Get ready for a significant leap in India’s logistics! Indian Railways, in collaboration with the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), is all set to introduce its inaugural container train service offering a guaranteed transit time. This pioneering pilot project is scheduled to kick off on October 1, 2025.
This innovative bi-weekly service will connect the Inland Container Depot (ICD) Tughlakabad in Delhi to CONCOR’s CTCS terminal in Kolkata, making strategic stops in Agra and Kanpur. What makes this special? It’s the first container service on this crucial corridor to promise a swift and reliable 120-hour (five-day) transit time.
Dedicated to efficiency, the train will traverse a specific route: TICD (Delhi) to ICDY (Agra), then to ICDG (Kanpur), and finally reaching CTKR/CTCS (Kolkata). With departures scheduled every Wednesday and Saturday, this service will utilize a smart hub-and-spoke model in Agra and Kanpur. This strategic approach ensures seamless cargo collection and distribution, dramatically broadening the service’s accessibility.
To sweeten the deal and encourage widespread adoption, CONCOR is proactively waiving empty wagon haulage charges for the Tughlakabad to Kanpur leg, further enhancing cost-effectiveness for businesses.
According to a press statement from the Railway Ministry, this pilot project is poised to deliver a multitude of benefits for customers. These include door-to-door assured and reliable delivery for time-sensitive cargo, a competitive alternative to traditional road transport, enhanced connectivity for freight originating from the northern hinterland, and exclusive priority benefits for businesses that choose to adopt this service early.