Chennai, Apr 16:
Southern Railway has emerged as one of the top-performing railway zones in the country for the financial year 2025–26, recording robust growth in passenger revenue, occupancy levels, and ticket utilisation across multiple service indicators.
Passenger revenue from originating services rose to ₹8,271.47 crore, compared to ₹7,435.69 crore in the previous year, marking a 9.8% increase. The zone generated an additional ₹735.78 crore during the year, reflecting sustained growth in travel demand.
Southern Railway reported impressive utilisation of special trains, with an average of 1,312 passengers per trip, significantly higher than the national average of 894. The zone operated 229 special trains, covering 2,513 trips and carrying 32.97 lakh passengers.
Occupancy levels remained consistently high, with 96% of reserved trains recording occupancy above 75%, surpassing the all-India average of 87%. Out of 2.6 lakh train trips, nearly 2.49 lakh trips operated with occupancy between 75% and 100%.
Notably, six trains from the zone featured among the top 10 most-occupied services in the country, underlining strong passenger preference.
Tatkal bookings witnessed significant demand, with over 75% of tatkal berths filled in 92% of trains, well above the national average of 71%. Revenue from tatkal bookings stood at ₹267.05 crore, exceeding the estimated potential of ₹263.96 crore.
The zone also demonstrated efficiency in optimising vacant capacity. Around 5.8 million vacant seats were converted into nearly 9.8 million passenger journeys, achieving a utilisation rate of approximately 170% through current booking systems.
Southern Railway recorded the highest occupancy levels in Vande Bharat services nationwide. The Thiruvananthapuram–Mangaluru Central route reported an exceptional 187.78% occupancy, with three other services from the zone also ranking among the top 10.