Amazing Facts About Indian Railways That Will Surprise You

Indian Railways is rightly called the country’s lifeline. They run across the entire length and width of this beautiful land. Whether you’re planning a journey or simply curious about its vast network, don’t forget to Check PNR Status before you travel. In the article below, you will find some amazing facts about Indian Railways.

Indian Railways’ journey has been fascinating, spanning generations and decades from the steam and coal engine days to plans for a bullet train to be launched soon. Indian Railways is the backbone of our nation’s transportation system. It has many branches and is a vast operation. Railways, with their budget and ministry, help a large part of the population run their businesses.

There are some interesting facts that you may not know about Indian Railways or how it works. Before we dive into these fascinating facts, it’s worth noting how technology has transformed railway travel in India. Today, passengers can easily track their train’s real-time location using the Train Running Status feature, ensuring they are always informed about delays, stops, and estimated arrival times. Below are some interesting facts about Indian Railways

India’s Railway Network is ranked fourth in the world with 65,000 km of rail, behind only the United States, Russia, and China.
Indian Railways (IR), which transports more passengers than Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania combined, transports 23 million passengers per day.
Indian Railways runs up to 19000 trains per day.
There are 12,000 passenger trains and 7,000 freight trains.
There are ten classes of travel (1 AC, 2 AC, 3 AC, 3 AE, EC, CC, FC, SL, 2S,and IIUR).
Indian Railways has a seating capacity of 5,06 million people. All of India’s trains could fit the entire population of Finland and Singapore.
India’s Railways transports nearly 2.5 million passengers daily.
Indian Railways, with over 1.4 million employees, is the eighth largest commercial or utility employer in the world by number of employees. The company is the largest employer in India.
The following international trains run to and from India:

Samjhauta Express from India to Pakistan
Maitree Express between India & Bangladesh
UNESCO designated the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway a World Heritage Site.
Vivek Express is the longest Indian Railway Network train in terms of time and distance, covering 4273 kilometres.
The longest train route on the Indian subcontinent is Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek.
Nagpur’s Diamond Crossing is a unique crossing in India with trains running north, south, east, and west.
Ahmedabad Mumbai Central Double Decker Express is India’s first two-decker train.
Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction Railway Station is home to the largest marshaling yard of any railway station in Asia.
Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station is the longest name among all the stations covered by India’s train systems.
The longest railway bridge in India is the 4.62-kilometre-long Vallarpadam Bridge (Kerala).
The PIR Panjal Railway Tunnel (in Asian seconds) is India’s largest railway tunnel.
The slowest train in India is the Mettupalayam Nilgiri passenger train. It runs at a speed of 10 km/h.
The shortest route between Nagpur station and AJNI is 3 kilometres.
The shortest railway station names are Ib and Od in Gujarat.
Howrah to Amritsar has the most stops, with 115.
Both the railway stations of Srirampur & Belapur can be found in Ahmednagar (Maharashtra). The two stations are located in the same place but on the opposite side. Both sides have different station names.
The Electric Locomotive WAG-9 is the most powerful locomotive in the Indian Railway fleet and is used to transport heavy frosting compartments.
Mathura is the crossing that has the most routes. It has seven.
Maximum number of parallel tracks/three gauges in a single station: 7 parallel tracks from Bandra Terminus to Andheri (10km).
Howrah Junction is the busiest station.
The Fairy Queen locomotive, built in 1855, is still used by Indian Railways. According to the Guinness Book of Records, it is the oldest steam engine in the world. In March 2000, the International Tourism Board of Berlin presented it with a Heritage Award.
The domestic production of steam locomotives ended in 1972.
The first metro train to be used by the public was the Kolkata Metro Train, which ran from Bombay VT to Kurla Stations on February 3, 25.
New Delhi was the first city to make a computer reservation in 1986.
Howrah Junction in Kolkata has up to 974 trains passing through it every day.
Northern Railway is the company with the highest absolute revenue (123.27 million dollars).
North Central Railway NCR has the highest passenger revenue per track kilometre (5.4 mn/km).
Eastern Coastal Railway ECOR has the highest revenue per track kilometre from both freight loading and business in general.
Uttar Pradesh has the largest rail network in India. The state boasts a significant railway network, with a total route length of approximately 9,000 kilometers.
Kerala has the shortest rail routes km per person.
Navapur Railway Station has two sections: one in Maharashtra and the other in Gujarat.
Indian Railways launched a public awareness campaign train, the Red Ribbon Express, on World AIDS Day (December 1, 2007).
The Chenab Bridge, a steel and concrete railway arch bridge, is being constructed between Bakkal in Jammu & Kashmir and Kauri district. The Chenab River Bridge will span the river with a height of 359 metres (1178 feet) when completed. The Chenab Bridge is 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, New Delhi Station holds the record as having the largest route relay interlocking system in the world.

Conclusion

Indian Railways is not just a means of transport — it is the heartbeat of India. From ferrying millions of passengers daily to carrying essential goods across the length and breadth of the country, it forms an inseparable part of India’s social, economic, and cultural fabric. What makes Indian Railways even more fascinating is its sheer diversity and scale. Where else would you find a railway system with the world’s highest rail bridge, the oldest working steam engine, international connections, double-decker trains, and trains operating in extreme terrains like the Himalayas? From the sleepy corners of rural India to bustling metro cities, Indian Railways connect dreams, livelihoods, and cultures