Not China, not Germany…, Indian railways surpasses global powers with a game-changing move; Here’s where it took the lead
In India, the way new cars are being transported is changing fast. Earlier, most cars were moved on trucks by road. But now, more and more cars are being sent by train. Eleven years ago, in 2013-14, only 1.5 per cent of all new cars made in India were transported by train. But in 2024-25, this number has jumped to over 24 per cent. That’s a huge improvement for Indian Railways.
According to a Times of India report, railway officials said that 50.6 lakh cars were made in India last year. Out of these, nearly 12.5 lakh cars were carried by train. In the last four years alone, the number of cars going by train rose from 14.7 per cent to 24.5 per cent.
A senior railway official said, “More car makers now prefer to send their vehicles by train. It’s easier, cheaper, and also better for the environment.”
India now ranks second in the world
India has now become the second-largest country in the world for transporting cars by train, beating countries like China and Germany.
The top country is the United States, where about 75 lakh cars are moved by train every year. Germany is third, with around 6 lakh cars sent by rail.
If this trend continues, even more cars in India will soon be riding the rails instead of the roads.
Big changes are happening in how cars are moved across India. Earlier, trucks were used the most, but now trains are taking over, especially for longer distances.
Fewer cars on trucks
According to sources from the Industry, the number of cars being transported more than 600 km by trucks has dropped by almost half. This happened because Indian Railways is now playing a bigger role in moving cars.
A senior executive from a logistics company said that the road transport industry is facing losses because of this shift. Trucking gives jobs to more people, but now trains are becoming a strong competitor. Indian Railways is offering more train rakes (special trains for carrying cars) and giving incentives to attract more business.
What caused this jump?
Railway officials said the rise in car transport by trains is due to years of steady effort. In 2013-14, there were only 10 rakes used for moving cars. By 2021, this grew to 29, and now there are 170. In the year 2024-25, Indian Railways ran 7,578 trips just to carry cars.
SUVs can now ride too
Two years ago, Indian Railways redesigned its wagons so that even large vehicles like SUVs can be loaded on both decks. Earlier, one rake had 27 wagons and could carry about 135 SUVs. Now that number has doubled to 270 SUVs in a single rake. This means more cars can be moved at once.
Who wins and who loses?
This growth in railway car transport might be hurting road transport companies. But it’s helping the environment. Trains cause much less pollution than trucks. Also, for car makers, trains are proving to be a cheaper and more efficient way to deliver vehicles.
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