Indian Railway is the fourth-largest railway network in the world (after those of the United States, Russia, and China).
- Indian Railway is the world’s eighth-largest employer.
- World’s longest railway platform: Gorakhpur railway station, Uttar Pradesh, India:1,366.33 m
- First Metro train started in India: Calcutta Metro, 24 October 1984
- First suburban rail in India: Mumbai Suburban Railway
- First Monorail network in India: Mumbai monorail
- Bogibeel river bridge: It is the longest rail-cum-road bridge in India measuring 4.94 kilometers over the Brahmaputra River.
- Indian Railway launched the website on February 2000
- Online Reservation and ticketing started on August 2002
- Tatkal ticketing extended to ordinary trains on 26 September 2013
- Locomotive(Engine) in India Largely consists of Diesel and Electric.
- Steam locomotives are used only in a heritage train
- 92% of total route network tracks are the broad gauge, approx. 61680 km
- Width of the broad gauge: 1676 mm or 1.67 meter
- Width of the meter gauge track: 1000 mm or 1 meter(5% of total route network)
- Width of the narrow gauge track: either 762 mm or 610 mm(3% of the total route network)
First Passenger Train in India from Bori Bunder, Mumbai to Thane
On 16 April 1853
Distance: 34 Km
Number of Passengers: 400
The fastest train in India: Vande Bharat Express
Started on: February 15, 2019
Running Between: Delhi to Varanasi
Speed: Approx. 180 Km/hour
The second Fastest train in India: Gatimaan Express
Running between: Delhi to Jhansi
Started on: 1 April 2018
Speed: Approx. 160 Km/hour
Slowest Train in India: Nilgiri Mountain Express
Running between: Mettupalayam to Udagamandalam (Ooty)
It’s the only meter gauge, rack railway in India.
Distance covered: 46 Km
Speed: approx. 10 km/hour
Longest distance running train in India: Vivek Express, from Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari
Started on: 2013, the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda
Distance covered: 4273 Km in 79 hours.
The oldest steam engine train in the world: Fairy Queen
Started on: 1855
Running between: New Delhi and Alwar
It has 2 a/c coaches with an accommodation capacity of 50 people
One of the world’s most expensive luxury trains in India: Maharajas Train
It runs on 5 circuits covering more than 12 destinations across Rajasthan, Delhi, and Agra
Science Express
The Science Express is a mobile scientific exhibition for children mounted on a train that travels across India.
Inaugurated on: 30 October 2007
2007 – 2011: Focused on “micro and macro cosmos”
2012 – 2014: “Biodiversity Special”
2015 – 2017: “Climate Change”
- Lifeline Express Or Jeevan Rekha Express
- It is a hospital train that runs in India since 1991
- It is an outreach program for inaccessible rural areas where medical services are not available
Red Ribbon Express
It is an AIDS/HIV awareness campaign train by the Indian Railways.
The motto of the Red Ribbon Express is “Embarking on the journey of life”
Samjhauta Express (Currently stopped services)
Running between Delhi and Lahore(Pakistan)
Thar Express(Currently stopped services)
Running between Jodhpur and Karachi(Pakistan)
Maitree Express
Running between Kolkata and Dhaka(Bangladesh)
Bandhan Express
Running between Kolkata and Khulna (Bangladesh)
Longest railway tunnel: Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel or Banihal Railway tunnel
Length of the tunnel: 11.215 Km
Location: Pir Panjal Range of the middle Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir
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Table of Contents
FAQs
Q: What is the history of Indian Railways?
A: Indian Railways was established during the British colonial rule in India in 1853 when the first train ran between Bombay (now Mumbai) and Thane. It was initially built to transport raw materials and goods but soon became a major mode of transportation for people across the country.
Q: How big is Indian Railways?
A: Indian Railways is one of the largest railway networks in the world, with over 68,000 route kilometers of track and more than 8,000 stations across the country.
Q: What is the most popular train in India?
A: The most popular train in India is the Rajdhani Express, which connects major cities in the country with New Delhi, the capital city.
Q: How many people use Indian Railways every day?
A: Indian Railways carries an average of more than 23 million passengers per day, making it one of the busiest railway systems in the world.
Q: What is the longest railway route in India?
A: The longest railway route in India is the Vivek Express, which runs from Dibrugarh in the northeastern state of Assam to Kanyakumari in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, covering a distance of over 4,200 kilometers.
Q: How many different types of trains are there in India?
A: There are several types of trains in India, including local trains, passenger trains, express trains, and superfast trains. The fastest train in India is the Vande Bharat Express, which can travel up to 180 km/h.
Q: How is the Indian Railways system maintained?
A: The Indian Railways system is maintained by a team of more than 1.4 million employees, who work to ensure the safety and efficiency of the network. Regular maintenance, upgrades, and modernization projects are carried out to keep the system running smoothly.
Q: What is the future of Indian Railways?
A: The future of Indian Railways looks bright, with plans to build new high-speed rail corridors, upgrade existing infrastructure, and introduce new technology to enhance passenger experience and safety. The government is also working to make Indian Railways more environmentally sustainable by adopting renewable energy sources and reducing carbon emissions