IN Brief:
- Indian Railways carried 135.35 million tonnes of freight in September 2026, an increase of 6.14% year on year.
- Coal loading increased 9%, domestic container traffic rose 10%, and average daily coal rake supply to power stations reached 443.
- Freight loading reached 833.7 million tonnes during April–September, up 4.1% against the corresponding period last year.
Indian Railways loaded 135.35 million tonnes of freight in September 2026, an increase of 6.14% compared with the same month last year, as higher volumes of coal, industrial materials and containers supported continued growth across the national rail network.
The Ministry of Railways reported that loading increased from 127.52 million tonnes in September 2025, adding 7.83 million tonnes over the year. Freight revenue rose by 9.3%, equivalent to an additional ₹1,266 crore, exceeding the rate of growth in physical tonnage. The difference indicates higher average revenue per tonne across the month’s traffic, although the figures do not establish how much resulted from commodity mix, distance travelled or tariff changes.
Food grain loading recorded the largest percentage increase among the commodity categories identified by the ministry, rising 25% year on year. Clinker traffic increased 20%, domestic containers grew 10%, and coal loading rose 9%. Other goods advanced 8.2%, followed by mineral oil at 6%, finished steel at 5.5% and iron ore at 5.2%.
These percentages describe growth within individual categories rather than their contributions to the total increase. Coal, for example, accounts for substantial freight volumes, while a smaller commodity category can record a higher percentage increase without adding the same tonnage. The ministry’s September statement does not provide the absolute loading figures needed to calculate each category’s share of the additional 7.83 million tonnes.
Coal movements remain closely connected with electricity generation, where power stations require regular deliveries of fuel from mines and loading terminals. Indian Railways supplied an average of 443 coal rakes to power houses each day during September, compared with 397 a year earlier, representing an increase of 11.6%.
A coal rake is a formation of wagons carrying bulk material, and the number delivered depends on more than the railway’s available track capacity. Wagons must be loaded, assembled into trains, moved through the network, unloaded and returned for another assignment. Delays at either end of the journey can reduce the number available for subsequent movements, even when locomotives and train paths remain available.
The additional daily coal rake supply therefore reflects a higher rate of movements to generating stations, although the ministry has not identified whether this was achieved through more available wagons, improved turnaround or changes to operational scheduling. Nor does the rake count establish the precise increase in coal tonnage delivered, which would require information about train loads and wagon utilisation.
Domestic container loading provides a separate indication of demand for rail freight beyond conventional bulk commodities. Traffic in this category increased 10% during September, following growth of 9.2% in August. Container services depend on transfers between rail terminals, local road transport and customer facilities, introducing handling requirements that differ from the movement of coal or minerals between dedicated industrial loading points.
Containers travelling by rail must reach a terminal before departure, be loaded onto suitable wagons and transferred to road vehicles or other services at their destination. Main line capacity is consequently only one part of the service. Terminal handling rates, the availability of road collection appointments and the positioning of empty containers influence the effective capacity available to freight customers.
Industrial demand was also reflected in the increases for clinker, iron ore and finished steel. Clinker is transported between cement production facilities and grinding operations, while iron ore supplies the metals industry and finished steel moves towards manufacturers, fabricators and construction markets. Changes in these flows create different requirements for bulk handling equipment, wagon availability and terminal access.
Across the first six months of the financial year, Indian Railways loaded 833.7 million tonnes, a 4.1% increase against April–September 2025. Freight revenue rose 3.7% over the same period. September therefore recorded stronger year-on-year growth than the cumulative six-month result, although the figures alone cannot establish whether this represents a sustained acceleration or a difference in the timing of individual commodity movements.
The railway has also been expanding freight terminal access, including through its Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal programme. Five additional terminals entered operation during August, taking the total to 149 at that point. Such facilities can improve access to the network by providing loading and unloading locations closer to industrial activity, but their contribution depends on available train paths and the capacity of the connecting railway infrastructure.
The August freight figures showed loading of 137.9 million tonnes, up 5.4% year on year, alongside increased container and industrial commodity traffic. September extended that pattern with a higher growth rate, while the latest coal rake data identifies additional operational demand from the electricity sector.
Further expansion will depend partly on how productively the railway can use its wagons, freight paths and terminal capacity. Longer or better-loaded trains can increase tonnage moved without a corresponding increase in train frequency, while faster wagon turnaround releases equipment for additional journeys. Those gains can be constrained where freight services share infrastructure with passenger operations or where terminal handling cannot keep pace with arriving trains.
The September release establishes growth across several distinct markets and an increase in freight revenue, but provides no new measures of transit time, wagon turnaround or service reliability. Those operating indicators will help determine whether the higher loading volumes are accompanied by improvements in the railway’s capacity to accommodate further industrial and intermodal demand.
