Every year, the Indian railways see an increase in the number of passengers who uses the trains for all sorts of journeys! Reasons to get around are plenty, which is why every year, the government tries to optimize routes and increase the number of trains and platforms in busy stations. The Indian Railways is one of the largest railway networks globally and ranks third when it comes to the number of stations and kilometers of tracks.
Top five railway stations based on platforms
If you are looking for the top five railway stations in the country based on the platforms they contain, read on to find out!
Howrah Junction Railway Station
The Howrah Junction Railway station, located in Howrah, West Bengal, is the largest and the oldest railway station in the country. Although it is not the biggest railways junction in India, it is still one of the busiest stations in India and offers travel services to at least 2 million people daily. There are 23 platforms in this station and 23 tracks. On average, the number of trains that cross the station every day is 286.
Sealdah Railway Station
The Sealdah Railway station, located in Sealdah, Kolkata, is a significant suburban station. The station is home to 21 platforms, and these are separated into two terminals- the south and the north terminal. The south terminal contains 7 platforms, while the north terminal has 14. It serves at least 1 million people per day, and around 78 trains cross every day.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Also called the CST, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus is one of the busiest stations in the country and is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The railway station was once known as the Victoria Terminus, and it now contains 18 platforms. Out of these 18, 11 are long-distance trains from Mumbai, while 7 are local trains that offer services within Mumbai. At least 130 trains cross these platforms every day.
Chennai Central Railway Station
Considered to be one of the cleanest railway stations in India, the Chennai Central railway station, located in Tamil Nadu, is home to 17 platforms. Of these 17, 12 platforms are for trains that run long distances while 5 are to local and suburban areas. The Chennai station is also one of the busiest stations in South India and is considered a very profitable station. On average, there are around 200 trains that run on those tracks, and the station serves at least half a million people every day.
New Delhi Railway Station
The New Delhi Railway Station has 16 platforms and is considered the fourth busiest railway station in India. The station is considered one of the most complex interlocking systems in the world. Though it handles only around half a million people every day, the station is still considered one of the biggest railway junction in India.
Indian Railways is definitely the country’s lifeline and is a significant mode of transportation among millions of people each day!