Indian Railways - Wikipedia Indian Railways This article is about the organisation. For general information on railways in India, see Rail transport in India. Indian Railways Native name भारतीय रेल Type Public sector Industry Rail transport Founded 8 May 1845 ( 172 years ago ) ( 1845 - 05 - 08 ) Headquarters New Delhi, India Area served India Key people Piyush Goyal ( Minister of Railways ) Ashwin Lohani, ( Chairman, Railway Board ) Services Passenger railways Freight services Parcel carrier Catering and Tourism Services Parking lot operations Other related services Revenue ₹ 1.874 trillion ( US $29 billion ) ( 2017 -- 18 ) Net income ₹ 64.25 billion ( US $1.0 billion ) ( 2017 -- 18 ) Owner Government of India Number of employees 1.331 million ( March 2016 ) Parent Ministry of Railways through Railway Board Divisions 17 zones Subsidiaries IRCTC RailTel Website www.indianrail.gov.in indianrailways.gov.in Schematic network map Map of Indian Railways network with population density Reporting mark IR Locale India Dates of operation 16 April 1853 ( 1853 - 04 - 16 ) -- Present Track gauge 1,676 mm ( 5 ft 6 in ) 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 ⁄ in ) 762 mm ( 2 ft 6 in ) 610 mm ( 2 ft ) Electrification 28,327 kilometres ( 17,602 mi ) Length 66,687 kilometres ( 41,437 mi ) ( route ) 92,081 kilometres ( 57,216 mi ) ( running track ) 119,630 kilometres ( 74,330 mi ) ( total track ) Indian Railways is India 's national railway system. Operated by the Ministry of Railways, IR carried 8.26 billion passengers ( more than 22 million passengers per day ), transported 1.16 billion tons of freight, and had 8,500 stations in the 2017 - 18 fiscal year. It is the fourth - largest railway network in the world by size, with 119,630 kilometres ( 74,330 mi ) of total track and 92,081 km ( 57,216 mi ) of running track over a 66,687 - kilometre ( 41,437 mi ) route at the end of 2015 - 16. Forty - five percent of its routes are electrified with 25 kV AC electric traction. Its track is mostly broad gauge, with short stretches of metre - and narrow - gauge track. Thirty - seven percent of its routes are double - or multi-tracked. IR operates long - distance and suburban rail systems, and ran an average of 13,313 passenger trains daily in 2015 - 16. The trains have a five - digit numbering system. Mail or express trains, the most common types, run at an average speed of 50.9 kilometres per hour ( 31.6 mph ). At the end of 2015 - 16, IR 's rolling stock consisted of 254,006 freight wagons, 70,241 passenger coaches and 11,122 locomotives ( 39 powered by steam, 5,869 by diesel fuel and 5,214 by electricity ). IR owns locomotive - and coach - production facilities at several locations in India. The world 's eighth - largest employer, it had 1.33 million employees at the end of 2015 - 16. IR had earnings of ₹ 1.874 trillion ( US $29 billion ) in 2017 -- 2018, consisting of ₹ 1.175 trillion ( US $18 billion ) in freight revenue and ₹ 501.25 billion ( US $7.8 billion ) in passenger revenue, and an operating ratio of 96.0 percent in 2017 - 18. Contents 1 History 2 Organisation 2.1 Structure 2.2 Recruitment and training 3 Rolling stock 3.1 Locomotives 3.2 Goods wagons 3.3 Passenger coaches 4 Manufacturing 5 Network 5.1 Tracks 5.2 Electrification 5.3 Signaling systems 5.4 Links with adjacent countries 6 Services 6.1 Passenger service 6.1. 1 Classes 6.1. 2 Train types 6.1. 3 Tours 6.1. 4 Ticketing 6.2 Freight service 6.3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites 7 Finances 8 Future 8.1 Infrastructure 8.2 Electrification and power 8.3 Safety 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 Further reading 13 External links History Main article : History of rail transport in India The first railway proposals for India were made in Madras in 1832. The country 's first train, Red Hill Railway ( built by Arthur Cotton to transport granite for road - building ), ran from Red Hills to the Chintadripet bridge in Madras in 1837. India 's first passenger train, hauled by three steam locomotives ( Sahib, Sindh and Sultan ), ran for 34 kilometres ( 21 mi ) with 400 people in 14 carriages on 1,676 mm ( 5 ft 6 in ) broad gauge track between Bori Bunder ( Mumbai ) and Thane on 16 April 1853. The Dapoorie viaduct, India 's first railway bridge, was built over the Ulhas River when the Mumbai - Thane line was extended to Kalyan in May 1854. Eastern India 's first passenger train ran 24 miles ( 39 km ) from Howrah, near Kolkata, to Hoogly on 15 August 1854. The first passenger train in South India ran 60 miles ( 97 km ) from Royapuram - Veyasarapady ( Madras ) to Wallajah Road ( Arcot ) on 1 July 1856. On 24 February 1873, a horse - drawn 3.8 - kilometre ( 2.4 mi ) tram opened in Calcutta between Sealdah and Armenian Ghat Street. In 1897, lighting in passenger coaches was introduced by many railway companies. On 3 February 1925, the first electric passenger train in India ran between Victoria Terminus and Kurla. The organisation of Indian railways into regional zones began in 1951, when the Southern ( 14 April 1951 ), Central ( 5 November 1951 ) and Western ( 5 November 1951 ) zones were created. Fans and lights were mandated for all compartments in all passenger classes in 1951, and sleeping accommodations were introduced in coaches. In 1956, the first fully air - conditioned train was introduced between Howrah and Delhi. Ten years later, the first containerized freight service began between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. In 1986, computerized ticketing and reservations were introduced in New Delhi. In 1988, the first Shatabdi Express was introduced between New Delhi and Jhansi ; it was later extended to Bhopal. Two years later, the first self - printing ticket machine ( SPTM ) was introduced in New Delhi. In 1993, air - conditioned three - tier coaches and a sleeper class ( separate from second class ) were introduced on IR. The CONCERT system of computerized reservations was deployed in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai in September 1996. In 1998, coupon validating machines ( CVMs ) were introduced at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. The nationwide Concierge system began operation on 18 April 1999. In February 2000, the Indian Railways website went online. On 3 August 2002, IR began online train reservations and ticketing. Indian Railways announced on 31 March 2017 that the country 's entire rail network would be electrified by 2022. India 's first passenger train, between Bombay and Thane, in 1853 Railway map of India in 1909 The Gatimaan Express, India 's fastest train, introduced in 2016 Organisation Structure Main articles : Indian Railway organisational structure and Zones and divisions of Indian Railways Indian Railways is headed by a six - member Railway Board whose chairman who reports to the Ministry of Railways. IR is divided into 17 zones, headed by general managers who ( with the heads of production units ) report to the Railway Board. The zones are subdivided into 68 divisions, headed by divisional railway managers ( DRM ). The divisional officers of the engineering, mechanical, electrical, signal and telecommunication, stores, accounts, personnel, operating, commercial, security and safety branches report to their respective DRMs and are tasked with the operation and maintenance of assets. Station masters control individual stations and train movements through their stations ' territory. Recruitment and training Main article : Centralised Training Institutes of the Indian Railways Staff are classified into gazetted ( Groups A and B) and non-gazetted ( Groups C and D ) employees. Recruitment of Group A employees is carried out by the Union Public Service Commission by examination. Recruitment of Group B section and junior engineers and depot material