Mumbai Suburban Rail Earns More Despite Lower Ridership Post-Pandemic Travel Shift
Mumbai’s suburban rail network is earning more despite fewer passengers than pre-Covid levels, data from Central and Western Railway shows. Daily ridership dropped by lakhs, but revenue rose due to AC local expansion, stricter ticket checks and longer commutes. Officials say work-from-home and Metro growth continue to impact passenger numbers across the city.
Mumbai Suburban Rail Earns More Despite Lower Ridership Post-pandemic Travel Shift | Representative Image
Mumbai: Mumbai’s suburban railway network is earning more despite carrying fewer passengers than it did before the Covid-19 pandemic, reflecting a shift in travel patterns and revenue sources across the city’s lifeline.
Data from Central Railway and Western Railway shows that daily ridership on both networks remains below pre-pandemic levels, but ticket revenue has increased steadily over the years. On Central Railway, average daily ridership fell from 43.22 lakh passengers in 2018-19 to 38.70 lakh in 2025-26, a drop of around 4.5 lakh passengers per day. Despite this decline, daily revenue increased from Rs 2.47 crore to Rs 2.74 crore.Western Railway recorded a similar trend. Daily ridership declined from 34.87 lakh passengers before the pandemic to 29.52 lakh in 2025-26, while revenue increased from Rs 2.12 crore to Rs 2.39 crore.
Railway officials attribute the increase in revenue to multiple factors, including the expansion of air-conditioned local train services, stricter action against ticketless travel, and an increase in longer-distance commuting from outer suburbs. AC local services have increased significantly on both Central and Western Railway, and their higher fares have contributed substantially to revenue growth.
At the same time, suburban ridership has not fully recovered due to the continued work-from-home culture and the expansion of Metro rail services, which are now carrying a significant number of daily commuters. Officials believe that while ridership recovery may take more time, revenue growth is likely to remain stable due to changing commuting patterns and premium services like AC locals.
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CENTRAL RAILWAY
Pre-Covid Daily Avg | 2025-26 Daily Avg
Passengers: 43.22 lakh | 38.70 lakh
Revenue: Rs 2.47 cr | Rs 2.74 cr
WESTERN RAILWAY
Pre-Covid Daily Avg | 2025-26 Daily Avg
Passengers: 34.87 lakh | 29.52 lakh
Revenue: Rs 2.12 cr | Rs 2.39 cr
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