Rail freight rises 5.4% as five more cargo terminals enter service
Indian Railways reported 137.9 million tonnes of freight loading in August and 149 commissioned cargo terminals by month-end.
Indian Railways reported loading 137.9 million tonnes of freight in August 2026, compared with 130.9 million tonnes in August 2025. Freight revenue increased 6.27% year on year.
Five Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals entered service during the month, taking the total to 149 at 31 August. Fourteen Amrit Bharat services also moved from special to regular operation, lifting the stated total to 86.
Why it matters
Freight volumes and terminal capacity are practical indicators for industrial logistics, while regular passenger services affect regional connectivity and network use.
SCULTRA point of view
The terminal count will become more useful when reporting connects it with utilisation, turnaround time and modal share. One month of higher tonnage signals activity but does not establish a durable trend.
Limitations
The figures are from Indian Railways and cover one month. The release provides no route-level utilisation, inflation adjustment or longer trend, and it does not isolate the effect of commodity mix on revenue.
Source: Press Information Bureau / Ministry of Railways, 13 September 2026, 12:06 PM IST.