Indian Railways records 1670 MT freight loading in 2025–26

Indian Railways recorded a strong performance in freight operations in 2025–26, carrying a record 1670 million tonnes (MT) of cargo, marking a 3.25% increase over the previous year.

The growth in freight loading was supported by an increase in wagon handling, which rose by 4.56% from 2,79,12,271 in 2024–25 to 2,91,86,475 in 2025–26. This reflects rising demand for reliable and efficient rail-based logistics across sectors.

Key commodities such as fertilisers and pig iron and steel drove the growth, registering increases of 13.49% and 13.11% respectively. This indicates higher demand for agricultural inputs as well as continued industrial activity, particularly in the steel sector.

Core infrastructure commodities also contributed to the overall performance. Iron ore transportation increased by 6.74% to 190.12 MT, while cement loading rose by 4.74% to 157.17 MT, reflecting ongoing infrastructure and construction activity.

Zone-wise, South Western Railway recorded the highest growth in freight loading at 14.89%. Other zones with strong double-digit growth included North Central Railway at 12.62%, East Coast Railway at 10.42%, and West Central Railway at 10.06%. Several other zones also registered positive growth, indicating broad-based improvement across the network.

Freight earnings reached approximately ₹1,77,754 crore in 2025–26, up 1.44% from ₹1,75,302 crore in the previous year. Among commodities, iron ore was the highest revenue contributor at ₹14,600.51 crore, followed by cement, pig iron and finished steel, fertilisers, food grains, and mineral oil.

The overall performance highlights steady growth in freight operations, reinforcing the role of Indian Railways as a key logistics provider supporting economic activity and infrastructure development across the country.