Thane Railway Station Tops India's Busiest Stations List With 9.3 Crore Passengers; Kalyan Ranks Second

Thane: Indian Railways, one of the world's largest rail networks catering to millions of daily passengers alongside massive freight operations, has released a list of its top 100 busiest railway stations based on passenger footfall.

According to official data, Thane Railway Station has emerged as the busiest station in the country, recording a staggering 9.3 crore (93 million) passengers.

Key Highlights & Top Rankings

Thane Leads Nationally: Thane topped the national rankings with 9.3 crore passengers, followed closely by Kalyan Junction in second place with 8.3 crore passengers.

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Dominates: Several major hubs within the Mumbai Suburban network feature prominently in the top 10—including Thane, Kalyan, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Panvel, and Dadar—underscoring the heavy reliance on suburban and long-distance travel across the region.

Top 10 Busiest Railway Stations in India

| Rank | Railway Station | Annual Passenger Footfall |

|---|---|---|

| 1 | Thane | 9.3 Crore (93 Million) |

| 2 | Kalyan | 8.3 Crore (83 Million) |

| 3 | Howrah | 6.1 Crore (61 Million) |

| 4 | Mumbai CSMT | 5.1 Crore (51 Million) |

| 5 | Sealdah | 5.1 Crore (51 Million) |

| 6 | Panvel | 4.6 Crore (46 Million) |

| 7 | New Delhi | 3.9 Crore (39 Million) |

| 8 | Tambaram | 3.2 Crore (32 Million) |

| 9 | Dadar | 3.2 Crore (32 Million) |

| 10 | M.G.R. Chennai Central | 3.05 Crore (30.5 Million)

Other Notable Rankings Across India

Mumbai Central is ranked 16th with approximately 2.2 crore passengers.

Tirupati recorded 1.37 crore passengers.

Kanpur Central and Visakhapatnam each recorded 1.33 crore passengers.

Gorakhpur followed with 1.30 crore passengers.

Other prominent major stations in the top 100 list include Thiruvananthapuram Central (1.27 crore), Bhubaneswar (1.22 crore), Anand Vihar Terminal (1.22 crore), Bhopal (1.20 crore), Varanasi (1.15 crore), Kozhikode (1.14 crore), Mathura Junction (1.03 crore), Coimbatore (1.02 crore), Nagpur (1.02 crore), and Bandra Junction (1.01 crore).

A Historic Milestone: The Journey of Thane Railway Station

Thane Railway Station holds a legendary place in global and Indian railway history.

The Inception (1853): Thane was established and opened on April 16, 1853, serving as the destination terminus for India’s very first passenger train. Pulled by three steam locomotives named Sultan, Sindh, and Sahib, the historic train flagged off from Bori Bunder (now Mumbai CSMT) and carried 400 guests across a 34-kilometer stretch to reach Thane, marking the historic dawn of the railway age in Asia.

Rapid Growth Era: For decades, Thane functioned primarily as a semi-rural transit stop outside Mumbai. However, rapid industrialization, followed by a massive real estate boom that transformed Thane into a major residential and commercial metropolis, changed its trajectory completely, turning it into a colossal multi-line intersection connecting the Central and Trans-Harbour lines.

Relieving the Load: The New Railway Station Between Thane and Mulund

To curb severe overcrowding at the historic main station, authorities have fast-tracked execution plans for a brand new suburban railway station situated between Thane and Mulund.

Project Scope & Location: The upcoming station is being constructed on a 14.83-acre plot belonging to the Regional Mental Hospital in Thane as part of the Thane Smart City initiative. It is strategically positioned to serve commuters from Ghodbunder Road, Pokhran Road (No. 1 & 2), and Wagle Estate.

Decongesting the Network: Transit studies project that this upcoming station will relieve passenger footfall at the existing Thane and Mulund stations by roughly 20% to 25%.

Current Status: Critical connectivity components, ramps, and approach infrastructure have seen steady progress, clearing the path for full-scale railway operational execution. Local leaders have also pushed forward proposals to name the upcoming hub after the iconic regional leader Dharmveer Anand Dighe.

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