Indian Rail Transport Day 2023: Lesser-known facts about Indian Railways

Railway transportation is an important means of transportation for both people and products. India has one of the world's largest railway networks and a well-known transportation system.

On April 16, 1853, Indian Railways launched the first passenger train from Bori Bunder to Thane, covering a distance of 34 km. The day has since been designated as Indian Rail Transport Day.

The Indian Railways is one of the busiest networks in the world, transporting 8.086 billion passengers and 1.208 billion tonnes of freight annually.

The foundation of the railroads was placed by Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy and Jagnath Shunkerseth over 160 years ago.

Indian Rail network is the world’s third-largest rail network spreading at a total length of 1,27,760 km.

Lesser-known facts about Indian Railways

India's Fastest Train

The fastest train in India is the Vande Bharat Express, which travels at 180 kmph, whereas the slowest train is the Mettupalayam-Ooty Nilgiri passenger train, which travels at only 10 kmph.

Train with longest route

The Vivek Express running between Dibrugarh and Kanyakumari covers 4286 km in around 82 hours and 30 minutes. This journey is not just the longest in India but in the entire subcontinent.

Longest Railway platform in India

The platform at Gorakhpur Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh is the world's longest station measuring a whopping 1366 m. The record was previously held by the platform at Kharagpur station in West Bengal at 1072 m.

First Electric Train in India

The first electric train in India ran on 3 February 1925 between Bombay Victoria Terminal and Kurla Harbour. Later, the electric line was extended to Nashik's Igatpuri district and then to Pune.

First Bullet Train in India

As per the National High-Speed Rail Corridor (NHSRCL) chairman and managing director Satish Agnihotri, the first bullet train in India will be operational in 2027 and trials will begin in 2026. The train will run from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, connecting various cities of Gujarat to Mumbai.

Published on: Saturday, April 15, 2023, 03:07 PM IST