Indian Railways seems to have achieved a major operational milestone on August 21, 2026, by successfully dispatching its first double-stack long-haul container train from JNPT to carry a total of 360 TEUs of containers towards Varnama in Vadodara Division.

The train formation covered a distance of approximately 422 km. The load departed from JNPT at 19:00 hrs. on dated 21.08.2026.

The long-haul formation comprised two double-stack rakes:

Leading Rake: JNPT Vadodara | Load: 45+1 | Loco: 60311 | Tonnage: 1,817 tonnes

Trailing Rake: JNPT–Vadodara | Load: 45+1 | Loco: 24690 | Tonnage: 2,105 tonnes

Together, the formation carried 360 TEUs, demonstrating the capability of transporting a significantly higher volume of containerised freight in a single long-haul movement.

Benefits of Long-Haul Double-Stack Container Trains

Reduced Terminal Congestion:
The movement of a larger number of containers in a single train will help reduce the dwelling time of containers at ports and terminals, thereby minimising terminal congestion and facilitating faster evacuation.

Reduced Requirement of Rolling Stock:
Double-stack operations enable more containers to be transported in a single movement, reducing the requirement for locomotives and container flat wagons for handling the equivalent freight volume.

Better Utilisation of Route Capacity:
Carrying more containers in a single train reduces the number of train movements required to transport the same volume of freight, thereby enabling better utilisation of available route capacity.