In a bid to provide relief from the rising summer heat, Central Railway (CR) will introduce 14 additional air-conditioned (AC) suburban train services on Mumbai’s Main line from April 16. These services will replace existing non-AC trains, keeping the total number of CR suburban services steady at 1,810.
Of the 14 new AC services, two will run during peak hours—one from Kalyan to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in the morning and another from CSMT to Thane in the evening.
Rising demand for air-conditioned travel
The move follows a sharp increase in AC local train ridership. In 2023, 2.09 crore commuters used AC locals, a number that rose to 2.84 crore in 2024. With temperatures soaring, the demand for cooler, more comfortable travel has surged.
While these 14 services will enhance commuter comfort, they will not increase the total number of trains. Instead, CR will replace non-AC trains with AC ones to meet growing passenger preferences without altering the daily schedule. As per latest reports, railway officials are currently working out the logistics for seamless integration of the new services.
