Bengaluru, 16 April: In a remarkable display of passenger demand and operational performance, Southern Railway has emerged as a top-performing zone in 2025–26, leading across multiple commercial and passenger service indices within Indian Railways.
The zone has achieved a significant milestone, with four of the top 10 Vande Bharat Express services and six of the top 10 highly occupied Express trains in the country originating from its network. This performance highlights the growing demand for rail travel in southern India, particularly on high-density intercity and long-distance routes.
Among the standout performers, Train No. 20632 Thiruvananthapuram Central–Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat Express secured the top position nationwide, recording an impressive occupancy of 187.78%. Its return service, Train No. 20631 Mangaluru Central–Thiruvananthapuram Central, ranked third with 173.33% occupancy, reflecting consistently strong demand in both directions.
Additional Vande Bharat services from the zone also featured prominently, including the Kasargod–Thiruvananthapuram Central route at fourth position with 172.87% occupancy, and its return service ranking seventh with 159.36% occupancy. These figures underscore the popularity of premium, semi-high-speed rail services among passengers.
Beyond Vande Bharat trains, Southern Railway has also dominated the list of highly occupied conventional express services. The Kanniyakumari–Mangaluru Central Parasuram Express topped the national list with an extraordinary 267.67% occupancy, followed closely by the Thiruvananthapuram North–Indore Express at 266.24% and the Mangaluru Central–Kanniyakumari Parasuram Express at 261.23%.
Other notable high-performing trains include the Kerala Express connecting Thiruvananthapuram Central to New Delhi, the Vivek Express between Okha and Tuticorin, and the Himsagar Express linking Kanniyakumari and Katra. These services continue to play a vital role in connecting key regions across India, catering to both business and leisure travelers.
From a financial perspective, Southern Railway has also delivered exceptional results. The zone recorded ₹8,271.47 crore in originating passenger revenue for the financial year 2025–26, marking a year-on-year growth of 9.8% compared to ₹7,435.69 crore in the previous year. Notably, it generated an additional ₹735.78 crore in revenue, the highest among all railway zones.
Special train operations further contributed to this success. Southern Railway operated 229 special trains covering 2,513 trips, carrying a total of 32.97 lakh passengers. With an average of 1,312 passengers per trip, the zone significantly outperformed the Indian Railways average of 894 passengers per trip.
Occupancy levels across reserved trains also remained robust, with 96% of trains achieving over 75% occupancy, the highest among all zones. This reflects strong and consistent passenger demand across multiple routes and categories.
Tatkal quota utilization—a key indicator of last-minute travel demand—also stood out. Over 92% of trains recorded more than 75% utilization of Tatkal seats and berths. Southern Railway generated ₹267.05 crore from Tatkal bookings, exceeding its estimated earning potential of ₹263.96 crore.
In the premium Tatkal segment, the zone reported earnings of ₹594.36 crore, contributing 18.63% of Indian Railways’ total premium Tatkal revenue, further solidifying its leadership position.
From a broader industry perspective, these achievements highlight the increasing preference for rail travel in India, driven by improved connectivity, enhanced service quality, and the introduction of modern train systems like Vande Bharat Express.
For the travel trade and tourism sector, the implications are significant. High occupancy levels indicate strong demand corridors that can be leveraged for tourism promotion, package development, and regional connectivity strategies.
Southern Railway’s performance not only sets a benchmark for operational efficiency but also underscores the critical role of railways in supporting India’s growing travel and tourism ecosystem.
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