Maruti Suzuki Rides the Rails: 1 in 4 Cars Dispatched by Indian Railways in FY 24-25

Maruti Suzuki dispatched 5.18 lakh vehicles through Indian Railways in FY 2024-25, marking its highest-ever rail dispatches. This accounts for about one-fourth of the company's total vehicle dispatches for the fiscal year.

The automaker has been steadily increasing its reliance on rail transport, citing environmental benefits such as avoiding over 1.8 lakh tonnes of CO₂ emissions and saving more than 630 lakh liters of fuel. Since FY 2014-15, Maruti Suzuki has cumulatively dispatched around 24 lakh vehicles via rail.

Looking ahead, the company aims to increase the share of vehicle dispatches through railways to 35% by FY 2030-31. This shift aligns with its broader sustainability goals and efforts to reduce carbon emissions in logistics.

 

Rail transport produces significantly less CO₂ per ton-kilometer compared to road transport. In Europe, rail accounts for only 0.6% of diesel emissions and less than 2% of total transport emissions, making it one of the cleanest freight options.

Speaking on the milestone, Mr. Hisashi Takeuchi, MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “Reducing carbon emissions is a top priority for us, both in our products and in our operations. Maruti Suzuki was the first company in India to obtain an Automobile-Freight-Train-Operator license, in 2013. Since then, we have dispatched nearly 24 lakh vehicles through rail mode. By FY 2030-31, we plan to increase the share of vehicle dispatches through railways to 35%.”

Notably, trains can move large volumes of goods with far less energy consumption than trucks. Electrified rail systems further reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Since FY 2014-15, Maruti Suzuki vehicle dispatches through railways have grown by nearly 8 times. In 2024, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first automobile in-plant railway siding at the Gujarat manufacturing facility of the Company. Currently, Maruti Suzuki operates over 40 flexi deck rakes, each with a capacity of carrying around 300 vehicles per trip.

It's an interesting move in India's automotive supply chain that gradually shifting toward rail-based logistics.