Indian Railways regularises 14 Amrit Bharat services to boost affordable long-distance connectivity
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Railways carried 67.27 crore passengers during August 2026, compared to 64.43 crore passengers during August 2025.
August 2026 witnessed significant expansion in railway connectivity and services across the country, with Indian Railways recording growth in both passenger movement and freight loading. During the month, 14 Amrit Bharat services were regularised, providing more affordable and comfortable travel options to passengers across several important routes.
Indian Railways recorded increased passenger traffic, with additional special train services being operated to meet the surge in demand during the festival season. Indian Railways carried 67.27 crore passengers during August 2026, compared to 64.43 crore passengers during August 2025.
Suburban passenger traffic recorded particularly strong growth, increasing by 9.02%. A total of 38.01 crore suburban passengers travelled during August 2026, compared to 34.89 crore in August 2025.
August 2026 marked a significant expansion of passenger connectivity, with 14 Amrit Bharat services were regularised from special train to regular train during the month, taking the total number of Amrit Bharat services to 86.
The services connect several major cities and regions, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and other important parts of the country. The services include Subedarganj - Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Gorakhpur - Bandra Terminus, Gorakhpur - Delhi Jn, Ahmedabad – Bhagalpur, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus - Prayagraj Jn, Prayagraj Jn - Udhna Jn, Dhanbad - Coimbatore, among others.
These new services are expected to provide passengers with more travel options, improved connectivity between major urban centres & regional destinations and affordable long-distance rail travel.
For Purvanchal and eastern Uttar Pradesh, services from Gorakhpur to Bandra Terminus and Delhi provide additional connectivity to two major metropolitan regions, benefiting passengers travelling for employment, education, business and family purposes.
Similarly, the Ahmedabad-Bhagalpur connectivity strengthens the rail link between Gujarat and Bihar, providing passengers from both regions with another direct travel option. The Dhanbad-Coimbatore service improves long-distance connectivity between eastern India and southern India, particularly benefiting passengers travelling between industrial and employment centres.
Connectivity between Prayagraj and Udhna and between Prayagraj and Mumbai further expands travel options for passengers from Uttar Pradesh travelling towards western India.
The expansion of Amrit Bharat services is part of Indian Railways' continued efforts to provide comfortable, affordable and accessible long-distance rail travel, particularly for passengers travelling between major cities and emerging regional centres.
With increased passenger demand during the festival season, Indian Railways operated 144 trips of Rakshabandhan Special trains between August 25 and 31, 2026, compared to 48 trips operated between August 8 and 14, 2025.
The substantial increase in special train services helped provide additional travel capacity during the peak festival period, giving passengers more options to travel during a period of exceptionally high demand.
Such additional services are particularly important for passengers travelling to their hometowns and families during festivals, helping ease pressure on regular services and improving travel availability during peak periods.
The developments during August 2026 reflect Indian Railways' continued focus on expanding passenger connectivity, improving travel options, strengthening freight infrastructure and responding to changing demand.
The introduction of new Amrit Bharat services is expanding affordable long-distance connectivity between major cities and regional centres, while additional festival services are helping passengers manage seasonal travel demand.
