Volume of freight carried by Indian railways FY 2010-2024
In financial year 2024, the freight volume carried by the Indian Railways reached over 1.59 billion metric tons. This was the highest during the presented period. It had the second-largest share in the freight logistic sector, just behind road transport. As a country with many metropolitans and states located inland, freight transport is dependent on the land modes.
Railway in India
The railway sector in India was the third largest in the world. Trains were first introduced to the subcontinent in the early 19th century, mainly for industrial use, carrying stones for construction works. The first passenger train ran between Bombay and Thane with around 400 passengers onboard for a 1.6-kilometer trip in 1853. Fast-forward to the 21st century, the first high-speed rail was planned and under construction between Mumbai and Ahmedabad with an operating speed of 320 kilometers per hour. The first bullet train for the route was expected to be delivered to India around 2026, and it will be a Shinkansen E5 from Japan.
Logistics industry in India
India’s logistics industry faces unique challenges as India has an expansive geographic presence and large population. When it comes to efficiency, it lags behind many other countries due to an inefficient modal mixture, especially being overly dependent on road transport. As railway provides the most economical freight solution in India, the government invested heavily in the modernization and expansion of the railway system to improve efficiency and reduce costs of logistics across the country.
