Fewer riders, higher earnings—WR suburban revenue surpasses pre-Covid levels due to AC locals

WR’s general suburban services carried an average of 34.87 lakh passengers daily before Covid. Representational Pic

Mumbai's suburban railway network on the Western Railway (WR) is witnessing a curious post-pandemic trend: daily ridership remains below pre-Covid levels, yet revenue has not only recovered but surpassed earlier figures, largely driven by AC local trains.

WR operates as many as 133 AC local trains on its suburban section.

According to the latest data, WR's general suburban services carried an average of 34.87 lakh passengers daily before Covid, generating about Rs 2.12 crore in daily revenue. In contrast, current figures show 29.52 lakh daily passengers, but higher earnings of Rs 2.39 crore per day.

WR Mumbai Divisional Railway Manager Pankaj Singh attributed the increase in earnings to a change in passenger mix, with more commuters opting for AC EMUs. "In March 2026 alone, about 53.71 lakh passengers used AC locals. There has been a noticeable rise in commuters opting for first-class and AC local services, which yield higher fares," he said. Additionally, stricter enforcement against ticketless travel has improved compliance and contributed to higher collections.

Another factor is changing post-pandemic travel behaviour. With hybrid work models still in place, the number of daily office commuters, once the backbone of suburban traffic, has not fully rebounded. At the same time, occasional and non-regular travellers are more likely to purchase single tickets instead of heavily subsidised monthly passes, improving per-passenger revenue.

Singh also pointed to the growth of the Mumbai Metro system and the expansion of the road network, which are gradually offloading the dense crush load from the Mumbai suburban network, particularly among those willing to pay for more comfortable journeys.

Despite the dip in ridership, WR's suburban system appears to be moving toward a more revenue-efficient and comfortable model, where higher yield per passenger offsets lower volumes.