After a year of steady improvement, the first half of 2025 shows a slight reversal in train punctuality trends. According to a recently published performance report by RailYatri, India’s top rail travel platform, average delays faced by passengers across the country rose from 35.75 minutes in 2024 to 36.63 minutes — a modest 2.45% increase. The median delay also edged up from 18.16 to 18.58 minutes. However, the overall picture remains better than in 2023, when the national average delay was 37.91 minutes. While there has been a minor pause in progress, most of the gains made in 2024 have held.
This slight increase in delays needs to be seen in context. The first half of 2025 saw extraordinary travel volumes due to the Kumbh Mela, placing additional pressure on several high-density routes.
State-level trends: Rajasthan improves, Chhattisgarh declines
Rajasthan: Travelers in Rajasthan in the first half of 2025 showed a remarkable 23.61% reduction in average delays compared to 2024, dropping from 38.93 minutes to 29.74 minutes. The median delay also improved significantly from 15.15 minutes to 13 minutes — suggesting consistent performance improvements across the board.
Chhattisgarh: Travelers from Chhattisgarh, which was among the top performers in 2024 with an 18.1% improvement, suffered the most in terms of delays this year. Average delays rose by 24.56% in the first half of 2025, climbing from 60.21 minutes to 74.99 minutes.
Train categories: Rajdhani gains, Humsafar slips
Rajdhani Express: Rajdhani Express train travelers saw improved punctuality with a 17.06% reduction in delays.
- New average delay: 29.06 mins
Humsafar Express: Passengers of Humsafar Express suffered the most. Humsafar trains saw a 26.51% increase in delays, from 58.18 minutes to 73.61 minutes, suggesting a need for review.
Corridor pressure points: Eastern routes face challenges
Some of the busiest eastern rail corridors faced higher delays:
- Howrah–Kharagpur
- Ranchi–Dhanbad
- Bhubaneswar–Cuttack
Travellers on these routes are advised to allow extra time, and these corridors are likely to be part of Indian Railways’ future improvement plans.
