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Four BNSF GE C44-9W diesel locomotives hauling a mixed freight train along the banks of the Columbia River, between Kennewick and Wishram, Washington State, USA
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Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods, by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. It is also commonly referred to as train transport. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks on which they run. Track usually consists of steel rails installed on sleepers/ties and ballast, on which the rolling stock, usually fitted with metal wheels, moves. However, other variations are also possible, such as slab track where the rails are fastened to a concrete foundation resting on a prepared subsurface.

Rolling stock in railway transport systems generally has lower frictional resistance when compared with highway vehicles, and the passenger and freight cars (carriages and wagons) can be coupled into longer trains. The operation is carried out by a railway company, providing transport between train stations or freight customer facilities. Power is provided by locomotives which either draw electrical power from a railway electrification system or produce their own power, usually by diesel engines. Most tracks are accompanied by a signalling system. Railways are a safe land transport system when compared to other forms of transport.[Nb 1] Railway transport is capable of high levels of passenger and cargo utilization and energy efficiency, but is often less flexible and more capital-intensive than highway transport is, when lower traffic levels are considered. The oldest, man-hauled railways date to the 6th century B.C, with Periander, one of the Seven Sages of Greece, credited with its invention. Rail transport blossomed after the British development of the steam engine as a viable source of power in the 18th and 19th centuries. With steam engines, it was possible to construct mainline railways, which were a key component of the industrial revolution. Also, railways reduced the costs of shipping, and allowed for fewer lost goods. The change from canals to railways allowed for "national markets" in which prices varied very little from city to city. Studies have shown that the invention and development of the railway in Europe was one of the most important technological inventions of the late 19th century for the United States, without which, GDP would have been lower by 7.0% in 1890. In the 1880s, electrified trains were introduced, and also the first tramways and rapid transit systems came into being. Starting during the 1940s, the non-electrified railways in most countries had their steam locomotives replaced by diesel-electric locomotives, with the process being almost complete by 2000. During the 1960s, electrified high-speed railway systems were introduced in Japan and a few other countries. Other forms of guided ground transport outside the traditional railway definitions, such as monorail or maglev, have been tried but have seen limited use. 1y Transport in the Republic of India is an important part of the nation's economy. Since the economic liberalisation of the 1990s, development of infrastructure within the country has progressed at a rapid pace, and today there is a wide variety of modes of transport by land, water and air. However, India's relatively low GDP per capita has meant that access to these modes of transport has not been uniform. Motor vehicle penetration is low by international standards, with only 103 million cars on the nation's roads.[1] In addition, only around 10% of Indian households own a motorcycle.[2] At the same time, the automobile industry in India is rapidly growing with an annual production of over 4.6 million vehicles,[3] and vehicle volume is expected to rise greatly in the future.[4] In the interim however, public transport still remains the primary mode of transport for most of the population, and India's public transport systems are among the most heavily used in the world.[5] India's rail network is the 4th longest and the most heavily used system in the world,[5] transporting 7651 million passengers and over 921 million tonnes of freight annually, as of 2011.[6]:3, 56

Despite ongoing improvements in the sector, several aspects of the transport sector are still riddled with problems due to outdated infrastructure and lack of investment in less economically active parts of the country. The demand for transport infrastructure and services has been rising by around 10% a year[5] with the current infrastructure being unable to meet these growing demands. According to recent estimates by Goldman Sachs, India will need to spend US$1.7 trillion on infrastructure projects over the next decade to boost economic growth, of which US$500 billion is budgeted to be spent during thEleventh Five-Year Plan[7]Mumbai-Pune ExpresswayexpresswayWorli This article is about general features common to all forms of rail transport in India. For the national railway network in India, see Indian Railways.

