Amazon Becomes First E-Commerce Company to Operate on Western Dedicated Freight Corridor

Amazon India has expanded its operations on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor in collaboration with Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd, with the train flagged off at New Dadri Railway Station on Tuesday, making Amazon the first e-commerce company to operate on the inaugural Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Service train on the WDFC.

What does this new rail service involve?

The daily rail movement will connect Amazon’s northern and western network, with over 10 Van Parcels operating on the route. The shift moves shipments from surface transportation to rail, strengthening multimodality while enabling more reliable and sustainable freight movement across the network.

Which regions will the corridor connect?

The corridor will link Amazon’s operations across key regions including Delhi, Ahmedabad and Surat, with onward connectivity to Pune, Mumbai and Goa, supporting the movement of shipments ahead of the festive season.

How does this build on Amazon’s existing rail partnership?

The expansion strengthens the role of rail within Amazon’s multimodal transportation network across northern and western India, extending a collaboration with Indian Railways that began in 2019, when Amazon became the first e-commerce company in India to use the railway network for express parcel movement. Amazon India said its rail network has since grown from a single train in 2019 to more than 140 trains operating across 130 intercity routes connecting over 100 destination cities.

What did Amazon leadership say about the expansion?

Kishore Lanka, Director-Operations at Amazon India, said the company is increasing multimodality across its transportation network by expanding its use of dedicated freight infrastructure, leveraging rail as an economical, reliable and sustainable mode of transportation. He said Amazon looks forward to deepening its collaboration with Indian Railways and DFCCIL to strengthen its logistics network, improve operational efficiency and support the evolving needs of customers across India.

What are the key features of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor?

The WDFC spans approximately 1,504 km from New Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal near Mumbai. Dedicated Freight Corridors are designed to decongest the existing rail network, increase average freight train speeds, enable heavy-haul train operations, connect ports and industrial areas for faster freight movement, and reduce overall logistics costs.

What did Railway Board officials say about the service?

Manoj Singh, Member (Operations and Business Development) at the Railway Board, said the DFC offers a greener, faster and more reliable mode of transportation, enabling cargo to travel overnight and reach its destination the next day. He said the service can move 350-400 tonnes within 24 hours, offering an economical and sustainable freight solution that also creates opportunities for smaller businesses to benefit from the DFC network.