Indian Railways runs first 1.3-km-long double-stack container train: Watch Video

Indian Railways has successfully completed its inaugural 1.3-kilometer double-stack container train, a move designed to boost freight capacity and enhance logistics efficiency. Departing from Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) near Mumbai at 7 pm on August 21, 2026, the train traveled 422 kilometers to reach Varnama in Vadodara Division along the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC). Carrying 360 TEUs (containers), the train comprised two double-stack rakes joined together, with each rake carrying 180 TEUs.

The leading rake, traveling from JNPT to Vadodara, was hauled by locomotive 60311 and weighed 1,817 tonnes, while the trailing rake, also operating between JNPT and Vadodara, was pulled by locomotive 24690 and measured 2,105 tonnes. This innovative approach to freight transportation aims to reduce congestion at terminals, carry more containers in a single train, and improve the overall efficiency of freight movement.

By moving more freight in one train, the railways anticipate fewer train movements are needed to transport the same volume of cargo, potentially reducing transit times and minimizing reliance on diesel-powered road transport.