Mumbai: Western Railway AC Locals See Record Demand

Rising temperatures in Mumbai during May prompted a large number of commuters to opt for air-conditioned local trains, leading to a significant increase in both ridership and revenue on Western Railway's AC suburban services. The surge was so substantial that a new record was set on May 11, 2026, when more than 50,000 AC local tickets and passes were sold in a single day.

According to data released by Western Railway, a total of 50,663 tickets and passes were issued for AC local trains on May 11, generating a record revenue of INR 1.60 crore. The previous record had been set just a week earlier, on May 4, when 47,475 tickets and passes were sold, earning the railway INR 1.60 crore in revenue.

The intense summer heat played a key role in driving commuters towards AC local services. Between May 1 and May 31, 2026, as many as 5.89 million passengers travelled by AC local trains on the Western Railway network. During the same period, the railway earned INR 28.10 crore from AC local operations. Railway officials said this represented a 28.67 per cent increase compared to the corresponding period last year.

Encouraged by the growing demand, Western Railway is considering increasing the number of AC local services in the future. At present, the railway operates 145 AC local train services on weekdays, while 118 services are run on Saturdays and Sundays.

The growth trend has been evident throughout the year. Between January and May 2026, Western Railway sold 5.24 million AC local tickets and passes, generating revenue of approximately INR 119 crore. During the corresponding period in 2025, 4.07 million tickets and passes were sold, resulting in revenue of INR 97 crore. The figures indicate a substantial year-on-year increase in both passenger numbers and earnings.

Meanwhile, Western Railway has also intensified action against ticketless travel in AC local trains. In May 2026, officials detected 18,305 cases of ticketless travel and collected INR 56 lakh in fines. By comparison, 4,320 cases were recorded in May 2025, yielding penalties of INR 14.66 lakh.

With AC local trains attracting a growing number of passengers, especially during the summer months, railway authorities are expected to focus on strengthening and expanding the service to meet rising commuter demand while improving overall passenger comfort.