East Coast Railway passenger earnings rise 18%

East Coast Railway (ECoR) reported an 18% increase in passenger earnings during the first six months of the 2026-27 financial year, reaching Rs 1,079.30 crore. This growth significantly outpaced the 1.76% rise in passenger bookings, indicating a higher average revenue per passenger, which rose from approximately Rs 240 to Rs 278.

The revenue surge is attributed to increased patronage of premium and AC services, such as Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains, as well as the introduction of new services and the augmentation of coaches on busy routes. Additional factors included special trains for festive seasons, steady demand on tourism and pilgrimage routes, and the expanded use of digital ticketing.

All ECoR divisions saw growth. The Khurda Road Division recorded the highest earnings at Rs 744.96 crore (up 18.68%), the Sambalpur Division earned Rs 133.76 crore (up 12.78%), and the Rayagada Division saw the highest growth rate at 24.41% with earnings of Rs 53.10 crore.