Map showing the Indian rail network and travelling times between major stations Rail transport is a commonly used mode of long-distance transportation in India. Almost all rail operations in India are handled by a state-owned organisation, Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways. The rail network traverses the length and breadth of the country, covering in 2011 a total length of 64,460 kilometres (40,050 mi).[1]:3 It is the 4th largest railway network in the world,[2] transporting 7651 million passengers and over 921 million tonnes of freight annually, as of 2011.[1]:3, 56 Its operations cover twenty eight states and three union territories and also provide limited service to Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Both passenger and freight traffic has seen steady growth, and as per the 2009 budget presented by the Railway Minister, the Indian Railways carried over 7 billion passengers in 2009 Railways were introduced to India in 1853 from Bombay to Thane,[3] and by the time of India's independence in 1947 they had grown to forty-two rail systems. In 1951 the systems were nationalised as one unitIndian Railwaysto form one of the largest networks in the world. The broad gauge is the majority and original standard gauge in India; more recent networks of

metre and narrow gauge are being replaced by broad gauge under Project Unigauge. The steam locomotives have been replaced over the years with diesel and electric locomotives. Locomotives manufactured at several places in India are assigned codes identifying their gauge, kind of power and type of operation. Colour signal lights are used as signals, but in some remote areas of operation, the older semaphores and disc-based signalling are still in use. Accommodation classes range from general through first class AC. Trains have been classified according to speed and area of operation. All trains are officially identified by a five-digit code (changed from four digits on 20 December 2010)[4] though many are commonly known by unique names. The ticketing system has been computerised to a large extent, and there are reserved as well as unreserved categories of tickets.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages 127 airports including 15 international (12 AAI and civil enclaves ), 87 domestic airports (7 customs and 80 domestic airports ) and 25 civil enclaves at defence airfields. It controls and manages the entire Indian airspace 2.8 million nautical miles square on land and 1.75 million nautical miles oceanic area and restricted land area restricted land area 0.37 million nautical mile square. In 1994 the Air Corporation Act of 1953 was repealed with a view to removing monopoly of air corporations on scheduled services, enabling private airlines to operate schedules service, converting Indian Airlines and Air India to limited company and enabling private participation in the national carriers. However, beginning 1990 private airline companies have been allowed to operate air taxi services, resulting in the establishment of Jet Airways and Air Sahara. These changes in the Indian aviation policies resulted in the increase of the share of private airline operators in domestic passenger carriage to 68.5% in 2005 from 0.4 of 1991. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) predicts that domestic traffic will grow at 25% to 30% a year until 2010 and international traffic growth by 15% taking the overall market to more than 100 million passengers by the end of the decade. Indian carriers have 480 aircraft on order for delivery by 2012. The number of air travelers is about 0.8% of the population. By the time even 10% of the population begins to fly, India will need about 5,000 aircraft. There are 11 scheduled passenger operator and one cargo operator in the country with a combined fleet size of 407 aircraft.

Average:

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages 127 airports including 15 international (12 AAI and civil enclaves ), 87 domestic airports (7 customs and 80 domestic airports ) and 25 civil enclaves at defence airfields. It controls and manages the entire Indian airspace 2.8 million nautical miles square on land and 1.75 million nautical miles oceanic area and restricted land area restricted land area 0.37 million nautical mile square. In 1994 the Air Corporation Act of 1953 was repealed with a view to removing monopoly of air corporations on scheduled services, enabling private airlines to operate schedules service, converting Indian Airlines and Air India to limited company and enabling private participation in the national carriers. However, beginning 1990 private airline companies have been allowed to operate air taxi services, resulting in the establishment of Jet Airways and Air Sahara. These changes in the Indian aviation policies resulted in the increase of the share of private airline operators in domestic passenger carriage to 68.5% in 2005 from 0.4 of 1991. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) predicts that domestic traffic will grow at 25% to 30% a year until 2010 and international traffic growth by 15% taking the overall market to more than 100 million passengers by the end of the decade. Indian carriers have 480 aircraft on order for delivery by 2012. The number of air travelers is about 0.8% of the population. By the time even 10% of the population begins to fly, India will need about 5,000 aircraft. There are 11 scheduled passenger operator and one cargo operator in the country with a combined fleet size of 407 aircraft.

Average:

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages 127 airports including 15 international (12 AAI and civil enclaves ), 87 domestic airports (7 customs and 80 domestic airports ) and 25 civil enclaves at defence airfields. It controls and manages the entire Indian airspace 2.8 million nautical miles square on land and 1.75 million nautical miles oceanic area and restricted land area restricted land area 0.37 million nautical mile square.

