Mumbai Central Railway Adds 12 More AC Local, Total Rises to 120

To make the monsoons slightly more comforting, Central Railway (CR) in Mumbai has converted 12 existing non-air-conditioned suburban services on the Main line into air-conditioned (AC) locals from Monday, June 29. The expansion takes the total number of AC local services on the Central Railway network to 120, comprising 92 services on the Main line and 28 on the Harbour line.The additional AC services have been introduced by replacing existing non-AC trains, ensuring that the total number of weekday suburban services across the Mumbai Division remains unchanged at 1,820.According to Central Railway, the decision was taken in response to sustained passenger demand for more AC local services.Among the 12 upgraded services are three peak-hour trains, including the 6.46 am Titwala-CSMT local, the 9.16 am Ghatkopar-CSMT local and the 7.18 pm CSMT-Kalyan service. The remaining nine AC locals have been scheduled across late morning, afternoon, evening and night hours, expanding the availability of air-conditioned travel beyond rush hours. Other upgraded services will operate between Kurla and CSMT, Thane and CSMT, and Kalyan and Kurla.Central Railway clarified that the upgraded AC rakes will operate from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays and nominated holidays, the same services will continue to run with non-AC rakes.Importantly, the latest expansion follows the introduction of AC local services on the Harbour line on January 26, 2026, which was further expanded with 14 additional services from May 1. According to Central Railway data, Harbour line AC services witnessed a 64.97 per cent increase in ridership after the May expansion, with passenger numbers rising from 2.34 lakh to 3.86 lakh. Revenue also grew by 66.43 per cent during the same period, increasing from Rs 1.18 crore to Rs 1.96 crore.Meanwhile, Central Railway's Mumbai Division has intensified ticket-checking drives in AC local trains and at railway stations to curb ticketless travel and ensure that bona fide passengers are able to use the premium services.