DFCCIL records 951 freight train interchanges as double-stack runs rise 27.43%

The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) recorded 951 freight train interchanges on 7 November 2026, its highest single-day tally across the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors. The record followed an October in which the network handled 1,203 double-stack container trains, up 27.43% year on year, while average daily freight train movements rose to 472 from 385.

Eastern corridor accounts for 516 of the 951 interchanges

The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) accounted for 516 interchanges and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) recorded 435. The combined tally was five higher than the previous benchmark of 946 on 6 October 2026. In January, the Ministry of Railways had reported a single-day record of 892 interchanges between the freight corridors and five Indian Railways zones.

An interchange is a train handover at a junction where a dedicated freight corridor meets the conventional Indian Railways network. Trains can enter the corridor for the long-haul leg of a journey or leave it to reach terminals, yards and other destinations. The interchange tally measures these handovers. Average daily train movements track train operations across the corridors over the month.

Double-stack operations add 259 train runs in October

DFCCIL operated 1,203 double-stack trains in October 2026, up from 944 in October 2025. The increase of 259 runs reflects greater use of trains that carry containers in two tiers, allowing more containers to move in a single train. The Ministry of Railways identifies the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor as the main route for this type of operation.

Across both corridors, daily freight train movements averaged 472 in October, compared with 385 a year earlier. That represents 87 additional movements a day. The reported growth rate was 22.78%, while the two published averages imply an increase of about 22.6%.

Western freight corridor links inland terminals with west coast ports

The 1,506-kilometre Western Dedicated Freight Corridor links Dadri in Uttar Pradesh with Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Maharashtra. The 1,337-kilometre Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor runs from Ludhiana in Punjab to Sonnagar in Bihar. The Ministry of Railways says transferring freight to dedicated lines frees train paths on the conventional network for passenger and goods services.

At Jawaharlal Nehru Port, the port authority has commissioned two lines in its common rail yard to handle double-stack and long-haul freight trains of up to 1.5 kilometres. Its 11 November rail report recorded six double-stack rakes among the 15 rakes handled in the preceding 24 hours, showing how the corridor connects with container terminal operations at the port.

FAQs

When did DFCCIL set its freight train interchange record?

DFCCIL recorded 951 interchanges on 7 November 2026, comprising 516 on the Eastern corridor and 435 on the Western corridor.

How many double-stack trains ran in October 2026?

DFCCIL operated 1,203 double-stack trains, compared with 944 in October 2025, an increase of 27.43%.