In 1994 the Air Corporation Act of 1953 was repealed with a view to removing monopoly of air corporations on scheduled services, enabling private airlines to operate schedules service, converting Indian Airlines and Air India to limited company and enabling private participation in the national carriers. However, beginning 1990 private airline companies have been allowed to operate air taxi services, resulting in the establishment of Jet Airways and Air Sahara. These changes in the Indian aviation policies resulted in the increase of the share of private airline operators in domestic passenger carriage to 68.5% in 2005 from 0.4 of 1991. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) predicts that domestic traffic will grow at 25% to 30% a year until 2010 and international traffic growth by 15% taking the overall market to more than 100 million passengers by the end of the decade. Indian carriers have 480 aircraft on order for delivery by 2012. The number of air travelers is about 0.8% of the population. By the time even 10% of the population begins to fly, India will need about 5,000 aircraft. There are 11 scheduled passenger operator and one cargo operator in the country with a combined fleet size of 407 aircraft.

Average:

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages 127 airports including 15 international (12 AAI and civil enclaves ), 87 domestic airports (7 customs and 80 domestic airports ) and 25 civil enclaves at defence airfields. It controls and manages the entire Indian airspace 2.8 million nautical miles square on land and 1.75 million nautical miles oceanic area and restricted land area restricted land area 0.37 million nautical mile square. In 1994 the Air Corporation Act of 1953 was repealed with a view to removing monopoly of air corporations on scheduled services, enabling private airlines to operate schedules service, converting Indian Airlines and Air India to limited company and enabling private participation in the national carriers. However, beginning 1990 private airline companies have been allowed to operate air taxi services, resulting in the establishment of Jet Airways and Air Sahara.

These changes in the Indian aviation policies resulted in the increase of the share of private airline operators in domestic passenger carriage to 68.5% in 2005 from 0.4 of 1991. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) predicts that domestic traffic will grow at 25% to 30% a year until 2010 and international traffic growth by 15% taking the overall market to more than 100 million passengers by the end of the decade. Indian carriers have 480 aircraft on order for delivery by 2012. The number of air travelers is about 0.8% of the population. By the time even 10% of the population begins to fly, India will need about 5,000 aircraft. There are 11 scheduled passenger operator and one cargo operator in the country with a combined fleet size of 407 aircraft.

Average:

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages 127 airports including 15 international (12 AAI and civil enclaves ), 87 domestic airports (7 customs and 80 domestic airports ) and 25 civil enclaves at defence airfields. It controls and manages the entire Indian airspace 2.8 million nautical miles square on land and 1.75 million nautical miles oceanic area and restricted land area restricted land area 0.37 million nautical mile square. In 1994 the Air Corporation Act of 1953 was repealed with a view to removing monopoly of air corporations on scheduled services, enabling private airlines to operate schedules service, converting Indian Airlines and Air India to limited company and enabling private participation in the national carriers. However, beginning 1990 private airline companies have been allowed to operate air taxi services, resulting in the establishment of Jet Airways and Air Sahara. These changes in the Indian aviation policies resulted in the increase of the share of private airline operators in domestic passenger carriage to 68.5% in 2005 from 0.4 of 1991. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) predicts that domestic traffic will grow at 25% to 30% a year until 2010 and international traffic growth by 15% taking the overall market to more than 100 million passengers by the end of the decade. Indian carriers have 480 aircraft on order for delivery by 2012.

The number of air travelers is about 0.8% of the population. By the time even 10% of the population begins to fly, India will need about 5,000 aircraft. There are 11 scheduled passenger operator and one cargo operator in the country with a combined fleet size of 407 aircraft.

Average:

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages 127 airports including 15 international (12 AAI and civil enclaves ), 87 domestic airports (7 customs and 80 domestic airports ) and 25 civil enclaves at defence airfields. It controls and manages the entire Indian airspace 2.8 million nautical miles square on land and 1.75 million nautical miles oceanic area and restricted land area restricted land area 0.37 million nautical mile square. In 1994 the Air Corporation Act of 1953 was repealed with a view to removing monopoly of air corporations on scheduled services, enabling private airlines to operate schedules service, converting Indian Airlines and Air India to limited company and enabling private participation in the national carriers. However, beginning 1990 private airline companies have been allowed to operate air taxi services, resulting in the establishment of Jet Airways and Air Sahara. These changes in the Indian aviation policies resulted in the increase of the share of private airline operators in domestic passenger carriage to 68.5% in 2005 from 0.4 of 1991. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) predicts that domestic traffic will grow at 25% to 30% a year until 2010 and international traffic growth by 15% taking the overall market to more than 100 million passengers by the end of the decade. Indian carriers have 480 aircraft on order for delivery by 2012. The number of air travelers is about 0.8% of the population. By the time even 10% of the population begins to fly, India will need about 5,000 aircraft. There are 11 scheduled passenger operator and one cargo operator in the country with a combined fleet size of 407 aircraft.

