NEW DELHI, November 4: Indian Railways loaded 145.07 million tonnes of freight in October 2026, its highest ever for the month and 8.32% more than the 133.93 million tonnes of October 2025, the Ministry of Railways said on Wednesday. Food grains and domestic coal led the growth.
Key highlights
- October freight loading: 145.07 million tonnes, up 8.32% year on year.
- Food grains up 26.3%, domestic coal 16.0%, “balance other goods” 11.0%, clinker 10.4% and domestic containers 6.3%.
- Coal for power houses: an average of 469.8 rakes a day, up 19.5% from 393.2.
- April–October 2026: 978.78 million tonnes, up 4.67% from 935.10 million tonnes.
- Passengers: 64.72 crore in October, against 63.52 crore a year earlier.
| Measure | October 2026 | October 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freight loading (million tonnes) | 145.07 | 133.93 | +8.32% |
| Coal rakes to power houses (per day) | 469.8 | 393.2 | +19.5% |
| Passengers (crore) | 64.72 | 63.52 | +1.9% (our calculation) |
| Measure | April–October 2026 | April–October 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freight loading (million tonnes) | 978.78 | 935.10 | +4.67% |
| Passengers (crore) | 443.8 | 431.4 | +2.9% (our calculation) |
Commodity growth in October
- Food grains: +26.3%
- Domestic coal: +16.0%
- Balance other goods: +11.0%
- Clinker: +10.4%
- Domestic containers: +6.3%
- Iron ore: +5.0%
- Mineral oil: +1.9%
- Finished steel: +0.5%
Our calculation
- October’s loading works out to about 4.68 million tonnes a day.
- At 469.8 rakes a day, the railways ran about 14,560 coal rakes to power houses in October, roughly 2,370 more than a year earlier at 393.2 a day.
- Taking October out, April–September loading was 833.71 million tonnes against 801.17 million tonnes a year earlier, growth of about 4.1%. October’s 8.32% was roughly twice that pace.
- The ministry said non-suburban passenger traffic grew 4.2% and suburban traffic 1.7% in April–October.
What it means
Coal is the largest single commodity carried by Indian Railways, so its 16% rise did much of the work in lifting October’s total. Strong coal movement to power stations and higher grain loading in October fit a busy festive and post-monsoon season. A rising share of freight on rail matters because it is cheaper and cleaner per tonne than road transport. The jump in coal rakes also suggests strong demand for electricity.
What to watch
- November loading figures, and whether the October pace holds.
- Freight earnings, which the ministry did not give in figures.
A WAG-7 locomotive hauls a coal freight train at Bharathnagar. Image: Adityamadhav83, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo source · Licence
Sources
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