Kolkata Suburban Railway

Kolkata Suburban Railway
Local train at B.B.D. Bag railway station heading towards Majerhat railway station
Overview
Owner	Indian Railways
Area served	Kolkata Metropolitan Area, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hoogly, Nadia, Murshidabad, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Purba Bardhaman, South 24 Parganas
Locale	Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Transit type	Suburban and Regional rail
Number of lines	Eastern line: 14 South Eastern line: 4 Circular line: 1 South lines: 4 Chord link line: 1
Number of stations	Eastern line: 266 South Eastern line: 87 Circular line: 20 South lines: 70 Chord link line: 15 Total: 458
Daily ridership	3.5 million (2017–18)
Annual ridership	1.2 billion
Chief executive	Suneet Sharma GM (ER) Sanjay Mohanty GM (SER)
Headquarters	Howrah (For SER & ER) & Sealdah (For ER)
Website	South Eastern Railway Eastern Railway
Operation
Began operation	15 August 1854
Operator(s)	Eastern Railways (Eastern line, Chord link line, Circular railway line and Sealdah South lines) South Eastern Railways (South Eastern line only)
Rolling stock	Jessop, BHEL, MEDHA, Bombardier
Number of vehicles	200+
Train length	9 or 12 coaches
Technical
System length	1,501 km (933 mi)
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead catenary
Average speed	45 km/h (28 mph)
Top speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Railway map of Kolkata

The Kolkata Suburban Railway (colloquially called Kolkata local trains or simply locals locally) is a set of suburban and regional rail services serving the Kolkata metropolitan area and its surroundings in India. It is the largest suburban railway network in the country by number of stations and track length, and also one of the largest in the world. There are five main lines and nineteen branch lines. It operates more than 1,500 services, carrying 3.5 million people daily and 1.2 billion people every year. It runs from 03:00 am until 02:00 am and fares range from Rs.5 to Rs.25. The system uses 25 kV 50 Hz AC power supply and runs on 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge track. It has interchange stations with the Kolkata Metro at various locations.

The Kolkata Suburban Railway is part of the second passenger railway constructed in British India during the mid 19th century. The first train ran between Howrah and Hooghly stations. A hundred years after the initial run, Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) services began. It has 458 stations and a track length of 1,501 km (933 mi).

The system is operated by two zones of Indian Railways; Eastern Railway zone and South Eastern Railway zone. These zones are further divided into the Howrah and Sealdah divisions for the Eastern Railway and the Kharagpur division for the South Eastern Railway. Howrah, Sealdah and Kolkata railway stations are the three major terminals serving the network in the city. Shalimar and Santragachi are also the termini stations for mail/express trains as well as passenger/fast passenger trains.