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

Manthan K Mehta / TNN / Updated: Apr 17, 2026, 14:18 IST

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Central Railway set to cross 100 AC trips milestone

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.

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AC services to rise from 94 to 108 daily trips

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.

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New AC rake to boost summer capacity

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.

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Harbour line to see additional AC services

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.

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AC locals currently run on two key routes

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.

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Gap with Western Railway to narrow

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.

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Ridership still higher on Western Railway

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.

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Harbour line AC services see steady usage

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

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Central Railway fleet currently has 7 AC rakes

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.

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Long-term plan: 238 AC rakes by 2030

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.