Indian Railways Freight Performance Surges 6.14% in September 2026
Indian Railways has reported a robust freight performance in its transportation sector, witnessing a significant jump in loading volumes for the month of September 2026. The railway network successfully loaded a total of 135.35 million tonnes of goods, marking a 6.14% increase compared to the 127.52 million tonnes recorded in September 2025.
This growth reflects a strong momentum for the organization. For the first half of the current financial year, spanning from April to September 2026, the cumulative freight loading has reached 833.7 million tonnes, which is a 4.1% rise over the corresponding period in the previous year.
Coal Powering the Growth Surge
Coal continues to be a cornerstone of the Indian Railways' freight business. In September 2026, coal shipments saw a notable growth of 9% compared to the previous year. This surge has had a direct positive impact on the energy sector.
According to data from Coal India, the average daily supply of coal rakes to power plants rose to 443 rakes. This represents an 11.6% increase from the 397 rakes supplied daily in September 2025, significantly contributing to improved coal stock levels across various power plants in the country.
A Wide Range of Commodities See Massive Gains
While coal remains a major player, the surge in freight volume was not limited to a single sector. Indian Railways witnessed substantial growth across a wide variety of commodities, showcasing the versatility of its logistics network:
- Food Grains: 25% increase
- Clinker: 20% increase
- Domestic Containers: 10% increase
- Mineral Oil: 6% increase
- Finished Steel: 5.5% increase
- Iron Ore: 5.2% increase
Revenue Jumps as Freight Volumes Climb
The increase in volume has translated into healthy financial gains. Freight revenue for the month of September grew by ₹1,266 crore, which is a 9.3% increase. On a cumulative basis for the April-September 2026 period, the total freight revenue has risen by 3.7%.
Future Targets and Long-Term Vision
Looking toward the future, Indian Railways has set high benchmarks for its operational capacity. The organization has established an annual freight transportation target of 1,750 million tonnes for the 2026-27 financial year. Furthermore, the long-term vision is even more ambitious, aiming to achieve an annual freight loading of 3,000 million tonnes by 2031.