Guwahati. The number of Amrit Bharat train services has reached 72, with four new services launched in June 2026.