Mumbai to get more AC local trains as Central Railway set to cross 100-trip mark

Central Railway is set to scale up its air-conditioned suburban services to 108 daily trips by April-end, marking a major milestone as AC locals cross the 100-services mark for the first time.

The increase will come with the addition of 12–14 new services, taking the total number of AC trips from 94 to 108, improving travel options for commuters across Mumbai’s suburban network.

A new AC local rake, currently being manufactured at Integral Coach Factory, is expected to arrive by April-end, helping meet rising demand during peak summer.

The expansion includes more trips on the CSMT–Panvel harbour line, building on the earlier rollout of AC services introduced on this corridor earlier this year.

At present, AC suburban trains operate on the CSMT–Kalyan main line and the CSMT–Panvel harbour corridor, covering some of Mumbai’s busiest commuter stretches.

Even after the expansion, Central Railway will still trail Western Railway, which operates 133 AC services daily, but the gap will reduce to about 25 services.

Daily ridership on AC locals stands at around 1.06 lakh passengers on Central Railway, compared to 1.75 lakh on Western Railway, reflecting higher demand on the western corridor.

On the harbour line alone, around 4,471 tickets are sold daily, translating into nearly 40,000 passengers, indicating growing acceptance of AC travel.

The network currently operates 7 AC local rakes, which together run 94 services daily — a number set to rise with the addition of the new rake.

Looking ahead, Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation has floated tenders for 238 AC local rakes, though large-scale rollout is expected only by 2030 as part of long-term suburban upgrades.