India’s railway network, the fourth largest in the world, has revolutionized travel across the country with modern trains like the Vande Bharat Express, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Tejas, and Duronto. Each day, over 13,000 trains carry more than 20 million passengers through 7,300+ stations.
New Delhi: India’s Top-Earning Railway Station
These stations are not only travel points but also major revenue sources through ticket sales, advertising, and retail services. Surprisingly, India’s richest railway station is not in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Patna, Lucknow, or Pune. It is the New Delhi Railway Station, which generated a staggering Rs 3,337 crore in revenue during the 2023-24 fiscal year, making it the top earner among all stations in the country.
This station is also one of the busiest, handling over 39.3 million passengers annually. Trailing behind New Delhi in earnings is Howrah Railway Station in West Bengal, which earned Rs 1,692 crore. Other high-revenue stations include Chennai Central (MGR Chennai Central) and Vijayawada Railway Station, highlighting their crucial role in the Indian Railways’ operations.
Indian Railways: Driving Economic Growth Beyond Transportation
The rise in earnings is a result of increasing passenger traffic, improved infrastructure, and expanding commercial activity at stations. These figures underline the importance of Indian Railways not just as a transport system but also as a powerful economic engine for the country.
Summary:
Indian Railways, the world’s fourth largest network, serves over 20 million passengers daily. New Delhi Railway Station emerged as the highest earner in 2023–24, generating ₹3,337 crore. Boosted by infrastructure upgrades and rising traffic, key stations like Howrah and Chennai also drive Indian Railways’ growing economic impact beyond transportation.
