Indian Railways has operated its first double-stack long-haul container train from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) near Mumbai to Varnama in the Vadodara Division, transporting 360 TEUs of containers over a distance of around 422 km, according to PIB.
The train was dispatched from JNPT at 7 pm on August 21, 2026, and was headed to the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) GCT terminal at Varnama.
The formation consisted of two double-stack container rakes, allowing a larger volume of freight to be moved in a single train movement.
Two double-stack rakes carried 360 TEUs
The leading JNPT-Vadodara rake carried 45+1 containers and had a locomotive numbered 60311. It carried a total tonnage of 1,817 tonnes.
The trailing rake, also operating between JNPT and Vadodara, had a load of 45+1 containers and was hauled by locomotive 24690. Its total tonnage was 2,105 tonnes.
Together, the two rakes transported 360 TEUs, demonstrating the ability of a single long-haul movement to carry a substantially higher volume of containerised freight.
The operation is expected to improve the evacuation of containers from JNPT and other freight terminals by moving larger quantities in fewer train movements.
Long-haul operation to reduce congestion, transit time
Moving more containers in a single train can help reduce the number of train movements required for transporting an equivalent volume of freight. This could improve the utilisation of available railway route capacity while reducing congestion at terminals.
The double-stack operation can also reduce the requirement for locomotives and container flat wagons compared with moving the same volume of freight through multiple train services.
Indian Railways said long-haul container operations can also help reduce overall freight transit time by enabling faster movement and evacuation of containers.
The higher carrying capacity is expected to support faster evacuation from ports and freight terminals while helping reduce overall transportation costs.
Electrified freight movement supports green transport
The operation also highlights Indian Railways’ focus on shifting freight towards more sustainable modes of transportation. The train was electrically hauled, reducing dependence on diesel-powered road transport for moving the equivalent cargo.
A single double-stack long-haul container train can carry freight that would otherwise require a large number of road trucks. This can help reduce diesel consumption, road congestion and vehicle emissions, while lowering the overall carbon footprint associated with freight transportation.