403 freight trains per day in November 2025: Railway minister

Indian Railways is now running an average of 403 freight trains per day on its dedicated freight corridors, marking a major step in expanding the country’s rail-based logistics capacity, according to the Ministry of Railways' Year End Review 2025 data.

The increase in freight train operations follows the commissioning of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor from Ludhiana to Sonnagar and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal to Dadri. Together, the two corridors span more than 2,800 kilometres, with only a 102-kilometre stretch near Mumbai still under construction.

By diverting freight traffic to these corridors, Indian Railways has been able to create additional capacity across the wider rail network. This has allowed more goods trains to run with improved punctuality and reduced congestion on conventional routes.

The rise in freight train operations comes amid a broader push to scale up rail logistics. In FY 2025–26, Indian Railways achieved 1 billion tonnes of freight loading, with daily loading touching 4.4 million tonnes. Demand was driven mainly by coal, iron ore, cement and container traffic.

To support higher volumes, Railways has expanded infrastructure under a corridor-based development programme. A total of 434 projects have been identified across three major economic corridors covering energy, minerals, cement, high-density routes and port connectivity. Many of these projects are aimed at improving logistics efficiency and reducing transport costs.

Capacity expansion has also been supported by a sharp increase in wagon production. As per the data, wagon manufacturing reached 41,929 units in FY 2024–25, the highest level in recent years. Between January and November 2025, production stood at 33,703 wagons, ensuring better availability of rolling stock for freight movement.

A flat-rate freight tariff for bulk cement has been introduced to improve cost predictability for shippers and encourage a shift from road to rail. At the same time, 25 Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals were commissioned during the year to strengthen first- and last-mile connectivity.

Higher freight capacity has enabled Railways to undertake new and region-specific operations. A bulk foodgrain freight train carrying over 1,300 tonnes reached the Anantnag Goods Terminal in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time, formally linking the Valley to the national freight rail network.

In the Northeast, freight services began on the Bairabi–Sairang line, supporting the movement of cement, construction material and other essential goods into Mizoram. Railways also transported cars to the state by rail for the first time, reducing dependence on long road journeys.

The Dahod locomotive manufacturing facility in Gujarat, set up with Siemens, has begun producing 9,000-horsepower electric freight locomotives. The first locomotive was flagged off in 2025, with large-scale induction planned in the coming years.