superintendents is conducted by the Railway Recruitment Board. IR Group C and D employees are recruited by 21 railway recruitment boards and cells, which are controlled by the Railway Recruitment Control Board ( RRCB ). The training of all groups is shared among six centralised training institutes. IR recruits for lower - level positions through its RRB NTPC ( Railway Recruitment Board Non-Technical ) examination. The exam was conducted to recruit about 18,000 positions in 2016, but IR later reduced its number of vacancies by 4,000. Rolling stock Locomotives Main article : Locomotives of India WAP - 7 - class broad gauge AC electric locomotive WDM - 3D broad - gauge diesel locomotive The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, which uses one of India 's few running steam locomotives India uses electric and diesel locomotives, along with a few CNG ( compressed natural gas ) locomotives. Steam locomotives are no longer used, except in heritage trains. Locomotives in India are classified by gauge, motive power, the work they are suited for and their power or model number. Their four - or five - letter class name includes this information. The first letter denotes the track gauge ; the second their motive power ( diesel or electric ), and the third their suitable traffic ( goods, passenger, multi or shunting ). The fourth letter denotes a locomotive 's chronological model number. In 2002, a new classification was adopted in which the fourth letter indicates a newer diesel locomotive 's horsepower range. A locomotive may have a fifth letter in its name, denoting a technical variant, subclass or subtype ( a variation in the basic model ( or series ) or a different motor or manufacturer ). In the new diesel - locomotive classification, the fifth letter refines the horsepower in 100 - hp increments : A for 100 hp, B for 200 hp, C for 300 hp an so on. In this classification, a WDM - 3A is a 3100 hp, a WDM - 3D a 3300 hp and a WDM - 3F a 3600 hp locomotive. Diesel locomotives are fitted with auxiliary power units, which save almost 88 percent of fuel during idle time when a train is not running. Goods wagons See also : Dedicated Freight Corridors and Wagon numbering system The number of goods wagons ( 239,321 on 31 March 2012, 405,183 on 31 March 1980 and 205,596 on 31 March 1951 ) is far less than required. IR carried 1,010 million tonnes of goods in 2012 -- 13, compared with 93 million tonnes in 1950 -- 51. Wagon types include BCACBM, BCCN, BCNA, BCNHL, BOBRN, BOBYN, BOXN ( BOXN - HL, BOXN - HS, BOXN - HL, BOXN - CR, BOXN - LW, BOXN - AL, BOXN - EL ), BRH, BTPGLN, BTPN and VVN. Passenger coaches IR has several types of passenger coaches, which are produced at Integral Coach Factory, Rail Coach Factory, Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli ( including the new LHB coaches ). Electric Multiple Unit ( EMU ) coaches are used for suburban traffic in large cities, mainly in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad and Bangalore. These coaches, which numbered 7,793 on 31 March 2012, have second - and first - class seating. Manufacturing The Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in Chittaranjan manufactures electric locomotives, and the Diesel Locomotive Works in Varanasi makes Diesel and Electric locomotives. The Integral Coach Factory in Perambur ( Chennai ) makes monocoque coaches whose floor is part of the undercarriage. The Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala also makes coaches. The Rail Wheel Factory at Yelahanka, Bangalore and the Rail Wheel Plant, Bela in Chhapra, Bihar manufactures wheels and axles. the Diesel - Loco Modernisation Works in Patiala upgrades the WDM - 2 locomotive from 2,600 to 3,100 hp. Some electric locomotives have been supplied by Bharat Heavy Electricals, and locomotive components are manufactured in other plants around the country. Network Tracks Comparison of gauges in India with standard gauge See also : Project Unigauge The total track length of the network was 119,630 km ( 74,330 mi ) while the total route length of the network was 66,687 km ( 41,437 mi ) on 31 March 2016. Track sections are rated for speeds ranging from 80 to 200 km / h ( 50 to 124 mph ), though the maximum speed attained by passenger trains is 180 km / h ( 110 mph ). Indian gauge 1,676 mm ( 5 ft 6 in ) ( a broad gauge ) is the predominant gauge used by IR with 112,388 km ( 69,835 mi ) of track length ( 94 % of entire track length of all the gauges ) and 60,510 km ( 37,600 mi ) of route - kilometre ( 91 % of entire route - kilometre of all the gauges ). It is the broadest gauge in passenger use in the world. The first railway line in India, from Bombay ( Bori Bunder ) to Thane in 1853, was broad gauge. The 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 ⁄ in ) metre gauge and 762 mm ( 2 ft 6 in ) and 610 mm ( 2 ft ) narrow gauges are present on a decreasing number of routes. These were laid for cost considerations and simpler engineering. The metre gauge tracks were 4,747 km ( 2,950 mi ) ( 4 % of entire track length of all the gauges ) and narrow gauges tracks were 2,495 km ( 1,550 mi ) ( 2 % of entire track length of all the gauges ) as of 31 March 2016.. Route - kilometre is less than track - kilometre because many routes have multiple parallel tracks - two, three or even four tracks - for simultaneous running of two or more trains in the same direction on the same route to enable high density traffic. Some routes in Bombay have six tracks on the same route and it is not unusual to see three passenger trains running simultaneously parallel in the same direction on the same route. Thus a length of 1 route - km may have length of 4 track - km or even more. Such multiple - track routes have colour signal lights and interlocked automatic block systems which sets the points automatically. The multiple - aspect signals provide several intermediate speed stages ( two or three amber lights placed vertically between red and green lights ) and allow high - speed trains sufficient time to brake safely and also allow trains to run behind one another on the same track with short distance between them. The number of lit amber lights indicates the number of signal posts the preceding train has crossed. One lit amber light will permit the train to proceed at lowest speed ; two lit amber lights will permit the train to proceed at more speed and so on and the green light will permit the train to run at the maximum allowed speed. Suburban trains have operated in major cities on 1676 mm Indian gauge for more than a century. Several cities operated tram services which have been discontinued except for small lengths in Calcutta. Air - conditioned intra-city Metro trains were started in Calcutta by Indian Railways and in Delhi by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on the same 1676 mm wide tracks. Later it was decided to lay 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 ⁄ in ) standard gauge tracks for more metro lines in Delhi and other cities. These Metro trains are operated by metro rail corporations which are not part of Indian Railways. Metro trains now operate in Delhi and adjacent cities, Bangalore, Chennai, Bombay, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Cochin and Lucknow. Gurgaon has a small Metro track operated by a private company. Metro tracks are being constructed or planned in other cities. Sleepers ( ties ) are mostly made of prestressed concrete. Metal and teak sleepers are in use on a few lines ; these are under conversion to concrete sleepers. Electrification Main article : Central Organisation for Railway Electrification On 31 March 2016, 23,555 km ( 14,636 mi ) of the route kilometres or 43,357 km ( 26,941 mi ) of IR 's running track was electrified. India uses 25 kV AC traction on all its electrified