AC local ridership on Western Railway up 32% in April-October, earnings rise about Rs 42 crore

Mumbai commuters are increasingly choosing Western Railway's AC local trains. Between April and October this year, AC local ridership rose 32 per cent over the same period last year, and earnings from these trains went up by about Rs 42 crore.

According to official figures, the Mumbai Central division earned Rs 2,469.36 crore from passenger revenue in the seven months from April to October, against Rs 2,292.37 crore in the same period last year. That is a rise of 7.72 per cent, or about Rs 177 crore.

On AC locals, 4.16 crore passengers travelled between April and October 2026, against 3.15 crore a year earlier, an increase of more than one crore. Earnings from AC locals grew from Rs 130.88 crore to Rs 172.71 crore, a sharp rise of 31.96 per cent. Ridership on AC locals grew 32.04 per cent.

Passenger numbers and earnings rose almost in step, which shows that carrying more passengers was a major reason for the higher earnings. The division's suburban passenger earnings totalled Rs 533.48 crore, and AC locals account for about one-third of that, which shows how important these trains are.

Despite such a large rise in earnings, the division's total passenger count stayed almost the same. Between April and October 2026, the division carried 68.56 crore passengers, against 68.52 crore in the same period last year. Even so, passenger earnings went up by about Rs 177 crore.

Non-suburban trains remained the biggest earners. They brought in Rs 1,935.88 crore, a rise of 8.22 per cent, and account for more than 78 per cent of the division's total passenger earnings. Suburban services earned Rs 533.48 crore, up 5.96 per cent, of which non-AC locals contributed Rs 360.77 crore.

Vineet Abhishek, chief spokesperson of Western Railway, said, "This has been made possible by efforts to make better use of train capacity, run additional services, add coaches and draw passengers towards premium travel."

The seven-month figures for April to October 2026 at a glance: total passenger earnings Rs 2,469.36 crore; rise in total earnings 7.72 per cent; AC local earnings Rs 172.71 crore; rise in AC local earnings 31.96 per cent; AC local passengers 4.16 crore; rise in AC passengers 32.04 per cent; total passengers 68.56 crore.