Faster trains, new halts: Western Railway rolls out timetable to ease travel

Western Railwayrsquos WRrsquos new timetable for longdistance mail express and MEMU mainline electric multiple unitDEMU diesel electric multiple unit trains came into effect on Thursday January 1 2026 marking a transformative moment for Mumbairsquos railway infrastructure and connectivity The changes introduced reflect a comprehensive approach to addressing the metropoliss evergrowing transportation needs while significantly improving punctuality and passenger convenienceThe Mumbai Central Division has emerged as a major beneficiary of these reforms with substantial improvements across multiple operational parameters The division has successfully accelerated 29 trains collectively saving passengers 157 minutes every day This acceleration is split between eight departing trains saving 72 minutes and 20 arriving trains saving 85 minutes demonstrating a concerted effort to optimise travel times in both directionsTerminal changes at Mumbai Central and Bandra Terminus reflect pragmatic infrastructure management Due to platform blocking for construction work trains 1292512926 and 1290312904 have been rerouted from Mumbai Central to Bandra Terminus Similarly train 2220922210 now terminates at Nizamuddin instead of New Delhi streamlining operations Officials said these adjustments while necessitated by infrastructure development have been implemented with minimal disruption to passengersThe punctuality drive has resulted in careful schedule adjustmentsTwentynine trains have undergone postponement at originating or terminating stations to improve ontime performance including 15 upward and 14 downward trains with adjustments ranging from 2 to 15 minutes Notably train 22949 from Bandra Terminus to Delhi has been postponed by 145 minutes allowing for more realistic scheduling and improved reliabilityConversely preponement measures have been applied to numerous services Seven upward trains now depart earlier with timings adjusted between 2 to 5 minutes while nine downward trains leave ahead of their previous schedules with adjustments spanning 5 to 30 minutes Officials said these changes reflect datadriven scheduling based on actual operational patterns and passenger demandNew halts faster services and operational upgrades enhance Mumbairsquos rail connectivityAdditional halts have been strategically provided to enhance connectivity The Mumbai CentralndashGandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express 2090120902 now stops at Valsad Navsari and Anand stations improving accessibility for passengers in these important commercial centres The Bandra TerminusndashSurat Intercity Express 1293512936 has added a halt at Umargam station serving the industrial corridor more effectivelyThe Mumbai Division has also implemented 46 trains with adjusted timings specifically to accommodate new services and suburban network changes The Railways said this intricate choreography of train movements demonstrates the complexity of managing one of the worldrsquos busiest railway networks while continuously improving service qualityFreight and passenger train segregation has been better managed through the utilisation of the sixth line at various stations allowing for smoother operations and reduced conflicts between different types of rail traffic This infrastructure optimisation is crucial for maintaining punctuality in a network that handles millions of passengers dailySpeed improvements are particularly noteworthy Key services like the 19020 HaridwarndashBandra Terminus Express have been speeded up by 24 minutes while the 22901 Bandra TerminusndashUdaipur service has gained 10 minutes Officials said even incremental improvements of 1ndash5 minutes across multiple services add up to significant time savings for regular commutersThe extension of services has expanded Mumbairsquos connectivity footprint Train 59040 from Vapi to Virar has been extended to Mumbai Central providing better integration with the suburban network The 1246512466 IndorendashJodhpur Express now extends to Bhagat Ki Kothi 1470714708 DadarndashLalgarh to Hanumanagarh and 1249012489 DadarndashBikaner to Shriganganagar offering passengers more destination optionsFrom an operational perspective officials said meticulous planning went into managing platform assignments crossing points and avoiding conflicts between trains Adjustments made for the new JUndashHDP 20495 service alone required modifications to 21 other train schedules showcasing the intricate interdependencies in railway operationsLooking ahead these improvements position Mumbairsquos railway network for sustained growth and enhanced passenger satisfaction The focus on punctuality combined with strategic speed improvements and expanded connectivity addresses the core challenges faced by daily commuters and longdistance travellers alike As WR continues to modernise its infrastructure and operations Mumbai stands to benefit from worldclass railway services that match the cityrsquos status as Indiarsquos financial capitalAccording to the Railways the success of these initiatives will ultimately be measured by passenger satisfaction and sustained punctuality improvements Early indicators suggest that the careful planning and comprehensive approach adopted by WR is likely to deliver meaningful benefits to millions of passengers who depend on these services daily