Indian Railways Freight Loading Rises 6.14 percent to 135.5 Million Tonnes in September

Indian Railways registered a 6.14 per cent year-on-year increase in freight loading in September 2026, transporting 135.5 million tonnes (mt) of goods during the month. Coal continued to account for a significant share of rail freight, with the national transporter reporting a 9 per cent rise in coal loading compared with September last year.

According to the Railway Ministry, efforts to strengthen coal supplies to power plants resulted in an increase in the number of freight rakes deployed for domestic deliveries. The average daily supply rose to 443 coal rakes in September 2026, up from 397 rakes during the corresponding month in 2025. This represented an increase of 11.6 per cent. The ministry shared the figures on Tuesday, highlighting growth across several important freight categories.

Food grain transportation recorded the strongest growth among the listed segments, rising 25 per cent year-on-year. Clinker loading increased by 20 per cent, while domestic container traffic grew 10 per cent. Coal loading advanced 9 per cent, followed by an 8.2 per cent increase in other goods. Mineral oil transportation rose 6 per cent, finished steel loading grew 5.5 per cent, and iron ore recorded a 5.2 per cent increase.

The improvement in freight volumes also translated into higher earnings for the Railways. Freight revenue in September 2026 increased by Rs 1,266 crore compared with the same month last year, registering year-on-year growth of 9.3 per cent. Indian Railways has set an ambitious target of transporting 3,000 million tonnes of freight annually by 2031. For the current financial year, it expects total freight loading to reach approximately 1,750 million tonnes.

Performance during the first half of the 2026-27 financial year also remained positive. Between April and September, the Railways transported 833.7 million tonnes of freight, marking a 4.1 per cent increase over the corresponding period of the previous financial year. Freight earnings during these six months grew by 3.7 per cent, according to the ministry.

The latest figures underline the importance of freight operations to Indian Railways' financial performance and the wider economy. Rail transportation plays a crucial role in moving essential commodities such as coal, food grains, steel and iron ore across the country. Continued growth in these segments will be important as the national transporter works towards its long-term freight target.