Indian Railways recorded sustained growth across freight and passenger segments during September 2026, with particularly strong performance in freight loading reflecting continued demand for rail transportation across major economic sectors.
Freight loading registered 6.14% year-over-year growth, reaching 135.35 million tonnes in September 2026 compared to 127.52 million tonnes in September 2025. Several key commodity categories showed significant growth: food grain loading grew by 25%, clinker by 20%, domestic container by 10%, coal by 9%, balance other goods by 8.2%, mineral oil by 6%, finished steel by 5.5%, and iron ore by 5.2%.
Coal supply to power houses strengthened substantially, with the average number of coal rakes supplied per day increasing to 443 rakes compared to 397 rakes per day in September 2025, representing an 11.6% growth. Freight revenue during September 2026 increased by ₹1,266 crore over September 2025, registering a 9.3% growth.
On a cumulative basis, Indian Railways loaded 833.7 million tonnes of freight during April-September 2026, representing 4.1% growth over the corresponding period last year. Freight revenue during the same six-month period recorded 3.7% growth, indicating sustained demand for rail transportation services across the economy.