tracks. Railway electrification in India began with the first electric train, between Bombay Victoria Terminus and Kurla on the Harbour Line, on 3 February 1925 on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway ( GIPR ) at 1500 V DC. Heavy gradients in the Western Ghats necessitated the introduction of electric traction on the GIPR to Igatpuri on the North East line and Pune on the South East line. On 5 January 1928 1500 V DC traction was introduced on the suburban section of the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway between Colaba and Borivili, and between Madras Beach and Tambaram of the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway on 11 May 1931, to meet growing traffic needs. The 3000 V DC electrification of the Howrah - Burdwan section of the Eastern Railway was completed in 1958. The first 3000 V DC EMU service began on the Howrah - Sheoraphuli section on 14 December 1957. Research and trials in Europe, particularly on French Railways ( SNCF ), indicated that 25 kV AC was an economical electrification system. Indian Railways decided in 1957 to adopt 25 kV AC as its standard, with SNCF their consultant in the early stages. The first 25 kV AC section was Raj Kharswan -- Dongoaposi on the South Eastern Railway in 1960. The first 25 kV AC EMUs, for Kolkata suburban service, began service in September 1962. For continuity, the Howrah -- Burdwan section of the Eastern Railway and the Madras Beach -- Tambaram section of the Southern Railway were converted to 25 kV AC by 1968. Because of limitations in the existing DC traction system, a decision was made to convert to 25 kV AC in 1996 - 97. The conversion from DC to AC traction was completed in 2012 by the Western Railway, and in 2016 by the Central Railway. The entire electrified mainline rail network in India uses 25 kV AC, and DC traction is used only for metros and trams. Signaling systems See also : Railway signal and Railway signalling IR primarily uses coloured signal lights, which replaced semaphores and disc - based signalling ( dependent on position or colour ). Except for high - traffic sections around large cities and junctions, the network does not use automatic block signaling. However, signals at stations are almost always interlocked with the setting of points and safety does not depend on station - master skill. With the planned introduction of cab signalling and anti-collision devices, the risk of drivers overshooting signals would be eliminated. Coloured signalling uses multi-coloured lighting, and is often automatically controlled. It has three modes : Two - aspect signalling, which uses a red ( bottom ) and green ( top ) lamp Three - aspect signalling, which uses an additional amber lamp in the centre Four - ( or multiple - ) aspect signalling uses four lamps ; the fourth ( amber ) lamp is above the other three. Multiple - aspect signals, by providing intermediate speed stages between ' clear ' and ' on ', allow high - speed trains sufficient time to brake safely if required ( important as train speeds increase ). Without multiple - aspect signals, stop signals must be placed far apart to allow sufficient braking ; this reduces track utilisation. Slower trains may be run closer together with multiple - aspect signals. Links with adjacent countries See also : Rail transport in India § Rail links with adjacent countries Existing links : Bangladesh, India - Bangladesh Rail links -- Same gauge. The Maitree Express between Dhaka and Kolkata began in April 2008 using the Gede - Darsana route ; the Bandhan Express between Kolkata and Khulna was re-introduced on the route of the pre-1965 Barisal Express, in addition to freight service from Singhabad and Petrapole in India to Rohanpur and Benapole in Bangladesh. A second passenger link between Agartala, India and Akhaura Upazila, Bangladesh was approved by the governments of Bangladesh and India in September 2011. Nepal -- Same gauge on the Jayanagar - Janakpur line Pakistan -- Same gauge ( Thar Express to Karachi and the Samjhauta Express from Lahore to Amritsar ) Proposed links : Bhutan -- Same gauge Myanmar train connectivity -- break of gauge from Jiribham in Manipur to Kalemya in Myanmar Thailand Look - East connectivity -- possible if the Burma Railway is rebuilt Vietnam Look - East connectivity -- On 9 April 2010, the Indian government announced that it is considering a rail link from Manipur to Vietnam via Myanmar. Services Passenger service Classes Main articles : Indian Railways coaching stock and Urban rail transit in India Interior of a first - class compartment on the Rajdhani Express Interior of a three - tier compartment on the Dakshin Express Interior of an air - conditioned chair - car coach on the Jan Shatabdi Express IR has several classes of travel, with or without air - conditioning. A train may have one or several classes. Slow passenger trains have only unreserved seating, and the Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, Garib Rath Express, Duronto Express, Double Decker Express, Tejas Express, Humsafar Express and Yuva Express have only air - conditioned classes. Fares for all classes differ, and unreserved seating is the least expensive. Fares for the Rajdhani, Duronto and Shatabdi trains include food. In September 2016, IR introduced dynamic fares for the Rajdhani, Duronto and Shatabdi trains ( except 1AC and EC classes ) to increase revenue. Long - distance trains usually include a pantry car, and food is served at the berth or seat itself. Luxury trains ( such as Palace on Wheels ) have separate dining cars, but these trains cost as much as -- or more than -- a five - star hotel room. A standard passenger rake has four unreserved ( general ) compartments, two at the front and two at the rear ( one of which may be for women ). The number of other coaches varies by demand and route. A luggage compartment may be at the front or the rear. On some mail trains, a separate mail coach is attached. Lavatories are communal, and Indian - and Western - style. The classes in operation are ( although a train may not have all these classes ) : Class Description 1A AC first class : The most expensive class, with fares are almost at par with airfares. There are eight cabins ( including two coupes ) in full AC first class coach and three cabins ( including one coupe ) in the half AC first class coach. The coach has an attendant, and bedding is included in the fare. This air - conditioned coach, present only on popular routes, can carry 18 ( full coach ) or 10 passengers ( half coach ). EA Anubhuthi : Air - conditioned top - end class of Shatabdi Express. These coaches were introduced in January 2018. First train to get these coaches is Chennai Central -- Mysuru Shatabdi Express 2A AC two tier : These air - conditioned coaches have sleeping berths across eight bays. Berths are usually arranged in two tiers in bays of six : four across the width of the coach and two lengthwise across the corridor, with curtains along the corridor. Bedding is included in the fare. A coach can carry 48 ( full coach ) or 20 passengers ( half coach ). FC First class : Similar to 1A, but without air - conditioning. No bedding is available in this class, and the berths are narrower than 1A. There is an attendant, and only heritage trains still have this class. 