Mumbai: The Mumbai suburban railway continues to remain the backbone of Central Railway operations, contributing the overwhelming share of ridership during FY 2025-26 and carrying more than 127 million commuters in January 2026 alone.
Central Railway transported 1,373.39 million passengers during FY 2025-26 (up to January), registering a 1.86% increase compared to 1,348.33 million passengers in the corresponding period last year.
Suburban Network Drives Growth
The growth was primarily powered by the suburban network serving the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Out of the total ridership, 1,201.93 million passengers travelled by suburban trains, rising from 1,187.92 million last year, while 171.46 million passengers travelled by Mail/Express and other non-suburban trains, compared to 160.41 million in the previous year. This indicates that nearly nine out of every ten passengers on Central Railway depended on suburban services, underlining Mumbai locals as the lifeline of daily mobility.
January Passenger Figures
During January 2026, Central Railway carried 146.29 million passengers, of which 129.08 million were suburban commuters. The Mumbai suburban network alone accounted for 127.12 million passengers, whereas Pune suburban services carried 1.96 million passengers. Non-suburban trains carried 17.20 million passengers during the month.
Among World’s Busiest
Officials said the figures reaffirm Mumbai suburban services as among the busiest urban rail systems globally, handling massive peak-hour crowding daily.
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Expansion And Upgrades
Railways attributed the rise in patronage to expansion and service upgrades. Additional services on the Nerul–Belapur–Uran corridor and the commissioning of Targhar and Gavan stations improved connectivity in the Navi Mumbai region. Further, the introduction of AC local services on the Harbour Line has received strong commuter response, carrying over six lakh passengers within just 16 days of launch, indicating growing preference for comfort-oriented travel.
At present, Central Railway operates 1,820 suburban services daily, including 94 AC local services, to cater to rising travel demand across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Focus On Infrastructure
Officials stated that the railway will continue strengthening suburban infrastructure and services to provide safe, reliable and efficient transportation to millions of daily commuters.
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