Western Railway

Western Indian Railway is one of the busiest rail networks of India. It was formed on November 5, 1951 with a merger of many state-owned railways, consisting of Baroda, Bombay and Central India Railway, and Rajputana Railway, Saurashtra Railway and Jaipur State Railway. In 1951, the narrow gauge lines of Cutch State Railway were also merged.

Western Indian Railway started its first rural services with steam traction in April 1867. By year 1870, it extended its network till Churchgate. Forty five more trains were started in both directions by 1900 so as to offer transport facilities to over 1 million passengers each year.

In year 1928, it launched its first train between Churchgate and Borivali route. Ahmedabad - Vadodara, Palanpur - Ahmedabad and Ratlam - Mumbai Central are few of the chief railway lines of Indian Railways that fall under jurisdiction of Western Indian Railways. The zone covers Gujarat state, eastern segment of Rajasthan, Maharashtra coast and a fraction of Western Madhya Pradesh. The zone also serves numerous ports on western coast of India.

Main/Long Routes of Western Railway

Ratlam Junction - Mumbai Central
Ahmedabad - Mumbai
Palanpur - Ahmedabad

Vadodara railway station, being the junction point for the Ahmedabad - Mumbai route and the Mumbai - Delhi route, is the busiest junction station in Western Railways and one of the busiest junctions of Indian Railways too.

Facts about Western Railway (WR)

Headquarters: Mumbai
Location: Churchgate, Mumbai
Length: 6182
Area Covered: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
Predecessor: Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway (BB&CI) Saurashtra Railway Rajputana Railway Jaipur State Railway
Track gauge: Broad gauge, meter gauge
Dates of established: 05-Nov-1951
Dates of operation: 05-Nov-1951
Website: http://www.wr.indianrailways.gov.in/