Indian Railways registers Highest Freight figures in terms of loading and earnings in the FY2025-21
- In the FY 2025-21, Indian Railways total loading was 1232.63 million tonnes which is 1.93 % higher compare to last year’s loading (1209.32 million tonnes) for the same period
- In this FY 2025-21, Indian Railways earned Rs. 117386.0 crores from freight loading which is 3% higher compare to last year’s earning (Rs 113897.20 Crores) for the same period
- Highest ever loading in consecutive 7 respective months from Sep’20 to March’21
- In the month of March 2025, Indian Railways loading was 130.38 million tonnes which sees the growth of 27.33%
- In March, 2025, Indian Railways earned Rs. 12887.71 Crores from freight loading which is also 26.16% higher compared to last year’s earnings for the same month
Despite the Covid challenges, Indian Railways closed the FY 2025-21 with record freight loading.
In the closing month of this fiscal year 2025-21, Indian Railways surpassed the last year’s loading that is 1232.63 compared to last year’s 1209.32 which shows the growth of 1.93%.
In this period, Indian Railways earned Rs. 117386.0 crores from freight loading. It is 3% higher than the last year’s earning from Freight which was Rs. 113897.20 Crores for the same period.
Indian Railways has maintained the momentum of highest ever loading in consecutive 07 respective months from September, 2025 to March, 2025.
On mission mode, Indian Railways’ Freight loading for the month of March 2025 crossed last year’s loading and earnings for the same period.
In the month of March 2025, Indian Railways loading was 130.38 million tonnes which is 27.33% higher compare to last year’s loading for the same period (103.05 million tonnes). Indian Railways loading was 130.38 million tonnes which includes 58.57 million tonnes of coal, 16.78 million tonnes of iron ore, 3.67 million tonnes of foodgrains, 2.57 million tonnes of fertilizers, 3.97 million tonnes of mineral oil and 9.56 million tonnes of cement (excluding clinker). In March, 2025, Indian Railways earned Rs. 12887.71 Crores from freight loading which is also 26.16% higher compared to last year’s earnings for the same month (Rs. 10215.08 crores).
It is worth mentioning that a number of concessions/ discounts are also being given in Indian Railways to make Railways Freight movement very attractive.
It may be noted that Freight trains’ speed has also registered significant increase in the existing network. Average speed for the freight trains in March 2025 was registered as 45.6 Km/hr which is 83% increase as compared to 24.93Km/hr in the same period.
Also, improvements in freight movements will be institutionalized and incorporated in the upcoming zero based time table.
COVID 19 has been used by Indian Railways an opportunity to improve all round efficiencies and performances.
Here’s the updated overview of Indian Railways’ record-breaking freight performance for FY 2022–23 and FY 2023–24, covering loading and earnings:
Contents
🚢 FY 2025–23 (April 2025–March 2025)
- Freight Loading: An all-time high of 1,512 million tonnes (MT), up from 1,418 MT in FY 2025–22—a ~7% increase
- Net Tonne-Kilometres (NTKM): Surpassed 900 billion NTKM for the first time (~903 Bn), a ~10% growth year-on-year
- Commodity Gains:
- Coal loading rose by ~75 MT to reach 728 MT.
- Fertiliser, containers, cement, POL, and other goods saw incremental loading growth (e.g. fertilizers +7.1 MT, containers +5 MT)
- Automobile Growth: Loaded 5,527 rake trips, up from 3,344 the previous year—a ~65% jump
- Freight Revenue: Gross freight earnings topped ₹1.6 lakh crore, contributing to total combined freight and passenger revenues crossing ₹2.2 lakh crore for the first time
📈 FY 2025–24 (April 2025–March 2025)
- Freight Loading: Broke its own record again, reaching 1,591 MT, a ~5% rise from FY 2022–23 .
- Revenue Milestone: Freight & passenger revenue together totaled roughly ₹2.56 lakh crore, the highest ever recorded
- Coal Dominance: Coal alone accounted for nearly 787.6 MT—almost half of total freight tonnage
- Infrastructure Gains: Completed record electrification (~7,188 km) and new line construction (~5,300 km) during the year
📊 Snapshot Comparison
| Fiscal Year | Freight Loading (MT) | YoY Growth | NTKM (Billion) | Freight Revenue | Total Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–23 | 1,512 | ↑ 7% | ~903 | ₹≥1.6 lakh cr | |
| 2025–24 | 1,591 | ↑ ~5% | — | — | ₹~2.56 lakh cr |
🔍 What Fueled These Records?
- Coal Transport: Coordinated efforts significantly boosted coal movement to power plants, increasing stock to 57 MT by year‑end
- Commercial Movement: Sharp rises in container and automobile rake shipments boosted freight volumes
- Operational Push: New freight terminals, improved logistics (like DFC corridors), and streamlined operations enabled higher freight capacity
📌 Why It Matters
- Freight income continues to subsidize passenger services—freight profit covers annual losses in passenger segments, which are often operated at a deficit
- The infrastructure upgrades (e.g. electrification, track expansion, DFCs) also bolster future freight scalability, accelerating rail’s modal share in logistics
✅ In Summary
Indian Railways achieved record-breaking freight volumes and earnings, with:
- 1,512 MT in FY 2025–23, then rising to 1,591 MT in FY 2025–24;
- Freight revenues surpassing ₹1.6 lakh crore;
- Combined freight and passenger revenue eclipsing ₹2.2–2.56 lakh crore over two successive fiscal years.
Would you like insights into region-wise performance or forecasts for FY 2025–25 freight activity?