3A AC three tier : Air - conditioned coaches with 64 sleeping berths. Berths are similar to 2A, but with three tiers across the width and two lengthwise for eight bays of eight. They are slightly less well - appointed, usually with no reading lights or curtains. Bedding is included in the fare. 3E AC three tier ( economy ) : Air - conditioned coaches with sleeping berths on the Garib Rath Express. Berths are usually arranged as in 3A, but with three tiers across the width and three llengthwise. Appointments are similar to 3A, and bedding is not included. EC Executive chair car : An air - conditioned coach with spacious seats and legroom. With four seats in a row, it is used for intercity day travel and is available on the Tejas and Shatabdi Express. CC AC chair car : An air - conditioned coach with five seats in a row, used for intercity day travel. Air - conditioned double - deck coaches are used on the Double Decker Express. SL Sleeper class : The sleeper class is the most common coach on IR, with ten or more SL coaches attached to a train rake. They are sleeping coaches with three berths across the width and two lengthwise, without air - conditioning. They carry 72 passengers per coach. 2S Second seater : similar to CC, without air - conditioning. Double - deck second seaters are used on the Flying Ranee. UR / GEN Unreserved / General : The least - expensive accommodation, with a seat not guaranteed. Tickets are valid on any train on a route if used within 24 hours of purchase. At the rear of the train is the guard 's cabin. It contains a transceiver, and is where the guard usually gives the all - clear signal before the train departs. Train types Main articles : Train numbering, Railway stations, Named passenger trains, Longest train services, and Longest non-stop run The Mumbai Rajdhani Express. The long - distance, high - speed Rajdhani Expresses connect state capitals and large cities with New Delhi. Secunderabad - Yeshwanthpur Garib Rath Express, an economy air - conditioned train Trains are sorted into categories which dictate the number of stops on a route, their priority on the network and their fare structure. Each express train is identified by a five - digit number, with the first digit 1 or 2 for long - distance express trains. If the first digit is 0, the train is a special. A first digit of 5 denotes a passenger train. The second digit indicates the zone operating the train, the third digit the division within the zone which is responsible for maintenance and cleanliness, and the last two digits are the train 's serial number. The system was changed from four digits from 20 December 2010, to accommodate an increasing number of trains. For high - speed trains, the second digit is either 0 or 2 ( the first remains 1 or 2 ) ; the third digit is the zone, the fourth is the division and the last digit is the serial number within the division. Trains travelling in opposite directions along the same route are usually labelled with consecutive numbers. However, there is considerable variation in train numbers ; some zones, such as Central Railway, have a less - systematic method of numbering trains. Most express trains are also named. Trains are classified by average speed. A faster train has fewer stops ( halts ) than a slower one, and is usually used for long - distance travel. S.no Train Description Tejas Express A semi-high - speed, air - conditioned train which had its inaugural run on 24 May 2017, covering 551.7 kilometres ( 343 mi ) in eight hours, 30 minutes. Coaches have bio-vacuum toilets, water - level indicators, tap sensors, hand dryers, integrated Braille displays, an LED TV for each passenger with a phone jack, local cuisine, Wi - Fi, tea and coffee vending machines, magazines, snack tables, CCTV cameras and a fire and smoke detection and extinguishing system. Gatimaan Express The first semi-high - speed, air - conditioned train running between Delhi and Agra. With a speed of 160 km / h ( 99 mph ), it is India 's fastest train and takes 100 minutes to cover 188 km ( 117 mi ). Shatabdi Express Air - conditioned, intercity trains for daytime travel. Unlike the Rajdhani or Duronto Expresses, the Shatabdi expresses make a round trip on the same day. The Bhopal Shatabdi Express ( train number 12001 / 12002 ) is India 's second - fastest train between New Delhi and Agra, with an average speed of 90 km / h ( 56 mph ) and a top speed of 150 kilometres per hour ( 93 mph ). The limited - stop trains have Wi - Fi. Rajdhani Express Limited - stop, air - conditioned trains linking major cities to New Delhi, they have a top speed of 130 -- 140 km / h ( 81 -- 87 mph ). The 2014 railway budget proposed increasing the Rajdhani and Shatabdi Expresses to 180 km / h ( 110 mph ). 5 Duronto Express Non-stop ( except for technical halts ) service introduced in 2009. In January 2016, it became possible to book tickets from those technical stops. They connect India 's metros and major state capitals, and were introduced to equal ( or exceed ) the speed of the Rajdhani Express. With air - conditioned one -, two - and three - tier seating, some have non-air - conditioned sleeper - class accommodations. 6 Humsafar Express Air - conditioned, three - tier coach trains with LED screens displaying information about stations and train speed, a PA system, vending machines for tea and coffee, charging ports for electronic devices, bio-toilets, smoke alarms, CCTV cameras, curtains and heating and refrigeration facilities for food. 7 AC Express Air - conditioned, limited - stop trains linking major cities, with a speed of about 130 km / h ( 81 mph ). 8 Double Decker Express Air - conditioned, limited - stop, two - tier express trains for daytime travel 9 Uday Express Similar to the Double Decker Express, with berths for night travel 10 Garib Rath Air - conditioned, economy, three - tier trains with a top speed of 130 km / h ( 81 mph ) 11 Yuva Express Introduced with the Duronto Express to provide air - conditioned travel to young Indians, 60 percent of its seats were reserved for passengers between 18 and 45 years of age. The trains were unsuccessful, and operate only on the Delhi - Howrah and Delhi - Mumbai routes. 12 Jan Shatabdi Express A more - economical version of the Shatabdi Express, with air - conditioned and non-air - conditioned classes and a top speed of 110 km / h ( 68 mph ) 13 Sampark Kranti Express Express service to New Delhi 14 Kavi Guru Express Introduced in honor of Rabindranath Tagore, four pairs of the trains operate on the network. 15 Vivek Express Introduced to commemorate the 150th birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda in 2013, four pairs of Vivek Expresses run in the country. 16 Rajya Rani Express Introduced to connect state capitals to major cities in that state. 17 Mahamana Express Superfast train with Indian Railways ModelRake coaches 18 Intercity Express Introduced to connect major cities on short routes with high and semi-high speeds. Trains include the Deccan Queen, Flying Ranee and Bilaspur Nagpur Intercity Express. 19 Antyodaya Express Non-reserved, high - speed LHB coaches on peak routes to ease congestion 20 Jan Sadharan Express Non-reserved express trains on peak routes to ease congestion 21 Superfast Express / Mail Trains with a speed greater than 100 -- 110 km / h ( 62 -- 68 mph ), whose tickets have a superfast surcharge 22 Express / Mails India 's most common train type, with stops at relatively - important intermediate stations 23 Fast Passenger and Passenger Slow, economical trains which stop at every ( or almost every ) station on a route. With generally - unreserved seating, some night trains have sleeper and three - tier air - conditioned compartments. The trains travel at about 40 -- 80 km / h ( 25 -- 50 mph ). 24 Suburban trains These trains operate in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Pune and between Kanpur and Lucknow, usually stop at every station, and have unreserved seating. 25 Metro Designed for urban transport, the first metro was the Kolkata Metro. 26 Luxury Trains IR operates luxury trains, such as the Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Maharaja Express, Deccan Odyssey, The Golden Chariot and the Mahaparinirvan Express. The Fairy Queen, a tourist attraction as the world 's oldest operating steam engine, hauls a luxury train from Delhi to Alwar. 