January 2, 2026: Western Railway (WR) implemented a revised timetable for long-distance mail, express and MEMU/DEMU services from Thursday, January 1, 2026, introducing a series of operational changes aimed at easing travel across Mumbai and strengthening rail connectivity. The new schedule reflects efforts to respond to rising passenger demand while improving punctuality and overall efficiency on one of the country’s busiest rail networks.
The Mumbai Central Division has seen the most significant gains under the revised timetable. As many as 29 trains have been accelerated, resulting in cumulative time savings of 157 minutes each day. Of these, eight departing services account for 72 minutes saved, while 20 arriving trains save 85 minutes daily, highlighting a balanced approach to reducing journey times in both directions.
Operational adjustments have also led to terminal changes at Mumbai Central and Bandra Terminus. Owing to platform blocks for ongoing construction, trains 12925/12926 and 12903/12904 have been shifted to Bandra Terminus. Train 22209/22210 has been extended to terminate at Nizamuddin instead of New Delhi. Officials said these changes were required due to infrastructure works and have been planned to minimise passenger inconvenience.
To strengthen punctuality, WR has revised departure and arrival timings for 29 services. Fifteen upward and 14 downward trains have been postponed by 2 to 15 minutes, while train 22949 from Bandra Terminus to Delhi has been rescheduled by 145 minutes to ensure more realistic running times. At the same time, seven upward and nine downward services have been preponed by up to 30 minutes based on operational data and passenger patterns.
Connectivity has also been expanded through new halts. The Mumbai Central–Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express now stops at Valsad, Navsari and Anand, while the Bandra Terminus–Surat Intercity Express has added Umargam as a halt. Several services have been extended to new destinations, integrating long-distance routes more closely with Mumbai’s suburban network.
WR has also leveraged the sixth line at select stations to better separate freight and passenger movements, reducing conflicts and delays. Speed enhancements on key trains, along with careful coordination of platform usage and crossings, underline the complexity of the exercise. Officials said the revised timetable positions Mumbai’s rail system for sustained improvements in reliability, connectivity and passenger satisfaction.
