List of All Railway Zones in India:
- The Government of India owns the Ministry of Railways and operates Indian Railways system. As of March 2022, India manages fourth largest railway system network in the world by size after USA, China & Russia with a total route length of 68,043 km (42,280 mi).
- Indian Railways was introduced in the year 1853 and nationalized in 1950.
- Lord Dalhousie (1848-56) is said to be as the “Father of Indian Railway”.
- The first passenger train of Indian railways began its operation in the year 1853 between Bombay and Thane covering a total distance of 34 km.
- The first passenger train was hauled by 3 steam locomotives: 1) Sahib, 2) Sindh & 3) Sultan.
- The Indian Railway operates by dividing the complete area of the country into several zones for the smooth operation across the nation.
- As of 2022, there are total 19 Railway Zones in India with the “South Coast Railway” as the newest railway zone of which the formal notification for operationalization is yet to be issued.
- In this article, we will provide you list of All Railway Zones in India (Updated), headquarters of these zones and total route length. railway zone list. railway zones in india with headquarters
Some Interesting Facts:
- “Kolkata” is the only state with 3 headquarters of Indian Railways.
1) Eastern Railway 2) South-Eastern Railway 3) Kolkata Metro
- The largest railway zone is Northern Railway, and the smallest railway zone is the North Eastern railway zone.
- The first railway zone in India is the Southern Railway Zone.
- Indian Railways has the second biggest electrified system in the world after Russia.
- 1st electric train in India was Deccan Queen introduced in 1929 between Bombay & Poona (now Pune).
- “Vivek Express” is the longest running train in India which runs between Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari covering a distance of about 4,237 km. total railway zones in india 2022 list.
Latest Current Affairs 2023: Weekly, Monthly Current Affairs (PDF)
List of All Railway Zones in India
| Zone (Code) | Headquarter | Total Route Length (in km) |
| Northern Railway (NR) | New Delhi | 6,968 |
| North-Eastern Railway (NER) | Gorakhpur | 3,667 |
| North-Western Railway (NWR) | Jaipur | 5,459 |
| North- Central Railway (NCR) | Prayagraj | 3,151 |
| North- East Frontier Railway (NFR) | Maligaon (Guwahati) | 3,948 |
| Eastern Railway (ER) | Kolkata | 2,414 |
| East Central Railway (ECR) | Bhubaneshwar | 3,628 |
| Western Railway (WR) | Mumbai (Churchgate) | 6,182 |
| West Central Railway (WCR) | Jabalpur | 2,965 |
| Southern Railway (SR) | Chennai | 5,079 |
| South Eastern Railway (SER) | Kolkata | 2,631 |
| South East Central Railway (SECR) | Bilaspur | 2,447 |
| South Western Railway (SWR) | Hubli | 3,566 |
| South Central Railway (SCR) | Secunderabad | 3,127 |
| Central Railway (CR) | Mumbai | 4,102 |
| Kolkata Metro | Kolkata | 36 |
| Konkan Railway (KR) | Navi Mumbai | 741 |
| Southern Coast Railway (SCoR) | Visakhapatnam | 3,496 |
Konkan Railway Zone
- Konkan Railway (KR) is one of the 19 Railway Zones in India With its headquarters at CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. Like any other Railway Zones, It do not have any divisions.
- It is the most picturesque railway route line of the Indian Railways connecting from Mumbai to Mangalore.
- It has a route length of 759 km and connects 3 states: 1) Maharashtra 2) Goa & 3) Karnataka.
- The first passenger train ran on Konkan Railway tracks 20 March 1993 between Udupi and Mangalore.
List of All Railway Zones in India: Frequently Asked Questions
Q1) How many zones are divided in Indian Railways?
Ans. As present, There are total 19 Railway Zones in India (including Kolkata Metro) each headed by a General Manager. Zonal Railways are further divided into smaller operating units called Divisions.
Q2) Which is the first Railway Zone in India?
Ans. Southern Railway (SR) is the first Railway Zones in India headquartered in Chennai.
Q3) Which is the smallest Railway Zone in India?
Ans. The smallest Railway Zone in India is North Eastern Railway (NER).
Q4) Which is the 19th railway zones in india?
Ans. South Coast Railway Zone (SCoR) has been announced as the newest Railway Zones in India headquartered at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The formal notification for operationalization of this Zone is yet to be issued.