27 Mountain railways Three of the lines were declared a World Heritage site as Mountain Railways of India by UNESCO. Tours The Maharajas ' Express The Palace on Wheels is a luxury - train service, frequently hauled by a steam locomotive, to promote tourism in Rajasthan. The train has a seven - night, eight - day itinerary on a round trip from New Delhi via Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur and Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Agra. Royal Rajasthan on Wheels covers a number of tourist destinations in Rajasthan. The seven - day, eight - night tour is a round trip from New Delhi 's Safdarjung station via Jodhpur, Udaipur and Chittaurgarh, Ranthambore National Park and Jaipur, Khajuraho, Varanasi and Sarnath, and Agra. Maharajas ' Express, a luxury train operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation ( IRCTC ), runs on five routes to about 12 destinations across north - West and central India ( centered around Rajasthan ) from October to April. The Deccan Odyssey covers tourist destinations in Maharashtra and Goa. Its seven - night, eight - day tour begins in Mumbai and stops at Jaigad Fort, Ganapatipule and Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Tarkarli and Sawantwadi, Goa, Kolhapur and Pune ( Day 5 ), Aurangabad and Ellora Caves, and Ajanta Caves and Nashik. The Golden Chariot runs on two tours : Pride of the South and Splendor of the South. The Mahaparinirvan Express, an air - conditioned service also known as the Buddhist Circuit Train, is run by the IRCTC for Buddhist pilgrims. Its seven - night, eight - day tour begins in New Delhi and visits Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda, Varanasi and Sarnath, Kushinagar and Lumbini, Sravasti and the Taj Mahal. Ticketing See also : Tatkal scheme IR ticket from Chennai Central to Vijayawada by Howrah Mail India has some of the lowest train fares in the world, and passenger traffic is subsidised by higher - class fares. Until the late 1980s, Indian Railways ticket reservations were made manually. In late 1987, IR began using a computerised ticketing system. The system went online in 1995 to provide current information on status and availability. The ticketing network at stations is computerised with the exception of remote areas, for which passengers can use the UMANG mobile app. Computerized tickets can be booked between any two points in the country. Tickets may also be booked on the Internet and via mobile phones for an additional fee. Discounted tickets are available for senior citizens ( over age 60 ), the disabled, students, athletes and those taking competitive examinations. One compartment of the lowest class of accommodation is earmarked for women on every passenger. Some berths ( or seats ) in sleeper and second class are also reserved for women. Season tickets, permitting unlimited travel on specific sections or specific trains for a specific time, may also be available. Foreign tourists may purchase an Indrail Pass, modelled on the Eurail Pass, permitting unlimited travel in India for a specific time. For long - distance travel, berths may be reserved within 120 days of departure. A passenger 's name, age and reason for discount ( if eligible ) are recorded on the ticket. Ticket prices usually include the base fare, which depends on train classification ( super-fast tickets have a surcharge ), seating class and a reservation charge for overnight trips. If a seat is not available, the ticket has a wait - list number ; otherwise it is confirmed, with a berth number on the ticket. A person with a wait - listed ticket must wait for enough cancellations to obtain a confirmed ticket. If their ticket is not confirmed on the day of departure, they can not board the train. Reservation against Cancellation tickets, between the waiting and confirmed lists, allow a ticket holder to board the train and obtain a seat chosen by a ticket collector after the collector has found a vacant seat. Reserved tickets may be booked on the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation website, on mobile phones and SMS. Tickets are categorised as iTickets and eTickets. iTickets, booked by a passenger, are printed and delivered to the passenger before a trip ; eTickets are printed by a passenger. Travelling on an eTicket requires valid photo identification. eTickets are also cancelled online. Unreserved tickets may be purchased on the platform at any time before departure, and unreserved ticket holders may only board the general compartment. Suburban networks issue unreserved tickets, valid for a limited time. For commuters, a monthly ( or quarterly ) pass provides unlimited travel between two stops. Freight service The Konkan Railway Corporation introduced roll - on, roll - off ( RORO ) service, a road - rail system, on the section between Kolad in Maharashtra and Verna in Goa in 1999 ; it was extended to Surathkal in Karnataka in 2004. The RORO service, the first of its kind in India, allowed trucks to be transported on flatbed trailers. It was popular, carrying about 110,000 containers and earning about ₹ 740 million for IR by 2007. UNESCO world Heritage Sites IR has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites : the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai and the mountain railways of India. The latter are three rail lines in different parts of India : the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a 610 mm ( 2 ft ) narrow - gauge railway in the Lesser Himalayas of West Bengal ; the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 ⁄ in ) metre gauge rack railway in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu and the Kalka - Shimla Railway, a 762 mm ( 2 ft 6 in ) narrow - gauge railway in the Siwalik Hills of Himachal Pradesh. Finances IR carries an annual debt of over ₹ 200 billion ( US $3.1 billion ). The passenger division lost ₹ 300 billion ( US $4.7 billion ) in FY 2013 - 2014, leading to a 23 paise ( 0.36 ¢ US ) loss per passenger - km and a cash surplus of ₹ 6.9 billion ( US $110 million ). Its operating ratio was 109 percent from April to December 2016. Between 2004 and 2014, 99 new rail projects were announced in the annual Rail Budgets without additional funding. One project has been completed ; the remaining 98 will require ₹ 5 trillion ( US $78 billion ), including four projects which were 30 years old in 2014. IR is losing passenger and freight market share to other modes of transport. Future Main article : Future of rail transport in India IR 's Research Design and Standards Organisation ( RDSO ) undertakes research, design and standardisation. The railway has undertaken several initiatives to upgrade its ageing infrastructure and improve its quality of service. The Indian government plans to invest ₹ 9.05 trillion ( US $140 billion ) to upgrade IR by 2020. Infrastructure Infrastructure modernisation projects include high - speed rail, with the first Ahmdabad - Mumbai train in operation in 2022 ; redevelopment of 400 stations by monetizing 2,700 acres ( 1,100 ha ) of spare railway land under a ₹ 1,070,000 crore ( US $167 billion ) plan ; doubling tracks to reduce congestion and delays while improving safety ( 15,000 km of double track existed in 2016, and funding for 12,500 km more was approved that year ) ; the refurbishing of 12 - to 15 - year - old coaches at the Carriage Rehabilitation Workshop in Bhopal to enhance passenger amenities and fire safety ; Global Positioning System ( GPS ) - enabled tracking of trains to improve safety and service ; Digital India - driven ₹ 3,500,000 million ( US $55 billion ) digitalisation of the railway to improve efficiency and reduce cost ; rainwater harvesting, with 1885 systems installed by December 2016, and reforestation of railway land and along