Rlys expands services, adds coaches as passenger demand surges: Govt in LS

New Delhi: The government told the Parliament on Wednesday that Railways has added 1,024 new trains, extended 907 services, and increased the frequency of 168 trains over the past five years in an attempt to meet the nation’s rising passenger demand, continuing the effort to make travel and lodging easier for passengers. In order to increase lodging capacity, railways also added 4,651 carriages during that time.

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated in a written response to the Lok Sabha that the occupancy pattern on trains fluctuates between peak and lean seasons, with some lines seeing reduced use at other times and popular routes frequently operating at full capacity during rush hours.

According to the ministry data, between 2021-22 and February 2026, the Railways introduced 444 train services originating or terminating in the eastern and north-eastern region, including 75 pairs of trains serving stations in Bihar. Railways have also stepped up the availability of non-AC travel to cater to low- and middle-income passengers. Around 1,250 general coaches were used in long-distance trains in 2024-25, while 860 coaches have been added permanently in the current financial year up to February 2026.

At present, nearly 70 per cent of the total coach stock on the rail network consists of non-AC coaches, with about 62,000 non-AC coaches compared to roughly 27,000 AC coaches, the Rail minister mentioned in his reply. Adding, the number of seats available for non-AC passengers

stands at about 54 lakh, accounting for nearly 78 per cent of the total seating capacity.

Recently, reports emerged that Indian Railways has increased the proportion of AC coaches to improve profitability, however, the minister emphasised that production of 17,000 non-AC coaches, including general and sleeper class, is underway to increase affordable travel options.

According to him, waiting list trends are also routinely observed, new services are added, or current trains are extended, run more frequently, or given additional coaches as needed. The minister said rationalisation of waiting list limits has also been carried out in line with the number of available berths in different classes.

Passenger traffic in general and unreserved coaches has also risen steadily after the pandemic years. The number of such passengers increased from 553 crore in 2022-23 to 609 crore in 2023-24 and further to 651 crore in 2024-25, reflecting growing reliance on affordable rail travel.