First Cargo Express of Indian Railways
First Cargo Express of Indian Railways
SCR flagged off the First Cargo Express of Indian Railways – First of its kind scheduled Freight Train between Hyderabad and New Delhi flagged from Sanathnagar
With a view to enhance the Railways freight basket, South Central Railway has introduced “Cargo Express”, which is first of its kind and innovative concept over Indian Railways. Under this concept, SCR has announced a Time Tabled freight train between Sanath Nagar in Hyderabad to Adarsh Nagar in New Delhi as a pilot project for a period of Six months and would be running the “Cargo Express” once a week every Wednesday. Accordingly, the first cargo express has been flagged off today i.e., on 05th August, 2025 from Sanath Nagar in Hyderabad.
Generally, bulk commodities in huge quantities are being transported by rail in freight trains. But in the recent past, there is a gradual increase in the market for transportation on non-bulk segments. In order to attract this segment of traffic, South Central Railway has come up with this unique concept of Cargo Express, where in different freight customers holding various types of commodities can avail this facility by indenting a minimum of single wagon also. So, aggregating this general cargo in to a single train is mutually beneficial to both Railways as well the freight customers. It is almost 40% lesser than charges applicable by Road and also the existing railway parcel tariff.
The first Cargo Express left Sanathnagar today i.e., 05th August 2025 and will move at an average speed of 50 KMPH and will reach the destination, Anand Nagar, Delhi as per schedule on Friday. The movement of this train can be tracked through FOIS network.
On this occasion, Shri Gajanan Mallya, General Manager appreciated the officers and staff of the Zone involved in materializing this new concept, which is for the first time on Indian Railways. He advised he freight customers, and cargo aggregators to avail this facility which is mutually beneficial. He also stated that Railways is the safest and cheapest mode of transport as compare to other modes.
For any queries in this regard or to register and book the wagons freight customers and interested parties can seek help from phone numbers: 9701371976 or 040-27821393, which are available round-the-clock helpline.
The first‑ever Cargo Express of Indian Railways was introduced by South Central Railway (SCR)—a landmark pilot project that began on 5 August 2025, marking the first time‑tabled freight train (i.e. scheduled like a passenger service) in IR history
Contents
🚆 What Made It Special?
- Fixed schedule service from Sanath Nagar (Hyderabad) to Adarsh Nagar (New Delhi)—departing every Wednesday evening and returning on Saturday evening, covering ~1,700 km at an average speed of ~50 km/h, with ~34 hours transit time
- Aimed at serving non-bulk cargo customers—industry, traders, FMCG, etc.—allowing single-wagon bookings (~62 tonnes), instead of bulk consignments only.
- Tariff (~₹2,500/tonne) was about 40% cheaper than comparable road and railway parcel rates
🎯 Strategic Significance
- It was the first regular Cargo Express introduced to aggregate non-bulk general cargo in one scheduled train.
- This innovation paved the way for similar services, including the Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service (SCR + India Post), which began operations in 2025 on several routes such as Hyderabad–Hazrat Nizamuddin and Delhi–Kolkata, delivering parcel/logistics solutions with door-to-door pickup, insurance, and timetable guarantee
🧾 Summary at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Pilot Zone | South Central Railway (SCR) |
| Train Name | Cargo Express (scheduled time‑tabled freight train) |
| Origin – Destination | Sanath Nagar (Hyderabad) → Adarsh Nagar (Delhi) |
| Launch Date | 5 August 2025 |
| Frequency | Weekly (Wednesday outbound, Saturday return) |
| Speed / Transit Time | ~50 km/h avg; ~34 hours for end-to-end journey |
| Cargo Booking | Single-wagon booking allowed |
| Tariff Advantage | ~40% lower than road & parcel alternatives |
🗣️ Community & Market Response
Reddit users highlight the novelty and potential of this format:
“Faster… scheduled timetable… climate‑controlled… perishable goods… better suspension… ideal for e‑commerce.”
This reflects a broader industry recognition of Cargo Express as a scalable model for general cargo logistics.
✅ Final Takeaway
The SCR Cargo Express marked Indian Railways’ entry into scheduled general cargo transport differing from traditional bulk-only freight. It represented a shift toward market-oriented, customer-friendly, value-added freight services. Since then, the model has evolved—with specialized cargo offerings like the Rail Post Gati Shakti service.
Would you like info on:
- How to book Cargo Express services via FOIS?
- The scope of Rail Post Gati Shakti routes and pricing?
- Or other innovations like Auto Express (car freight) and dedicated express logistics lines?
Just say the word!