Amazon India becomes the first ecommerce company to operate on Indian Railways’ inaugural JPP-RCS train on the Western DFC, strengthening faster, greener and more reliable shipment movement across northern and western India
Amazon India is expanding its rail logistics network on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), deepening its partnership with Indian Railways and strengthening multimodal transportation ahead of the festive season.
The company has become the first e-commerce company to operate on the inaugural Joint Parcel Product–Rapid Cargo Service (JPP-RCS) train on Indian Railways’ Western Dedicated Freight Corridor. The daily rail service will deploy more than 10 Van Parcels (VPs), shifting a portion of Amazon’s shipment movement from surface transportation to rail.
The move is aimed at improving the reliability and sustainability of Amazon’s logistics network while connecting key markets across northern and western India.
Amazon Expands Western DFC Footprint
The JPP-RCS train was flagged off from New Dadri Railway Station on August 18, 2026, by Dr Manoj Singh, Member (Operations and Business Development), Railway Board, and Kishore Lanka, Director-Operations, Amazon India.
The service will connect Amazon’s network across Delhi, Ahmedabad and Surat, with onward connectivity to Pune, Mumbai and Goa. The expanded rail network is expected to support the movement of shipments across these markets at a time when e-commerce activity typically accelerates ahead of the festive season.
Amazon said the development strengthens the role of rail within its broader multimodal transportation network and marks the next phase of its collaboration with Indian Railways and the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL).
Kishore Lanka, Director-Operations, Amazon India, said the partnership with Indian Railways sits at the intersection of India’s freight modernisation ambitions and the company’s focus on strengthening logistics infrastructure.
“By expanding our use of dedicated freight infrastructure, we are increasing multimodality across our transportation network and leveraging rail as an economical, reliable, and sustainable mode of transportation.”
He added that Amazon would continue to deepen its collaboration with Indian Railways and DFCCIL to strengthen its logistics network, improve operational efficiency and meet the evolving needs of customers across India.
DFC To Enable Faster Freight Movement
The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor spans approximately 1,504 km, running from New Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) near Mumbai.
Dedicated Freight Corridors have been designed to decongest the existing railway network, increase the average speed of freight trains and facilitate the operation of heavy-haul trains. They also connect ports and industrial areas, enabling faster freight movement and helping reduce logistics costs.
Dr Manoj Singh, Member (Operations and Business Development), Railway Board, said the commencement of the service on the DFC marks an important development for freight transportation.
“The DFC offers a greener, faster and more reliable mode of transportation, enabling cargo to travel overnight and reach its destination the next day.”
According to Singh, the service can move 350–400 tonnes within 24 hours, providing an economical and sustainable freight solution. He also highlighted the potential for smaller businesses to benefit from access to the DFC network.
From One Train To 140-Plus
The latest expansion builds on Amazon India’s long-standing association with Indian Railways, which began in 2019, when Amazon became the first e-commerce company in India to use the railway network for express parcel movement.
The initial service used parcel wagons attached to Rajdhani Express trains on the Mumbai–Delhi route, enabling Amazon to integrate rail into its customer-delivery network.
In 2023, Amazon took the partnership a step further by becoming the first e-commerce logistics company to leverage India’s Dedicated Freight Corridor infrastructure. It launched operations on the 659-km Rewari–Palanpur section of the Western DFC.
The latest JPP-RCS service extends that footprint deeper into western India.
Amazon India’s rail network has now grown from a single train in 2019 to more than 140 trains operating across 130 intercity routes and connecting over 100 destination cities.
Rail Becomes Key To Multimodal Logistics
For Amazon, the expansion is part of a wider effort to build a multimodal transportation network combining different modes of movement to improve delivery speed, reliability and efficiency.
The shift of shipments from surface transportation to rail also supports the company’s focus on more sustainable logistics. With the festive season approaching, the additional rail capacity is expected to provide greater flexibility for moving shipments between major northern and western markets.
The development also underlines the increasing role of dedicated freight infrastructure in supporting India’s rapidly expanding e-commerce logistics ecosystem.
For Indian Railways and DFCCIL, meanwhile, Amazon’s growing presence on the DFC demonstrates how the dedicated freight network can serve not only traditional bulk cargo but also time-sensitive, high-volume e-commerce shipments.
With its rail network expanding from one train in 2019 to more than 140 trains today, Amazon’s latest move signals a deeper integration of rail into the company’s nationwide logistics architecture—just as demand for faster and more reliable deliveries is set to rise during India’s festive shopping season.