the tracks. Electrification and power All routes will be electrified to save on imported - fuel costs ( 48 percent of the network was electrified by May 2016, with full electrification planned by March 2021. Off - the - grid Solar - powered trains are planned with the installation of one gigawatt of solar and 130 megawatts of wind power between 2017 and 2022 ; India introduced the world 's first solar - powered train and 50 coaches with rooftop solar farms in June 2017. Rooftop solar electricity is planned at stations to reduce long - term fuel costs and protect the environment, and sustainable LED lighting at all stations is planned by March 2018 to cut electricity costs. Locomotive factories have been modernised, including two new factories in Bihar : an electric locomotive factory in Madhepura and a diesel locomotive factory in Marhaura, and 2,285 bio-toilets were introduced from April to July 2014. A ₹ 200 billion ( US $3.1 billion ) partnership with Alstom to supply 800 electric locomotives from 2018 to 2028 was announced. Safety Safety projects include the elimination of an average of 1,217 unguarded level crossings per year by building an average of 1,066 overpasses and underpasses per year ; an automated fire alarm system on Rajdhani Express trains was begun in 2013, extending to the air - conditioned coaches of all trains, and 6,095 GPS - enabled Fog Pilot Assistance System railway signalling devices ( replacing the practice of placing firecrackers on tracks to alert train drivers ) installed in 2017 in four zones : Northern, North Central, North Eastern and North Western. See also Railways in India portal List of countries by rail transport network size Indian Railways Fan Club Notes Jump up ^ This classification system does not apply to steam locomotives, which retained their original class names ( such as M class or WP class ). References ^ Jump up to : `` ( IRFCA ) Indian Railways FAQ : IR History : Early Days - 1 ''. www.irfca.org. ^ Jump up to : ( PDF ) http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Budget_2018-19/Revenue_Receipt_2018/Revenue_Receipts_Expenditure_2018-19.pdf. Missing or empty title = ( help ) ^ Jump up to : `` Indian Railways Statistical Publications 2015 - 16 : Annual Reports & Accounts '' ( PDF ). Ministry of Railway. Retrieved 26 February 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Indian Railways Statistical Publications 2014 - 15 : The Network '' ( PDF ). Ministry of Railway. Retrieved 9 February 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Indian Railways Statistical Publications 2015 - 16 : Year Book 2015 - 16 '' ( PDF ). Ministry of Railway. p. 62. Retrieved 26 February 2017. Jump up ^ `` Indian Railways Statistical Publications 2015 - 16 : Year Book 2015 - 16 '' ( PDF ). Ministry of Railway. p. 23. Retrieved 26 February 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` ( IRFCA ) India 's First Railways ''. www.irfca.org. Jump up ^ `` 164 Years Ago On This Day, India 's First Train Ran From Mumbai To Thane ''. Jump up ^ `` India 's 1st train : When Sahib, Sindh & Sultan blew steam - Times of India ''. Jump up ^ `` Facts about the Indian Railways that will surprise you ! ''. 11 December 2015. Jump up ^ `` Legacy of First Railway Station of South India ''. RailNews Media India Ltd. Jump up ^ `` Kolkata 's trams -- A ride through history ''. 2 March 2016. Jump up ^ `` Welcome to Official Website of CORE ''. www.core.indianrailways.gov.in. Jump up ^ `` History of Railways ''. www.kportal.indianrailways.gov.in. Jump up ^ http://www.indianrail.gov.in/ir_zones.pdf Jump up ^ `` 160 years of Indian Railways : Here 's how AC trains were kept cool ''. 2 April 2013. Jump up ^ http://icisa.cag.gov.in/audit_report/2/15db5cf8539e7f66e05214564e6b5d01.pdf Jump up ^ `` Shatabdi Express - Shatabdi Express Train, Shatabadi Express Timetable, Shatabadi Express Schedule Booking India ''. www.iloveindia.com. Jump up ^ `` Indian Railway ''. www.indianrailways.gov.in. Jump up ^ `` IRCTC Next Generation eTicketing System ''. www.irctc.co.in. Jump up ^ `` 48 per cent rail tracks electrified, aim to double it in 5 years : Govt ''. 31 March 2017. Jump up ^ `` Organization Structure '' ( PDF ). Indian Railways. 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2017. Jump up ^ `` Indian Railways Report '' ( PDF ). Indian Railways. 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2017. Jump up ^ Singh, Vijay Pratap ( 27 February 2010 ). `` SMS complaint system : A Northern Railway brainwave spreads ''. Indian Express. Retrieved 19 January 2012. Jump up ^ Indian Railways Facts and Figures ( 2011 -- 2012 ). Ministry of Railways, Government of India. 2012. p. personnel. Retrieved 21 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Zones and their Divisions in Indian Railways '' ( PDF ). Indian Railways. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2011. Jump up ^ `` Railway Board Directorates ''. INDIAN RAILWAY ESTABLISHMENT CODE. Indian Railways. Jump up ^ `` Indian Railways level which constitutes the Governing Council of Association ''. irts.org.in. Jump up ^ `` Indian Railways Establishment Manual ''. rrcb.gov.in. Jump up ^ `` RRB NTPC exam 2016 ''. indianexpress.com. Jump up ^ `` India 's first CNG train flagged off ''. Jump up ^ `` New Technology allows Railways to save Rs 20 Lakhs Diesel per Engine ''. Retrieved 6 September 2013. Jump up ^ Indian Railways joins 1 billion tonne club in freight loading - Yahoo ! News India. In.news.yahoo.com ( 2 April 2013 ). Retrieved on 16 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` BLC - A Container Flat Wagon ''. Titagarh Wagons Limited. Retrieved 27 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Locomotives -- General Information -- I ''. IRFCA.org. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 4 June 2007. Jump up ^ http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/stat_econ/IRSP_2015-16/Year_Book_Eng/9.pdf Jump up ^ http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/stat_econ/IRSP_2015-16/Year_Book_Eng/9.pdf Jump up ^ `` Railways opts for standard gauge first time in 160 yrs - Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis ''. 3 June 2013. Jump up ^ Central Organisation for Railway Electrification ^ Jump up to : `` Signalling System ''. IRFCA.org. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 4 June 2007. Jump up ^ `` India approves new railway link with Bangladesh ''. TwoCircles.net. Retrieved 15 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` Rail link from Manipur to Vietnam on cards : Tharoor ''. The Times Of India. 9 April 2010. Jump up ^ `` Neighbours to the west get closer ''. Bangkok Post. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` Rail link from Manipur to Vietnam on cards : Tharoor ''. The Times of India. 9 April 2010. Jump up ^ `` Premium railway fares hiked up to 50 per cent in new dynamic pricing model ''. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016. Jump up ^ `` Accommodation Classes in Indian Railways ''. Indian Railways. Retrieved 15 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` General Information on travelling by IR ''. IRFCA.org. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 3 June 2007. Jump up ^ `` Class of Travel ''. indiarail.co.uk. S.D. Enterprises Ltd. Retrieved 3 June 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` The system of train numbers ''. IRFCA.org. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 3 June 2007. Jump up ^ `` New Train Number Enquiry ''. Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Inquiry. Centre For Railway Information Systems. Retrieved 5 February 2011. Jump up ^ `` Train names ''. IRFCA.org. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 3 June 2007. Jump up ^ Sekhsaria, Pankaj ( 24 June 2005 ). `` What 's in a Train Name ? ''. The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 4 June 2007. Jump up ^ `` railway operations -- I ''. IRFCA.org. