On Indian Railways, train occupancy varies throughout the year, with peak periods seeing full trains on popular routes, while lean periods and less popular routes experience suboptimal utilization. To manage this, Indian Railways regularly monitors traffic patterns and adjusts to demand by augmenting train loads, running special trains, introducing new services, and increasing train frequency, subject to operational feasibility.

To accommodate more passengers in General and non-AC Sleeper Coaches, the current policy for Mail/Express trains allows for 12 General and Sleeper class non-AC coaches and 8 AC coaches in a 22-coach train, maximizing capacity for non-AC travelers.

In addition to Mail/Express trains, unreserved non-AC passenger trains, MEMUs, and EMUs are also operated for affordable travel.

Currently, about 79,000 coaches are utilized for running train services.

Indian Railways have also introduced modern State-of the Art fully Non-AC Amrit Bharat trains. These trains have advanced features like Semi-Permanent couplers for jerk free travel, horizontal sliding windows, foldable snack table and bottle holders, mobile holders etc. These trains comprise of 12 Sleeper Class Coaches and 8 General Class coaches.

To generate additional accommodation for different segments of passengers, additional coaches are also added to existing trains on a permanent and temporary basis. Details of additional coaches attached on a permanent basis during the last two years are as under:

With a view to augment the accommodation and for the benefit of passengers travelling in unreserved coaches, about 1,200 General Class coaches have been attached in the Mail/Express trains operating with LHB coaches during the current financial year 2024-25. Keeping in view increased demand of the passengers travelling by non-AC coaches, IR has planned to manufacture 17,000 General Class/Sleeper Class Coaches.

In addition to the various types of regular trains, Indian Railways also operates Special train services during festivals, holidays, etc. to cater to the extra needs of passengers. The details of special trains operated during the year 2024 and year 2025 (till February, 2025) are as under:

This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

Source/PIB