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Indian Railways operates one of the world's busiest and most extensive rail networks, with over 24 million passengers commuting daily. With over 13,000 daily passenger trains covering approximately 68,000 route kilometers and connecting more than 7,325 stations nationwide, Indian Railways plays a pivotal role in facilitating the movement of both passengers and a substantial volume of freight. The sheer scale of operations underscores the complexity of Indian Railways, making it an indispensable lever in India’s growth story.

In the vast and bustling landscape of Indian Railways, train punctuality is a key factor that shapes the travel experience for millions of passengers. Keeping these needs of train passengers in focus, redRail by redBus, an authorized IRCTC partner, has conducted a comprehensive analysis of train punctuality patterns across different regions of the country. The studyprovides valuable insights into Indian Railways’ punctuality patterns in 2023, offering useful information to passengers for planning their journeys and tracking their trains in 2024.

Key Findings:

The study indicates an average train delay of only 31 minutes (approx) across all express & passenger trains in India.

1. April emerges as the best month from a punctuality point of view, boasting the least delays across the Indian Railways network.

2. Among the express trains, Vande Bharat, Shatabdi and Rajdhani have lower delays in comparison to other types of express trains.

3. 13% of the trains experience average delays of more than 60 minutes.

India’s Most Punctual Trains:

Based on redRail data,these are India’s most punctual trains in 2023 that have experienced an average delay of less than 5 minutes throughout the first half of the year.

Train Name: Thiruvananthapuram Central Express Special; Hazrat Nizamuddin Vande Bharat Express; Puducherry Express; Ranchi Shatabdi Express; and Chamundi Express

Popular railway stations & average waiting times:

Some of the average waiting periods for trains on stations with high passenger volumes are:

1. Chennai Central (MAS), Tamil Nadu: Average Delay: 16 minutes

2. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CSMT), Maharashtra: Average Delay: 20 minutes

3. New Delhi (NDLS), New Delhi: Average Delay: 31 minutes

4. Howrah Junction (HWH), West Bengal: Average Delay: 35 minutes

5. Patna Junction (PNBE), Bihar: Average Delay: 41 minutes

6. Kalyan Junction (KYN), Maharashtra: Average Delay: 47 minutes

7. Vijayawada Junction (BZA), Andhra Pradesh: Average Delay: 48 minutes