Maruti Suzuki uses railways to move three million vehicles: Reasons explained

Maruti Suzuki India has crossed a major milestone by shipping more than three million vehicles through railways in India. While the success may not be directly related to sales or new launches, it highlights how the company is increasingly relying on rail transport to move cars across the country. Over the years, Maruti Suzuki has continuously expanded its railway logistics network. In the financial year 2014-15, only 5% of the company’s outbound vehicle shipments were via railways. This number has now increased to 26.5% in FY 2025-26. Interestingly, the jump from 2 million to 3 million cumulative rail dispatches was achieved in just 21 months, making it the fastest million milestone for the brand.

The company says it has invested over Rs 1,372 crore to develop green logistics infrastructure. This includes dedicated railway sidings at its Hansalpur and Manesar manufacturing plants, dedicated automobile freight racks and rail yards at key logistics hubs. Speaking on the occasion, Hisashi Takeuchi said that Maruti Suzuki plans to increase the rail-based delivery share to 35 percent by FY 2030-31. The company also plans to add another in-plant railway siding at its upcoming Kharkhuda facility.Maruti Suzuki is currently the only passenger vehicle manufacturer in India to have railway sidings within its two production facilities – Hansalpur in Gujarat and Manesar in Haryana. Both were developed under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan of the government. The Hansalpur railway siding began operations in March 2023 and was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024. Earlier this year, the facility also became the world’s first modal shift transportation project to be registered under Vera’s Certified Carbon Standard program.