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 11 June 2007. Jump up ^ `` RRB Railway Recruitment ''. Archived from the original on 20 March 2017. Jump up ^ `` Toy Trains of India ''. Our Trips -- Royal Train Tours. India Calling Tours ( P ) Limited. Retrieved 12 May 2007. Jump up ^ `` NPalace on wheels - Exclusive Indian train was originally used by royalty ''. Times of India. 13 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Royal Rajasthan on Wheels Itinerary Tour Program for 2014 -- 15 ''. Royalsrajasthanonwheels.com. Retrieved 27 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` The Maharajas ' Express Train Journeys Season 2014 -- 2015 ''. The-maharajas.com. Retrieved 27 April 2014. Jump up ^ Ministry of Railways ( Railway Board ) Jump up ^ `` Tour Itinerary - Tour Itinerary of Golden Chariot Train, Itinerary of Golden Chariot Train ''. Goldenchariottrain.com. Retrieved 27 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Southern Splendour Tour - South India Tour and South India Tour Package ''. Goldenchariottrain.com. Retrieved 27 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Ministry of Railways ( Railway Board ) ''. Indianrailways.gov.in. Retrieved 27 April 2014. Jump up ^ Joshi, V ; I.M.D. Little ( 17 October 1996 ). `` Industrial Policy and Factor Markets ''. India 's Economic Reforms, 1991 -- 2001. USA : Oxford University Press. p. 184. ISBN 0 - 19 - 829078 - 0. Retrieved 25 June 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` Reservation Rules ''. Indian Railways. Archived from the original on 24 June 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` General Information on travelling by IR ''. Travelling by Train in India, IRFCA.org. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 11 June 2007. Jump up ^ `` Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited ''. www.irctc.co.in. Retrieved 3 June 2007. Jump up ^ `` Road - Rail Synergy System ''. Press release, Press Information Bureau, dated 2004 - 20 - 05. Retrieved 22 December 2008. Jump up ^ `` New Konkan Rly service begins ''. Online edition of the Business Standard, dated 2004 - 06 - 16. Retrieved 22 December 2008. Jump up ^ `` RORO service again on Konkan Railway ''. Online edition of The Hindu Business Line, dated 2004 - 06 - 11. Retrieved 22 December 2008. Jump up ^ S. Vydhianathan. `` Convergence on the Konkan Railway ''. Online edition of The Hindu, dated 2003 - 14 - 11. Archived from the original on 27 June 2006. Retrieved 22 December 2008. Jump up ^ `` ROLL ON - ROLL OFF ( RORO ) SERVICE ON KONKAN RAILWAY '' ( PDF ). Official webpage of the Konkan Railway Corporation. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 22 December 2008. Jump up ^ `` Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus ( formerly Victoria Terminus ) ''. World Heritage List. World Heritage Committee. 2004. Retrieved 5 January 2009. ^ Jump up to : `` Mountain Railways of India ''. World Heritage List. World Heritage Committee. 1999. Retrieved 5 January 2009. ^ Jump up to : `` Railway Budget 2014 - 15 '' ( PDF ). Jump up ^ Sood, Jyotika ( 16 February 2017 ). `` Railways ' operating ratio touches a record 109 % in April -- December ''. Livemint. Retrieved 19 February 2017. Jump up ^ http://www.livemint.com/r/LiveMint/Period1/2014/07/08/Photos/w_Rail_Budget_Precursor_grfx.jpg ^ Jump up to : `` GE, Alstom land $5.6 - billion deals to supply locomotives for railways ''. Economic Times. 10 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015. Jump up ^ Diamond quadrilateral of high - speed trains - A Dastidar, Indian Express, 10 June 2014 Jump up ^ India to sign deal with Japan to get first bullet train - The Hindu Jump up ^ India Said to Pick Japan for High - Speed Rail Project - WSJ Jump up ^ Railways appoints IRSDC as nodal agency for station redevelopment, Livemint, 5 December 2017. ^ Jump up to : Indian Railways orders conversion to Broad Gauge, Rail Digest, 12 April 2017. Jump up ^ `` Indian Railways gets first model rake of luxury ' Make in India ' coaches ''. The Economic Times. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2016. Jump up ^ `` Indian Railways unveils ' Make in India ' train coaches with new look ''. The Financial Express. The Indian Express Group. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2016. Jump up ^ `` Just like your cabs, you can soon track trains in real time via GPS Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis ''. dna. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017. Jump up ^ Rain Water Harvesting System In Indian Railway, 7 December 2016. Jump up ^ India Plants 50 Million Trees in One Day, Smashing World Record, National Geographic, July 2016. Jump up ^ `` India 's first solar - powered DEMU train launched ''. The Hindu. Retrieved 23 July 2017. Jump up ^ Railways, IIT - Madras tie up to power AC coaches with solar energy News Eco-Business - Asia 's Cleantech & Sustainable Business Community. Eco-Business ( 5 August 2013 ). Retrieved on 17 August 2013. Jump up ^ India 's new solar - powered train is the first in the world, June 2017 Jump up ^ `` NORTHERN RAILWAYS TO INSTALL 5 MW ROOFTOP SOLAR IN FOUR OF ITS STATIONS ''. Jump up ^ Indian Railways plans to make all stations 100 % LED lit by 31 March 2018, Times of India, 19 December 2017. Jump up ^ `` Locomotive Factories in Bihar : In cold storage for years, two Railway projects to start soon ''. Indian Express. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` GE Gets $2.6 Billion Indian Railways Contract ''. Wall Street Journal. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` Rail ministry awards Rs 14,656 - cr Marhowra locomotive project to GE ''. Business Standard. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015. Jump up ^ Indian Railways commissions around 4800 kilometer of broad gauge track in last two financial years which is a record performance, 12 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Indian Railways develops Automatic Fire and Smoke Detection System ''. Retrieved 5 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` Indian Railways to use GPS - enabled devices to fight fog this season '', The Economic Times, 12 December 2017. Further reading Aguiar, Marian. Tracking Modernity : India 's Railway and the Culture of Mobility ( University of Minnesota Press ; 2011 ) 226 pages ; draws on literature, film, and other realms to explore the role of the railway in the Indian imagination. excerpt and text search Bear, Linda. Lines of the Nation : Indian Railway Workers, Bureaucracy, and the Intimate Historical Self ( 2007 ) excerpt and text search Kerr, Ian J. Railways in Modern India ( 2001 ) excerpt and text search Kerr, Ian J. Engines of Change : The Railroads That Made India ( 2006 ) Kumar, Sudhir, and Shagun Mehrotra. Bankruptcy to Billions : How the Indian Railways Transformed Itself ( 2009 ) `` IR History : Early Day ''. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 19 June 2005. `` Zones ''. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 26 June 2005. `` Locomotives ''. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 26 June 2005. `` Production Units & Workshops ''. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 26 June 2005. `` Signalling Systems ''. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 26 June 2005. `` Geography : International ''. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 26 June 2005. `` Rolling stock ''. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 26 June 2005. `` Signal Aspects and Indications -- Principal Running Signals ''. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved 26 June 2005. `` Salient Features of Indian Railways ''. Indian Railways. Archived from the original on 18 June 2005. Retrieved 19 June 2005. `` Indian Railways Online Passenger Reservation Site ''. Indian Railways. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2005. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Indian Railways. Listen to this article ( info / dl ) This audio file was created from a revision of the article `` Indian Railways '' dated 2006 - 03 - 15, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ( Audio help ) More spoken articles Indian Railways Live Information, Official website Ministry of Indian Railways, Official website Indian Railways Authority Ministry of Railways Railway Board Related Organisations BWE BSC Braithwaite & Co. CCI DFCCI HSRI IRFC IRCTC Ircon International KRC MRVC RVNL RailTel RITES CORE COFMOW RDSO CRIS RRCB RLDA Zones Central Railway East Central Railway East Coast Railway Eastern Railway North Central Railway North Eastern Railway North Western Railway Northeast Frontier Railway Northern Railway South Central Railway South East Central Railway South Eastern Railway South Western Railway Southern Railway West Central Railway Western Railway Konkan Railway Rolling stock Locomotives of India MEMU Wagon numbering system in India Manufacturing units Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, Chittaranjan Diesel Locomotive Factory, Marhowra Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi Diesel - Loco Modernisation Works, Patiala Electric Locomotive Factory, Madhepura Integral Coach Factory, Chennai Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala Rail Wheel Factory, Bengaluru Rail Wheel Plant, Bela Railway depots Diesel Abu Road Agra Bandra Marshalling Yard Bhagat ki Kothi Ernakulam Erode Golden Rock Gooty Guntakal Kalyan Mhow Pune Samastipur Ratlam Vatwa Phulera Kurla Itarsi Tughlakabad Raipur Tondiarpet Kazipet Maula Ali Krishnarajapuram Vishakhapatnam Shakurbasti Ludhiana Lucknow Mughalsarai Jhansi Gwalior Izzatnagar Malda Town Siliguri Howrah Andal Burdwan Jamalpur Patratu Samastipur Kharagpur Bondamunda Bokaro Steel City Neral Hubli Electric Ajni Bhusawal Kalyan Angul Visakhapatnam Mughal Sarai Asansol Howrah Jhansi Gonda Ghaziabad Khanalampura Ludhiana Vijayawada Kazipet Lalaguda Bhilai Bokaro Steel City Bondamunda Santragachi Tatanagar Arakkonam Erode Royapuram Itarsi New Katni Tuglakabad Valsad Vadodara Gomoh MEMU Kollam Vadodara Bhilai Rajahmundry Asansol Palakkad EMU Mumbai Central Kandivali Virar Rajahmundry Sanpada Kalwa Tambaram Avadi Maula Ali Ghaziabad Gholsapur Barasat Bandel Howrah Sealdah Sonarpur Tikiapara Panskura Kharagpur Kurla Shakurbasti Main lines and Suburban lines Chennai Suburban Railway Chennai MRTS Delhi Suburban Railway Howrah -- Allahabad -- Mumbai line Howrah -- Chennai main line Howrah -- Delhi main line Howrah -- Gaya -- Delhi line Howrah -- Nagpur -- Mumbai line Hyderabad MMTS Kolkata Suburban Railway Mumbai -- Chennai line Mumbai Suburban Railway New Delhi -- Chennai main line New Delhi -- Mumbai main line Pune Suburban Railway Passenger trains Antyodaya Express AC Express Express trains Fast Passenger Double Decker Express Duronto Garib Rath Express Gatimaan Express Humsafar Express Intercity Express Jan Sadharan Express Jan Shatabdi Express Kavi Guru Express Mahamana Express Premium Express ( Suvidha Express ) Rajdhani Express Rajya Rani Express Shatabdi Express Sampark Kranti Express Superfast Express Tejas Express Uday Express Vivek Express Yuva Express Special trains Lifeline Express Red Ribbon Express Sanskriti Express Science Express Luxury trains Fairy Queen Deccan Odyssey Maharajas ' Express Palace on Wheels Royal Orient Train Royal Rajasthan on Wheels Golden Chariot Mahaparinirvan Express Training institutes Indian Railway Institute of Civil Engineering Indian Railway Institute of Electrical Engineering Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications Indian Railway Institute of Transportation Management Railway Protection Force Academy Railway Staff College Trade unions All India Station Masters ' Association ( AISMA ) All India Railwaymen 's Federation ( AIRF ) All India Railway Employees ' Confederation ( AIREC ) Related articles Railway Budget Railway Schools Last vehicle board RailRadar Indian Railways Fan Club Templates Portal WikiProject Urban rail transit in India Suburban rail Operational Chennai Suburban Railway Delhi Suburban Railway Hyderabad Multi-Modal Transport System Kolkata Kolkata Suburban Railway Kolkata Circular Railway Lucknow Barabanki -- Lucknow Suburban Railway Lucknow -- Kanpur Suburban Railway Mumbai Suburban Railway Pune Suburban Railway Planned Ahmedabad Suburban Railway Bengaluru Commuter Rail Proposed Delhi -- Alwar Regional Rapid Transit System Delhi -- Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System Delhi -- Panipat Regional Rapid Transit System Rapid transit Operational Chennai Metro Delhi Metro Rapid Metro Gurgaon Hyderabad Metro Jaipur Metro Kochi Metro Kolkata Metro Lucknow Metro Mumbai Metro Namma Metro Under construction Metro - Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad Nagpur Metro Navi Mumbai Metro Noida Metro Pune Metro Planned Agra Metro Bhopal Metro Chandigarh Metro Guwahati Metro Indore Metro Jabalpur Metro Kanpur Metro Ludhiana Metro Meerut Metro Patna Metro Surat Metro Varanasi Metro Vijayawada Metro Visakhapatnam Metro Proposed Allahabad Metro Bareilly Metro Coimbatore Metro Dehradun Metro Greater Gwalior Metro Greater Nasik Metro Ranchi Metro Srinagar Metro Western railway elevated corridor Monorail Operational Mumbai Monorail Planned Chennai Monorail Coimbatore Monorail Kolkata Monorail Proposed Ahmedabad Monorail Aizawl Monorail Allahabad Monorail Bengaluru Monorail Bhubaneswar Monorail Delhi Monorail Indore Monorail Kanpur Monorail Navi Mumbai Monorail Patna Monorail Pune Monorail Ranchi Monorail Tiruchirappalli Monorail Light rail Planned Kolkata Light Rail Transit Proposed Delhi Light Rail Transit Kozhikode Light Metro Thiruvananthapuram Light Metro Tram Operational Trams in Kolkata Top 100 booking stations of Indian Railways Agra Cantonment Ahmedabad Junction Ajmer Junction Akola Junction Allahabad Junction Ambala Cantonment Amritsar Junction Asansol Junction Aurangabad Bangalore City Bareilly Junction Bhagalpur Junction Bhopal Junction Bhubaneswar Bhusaval Junction Bilaspur Junction Chandigarh Junction Chennai Central Chhapra Junction Coimbatore Junction Cuttack Junction Darbhanga Junction Dehradun Dhanbad Junction Durg Junction Ernakulam Junction Erode Junction Gaya Junction Ghaziabad Junction Gorakhpur Junction Guntur Junction Guwahati Junction Gwalior Junction Haridwar Junction Hatia Hazur Sahib Nanded Howrah Junction Hubli Junction Indore Junction Jabalpur Junction Jaipur Junction Jalandhar City Jammu Tawi Jhansi Junction Jodhpur Junction Kanpur Central Katihar Junction Katni Junction Katpadi Junction Kharagpur Junction Kollam Junction Kota Junction Kozhikode Lucknow Charbagh Ludhiana Junction Madgaon Junction Madurai Junction Malda Town Mangalore Central Manmad Junction Mathura Junction Moradabad Junction Mughalsarai Junction Mumbai Central Muzaffarpur Junction Mysore Junction Nagpur Junction Nasik Road Nellore New Delhi New Jalpaiguri Junction Palakkad Junction Patna Junction Pune Junction Puri Raipur Junction Rajahmundry Rajkot Junction Ranchi Junction Ratlam Junction Rourkela Junction Salem Junction Satna Junction Secunderabad Junction Siwan Junction Solapur Surat Tatanagar Junction Tiruchirappalli Junction Tirunelveli Junction Tirupati Main Thrissur Thiruvananthapuram Central Udaipur City Ujjain Junction Vapi Vadodara Junction Varanasi Junction Vijayawada Junction Visakhapatnam Source : `` 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways ''. 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Question: when was the railway system established in india
Answer: 8 May 1845