Largest Railway Zone in India, Check the List

India, country known for its extensive railway network, boasts one of the world’s largest and busiest rail systems. In 2023, the Northern Railway Zone stands out as the largest and most significant railway zone in India. Covering a vast expanse of the northern part of India, this railway zone plays a pivotal role in connecting major cities, facilitating economic development, and ensuring efficient transportation of goods and passengers.

Railway Zones of India

The Ministry of Railways, a governmental body in India, oversees the operations of Indian Railways, a vast and intricate network that began its journey with the inauguration of the first passenger train from Bombay to Thane in 1853. In 1951, a significant milestone was reached when the entire system was nationalized, transforming Indian Railways into one of the largest railway networks in the world.

To streamline operations across the vast expanse of the country, Indian Railways is organized into zones and divisions. Zones represent extensive regions, covering entire states or portions of multiple states, while divisions are sub-categories that facilitate more localized management. Currently, there are 70 divisions and 19 zones, including the Kolkata Metro Railway.

Within this organizational structure, each division is overseen by a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), who, in turn, reports to the General Manager of the respective zone. This hierarchical framework ensures efficient coordination and management of railway operations throughout the country.

India’s Largest Railway Zone 2023

The Northern Railway Zone, established in 1859 and officially designated a railway zone on April 14, 1952, is now renowned as one of India’s oldest and largest railway zones. Covering Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab and parts of Uttar Pradesh, it extends its services to key Union Territories such as Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh. Headquartered at Baroda House in new Delhi, the Northern Railway operates an expansive railway network spanning an impressive 6,807 kilometers. Its rich history, extensive coverage and vital role in connecting diverse regions solidify its status as a cornerstone of India’s vast railway network.

Largest Railway Zones in India, List

Norther Railway Zone (NR) with the total length of 6,968 km with the 1142 stations, stands as the largest railway zone in India, followed by Western Railway Zone, North Western Railway Zone and Southern Railway Zone.

Here is the list of largest railway zones in India:

Railway Zone	Code	Zone Headquarter	Route Length (in km)	Number of Stations	Railway Divisions
Northern Railway	NR	Delhi	6,968	1142	Delhi, Ambala, Firozpur, Lucknow NR, Moradabad
Western Railway	WR	Mumbai	6,182	1046	Mumbai WR, Ratlam, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Vododara
North Western Railway	NWR	Jaipur	5,459	663	Jaipur, Ajmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur
Southern Railway	SR	Chennai Central	5,079	890	Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Palakkad, Salem, Thiruvananthapuram
Central Railway	CR	Mumbai CSMT	4,102	612	Mumbai, Bhusawal, Pune, Solapur, Nagpur CR
Northeast Frontier Railway	NFR	Maligaon, Guwahati	3,948	753	Alipurduar, Katihar, Rangiya, Lumding, Tinsukia
North Eastern Railway	NER	Gorakhpur	3,667	537	Izzatnagar, Lucknow NER, Varanasi
East Central Railway	ECR	Hajipur	3,628	800	Danapur, Dhanbad, Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Samastipur, Sonpur
South Western Railway	SWR	Hubballi	3,566	456	Hubballi, Bengaluru, Mysuru
South Coast Railway	SCoR	Visakhapatnam	3,496		Waltair, Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal
North Central Railway	NCR	Prayagraj	3,151	435	Prayagraj, Agra, Jhansi
South Central Railway	SCR	Secunderabad Junction	3,127	883	Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Nanded
West Central Railway	WCR	Jabalpur	2,965	372	Jabalpur, Bhopal, Kota
South Eastern Railway	SER	Garden Reach, Kolkata	2,631	353	Adra, Chakradharpur, Kharagpur, Ranchi
South East Central Railway	SECR	Bilaspur	2,447	358	Bilaspur, Raipur, Nagpur SEC
Eastern Railway	ER	Fairlie Place, Kolkata	2,414	576	Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol, Malda
East Coast Railway	ECoR	Bhubaneswar	2,204	342	Khurda Road, Sambalpur, Rayagada
Konkan Railway	KR	Navi Mumbai	741	67	Karwar, Ratnagiri
Metro Railway, Kolkata	MTP	Kolkata	39	33