Average:

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages 127 airports including 15 international (12 AAI and civil enclaves ), 87 domestic airports (7 customs and 80 domestic airports ) and 25 civil enclaves at defence airfields. It controls and manages the entire Indian airspace 2.8 million nautical miles square on land and 1.75 million nautical miles oceanic area and restricted land area restricted land area 0.37 million nautical mile square. In 1994 the Air Corporation Act of 1953 was repealed with a view to removing monopoly of air corporations on scheduled services, enabling private airlines to operate schedules service, converting Indian Airlines and Air India to limited company and enabling private participation in the national carriers. However, beginning 1990 private airline companies have been allowed to operate air taxi services, resulting in the establishment of Jet Airways and Air Sahara. These changes in the Indian aviation policies resulted in the increase of the share of private airline operators in domestic passenger carriage to 68.5% in 2005 from 0.4 of 1991. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) predicts that domestic traffic will grow at 25% to 30% a year until 2010 and international traffic growth by 15% taking the overall market to more than 100 million passengers by the end of the decade. Indian carriers have 480 aircraft on order for delivery by 2012. The number of air travelers is about 0.8% of the population. By the time even 10% of the population begins to fly, India will need about 5,000 aircraft. There are 11 scheduled passenger operator and one cargo operator in the country with a combined fleet size of 407 aircraft.

Average:

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages 127 airports including 15 international (12 AAI and civil enclaves ), 87 domestic airports (7 customs and 80 domestic airports ) and 25 civil enclaves at defence airfields. It controls and manages the entire Indian airspace 2.8 million nautical miles square on land and 1.75 million nautical miles oceanic area and restricted land area restricted land area 0.37 million nautical mile square. In 1994 the Air Corporation Act of 1953 was repealed with a view to removing monopoly of air corporations on scheduled services, enabling private airlines to operate

schedules service, converting Indian Airlines and Air India to limited company and enabling private participation in the national carriers.

However, beginning 1990 private airline companies have been allowed to operate air taxi services, resulting in the establishment of Jet Airways and Air Sahara. These changes in the Indian aviation policies resulted in the increase of the share of private airline operators in domestic passenger carriage to 68.5% in 2005 from 0.4 of 1991. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) predicts that domestic traffic will grow at 25% to 30% a year until 2010 and international traffic growth by 15% taking the overall market to more than 100 million passengers by the end of the decade. Indian carriers have 480 aircraft on order for delivery by 2012. The number of air travelers is about 0.8% of the population. By the time even 10% of the population begins to fly, India will need about 5,000 aircraft. There are 11 scheduled passenger operator and one cargo operator in the country with a combined fleet size of 407 aircraft.

Average:

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages 127 airports including 15 international (12 AAI and civil enclaves ), 87 domestic airports (7 customs and 80 domestic airports ) and 25 civil enclaves at defence airfields. It controls and manages the entire Indian airspace 2.8 million nautical miles square on land and 1.75 million nautical miles oceanic area and restricted land area restricted land area 0.37 million nautical mile square. In 1994 the Air Corporation Act of 1953 was repealed with a view to removing monopoly of air corporations on scheduled services, enabling private airlines to operate schedules service, converting Indian Airlines and Air India to limited company and enabling private participation in the national carriers. However, beginning 1990 private airline companies have been allowed to operate air taxi services, resulting in the establishment of Jet Airways and Air Sahara. These changes in the Indian aviation policies resulted in the increase of the share of private airline operators in domestic passenger carriage to 68.5% in 2005 from 0.4 of 1991.

The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) predicts that domestic traffic will grow at 25% to 30% a year until 2010 and international traffic growth by 15% taking the overall market to more than 100 million passengers by the end of the decade. Indian carriers have 480 aircraft on order for delivery by 2012. The number of air travelers is about 0.8% of the population. By the time even 10% of the population begins to fly, India will need about 5,000 aircraft. There are 11 scheduled passenger operator and one cargo operator in the country with a combined fleet size of 407 aircraft.

Average: