Indian Railways Freight Performance October 2026
Indian Railways achieved its highest-ever October freight loading, transporting 145.07 million tonnes of freight during October 2026, representing an 8.32% year-on-year growth compared to 133.93 million tonnes in October 2025. This performance reflects the railway system's continued operational strength and contribution to economic growth and logistics sector development.
Commodity-wise Growth Breakdown
Several major commodities showed significant growth during October 2026. Food grains loading increased by 26.3%, domestic coal by 16.0%, balance other goods by 11.0%, clinker by 10.4%, domestic containers by 6.3%, iron ore by 5.0%, mineral oil by 1.9%, and finished steel by 0.5% compared to October 2025.
Power Sector Coal Supply
To meet increased power generation requirements, Indian Railways significantly stepped up domestic coal transportation, supplying an average of 469.8 rakes per day during October 2026. This represents a 19.5% increase compared to 393.2 rakes per day supplied in the corresponding month last year.
Cumulative April-October Performance
The strong October performance contributed to cumulative freight loading of 978.78 million tonnes during the first seven months of FY 2026-27 (April-October 2026). This represents a 4.67% growth compared to 935.10 million tonnes loaded during the corresponding period last year.
Passenger Traffic Growth
Passenger mobility also showed steady growth, with Indian Railways carrying 64.72 crore passengers in October 2026 compared to 63.52 crore passengers in October 2025. For the April-October 2026 period, total passenger count reached 443.8 crore passengers, up from 431.4 crore during the same period last year. The non-suburban segment recorded 4.2% growth while the suburban segment registered a 1.7% increase.