20 Biggest Railway Stations with Highest Number of Platforms

By: Nisha Singh | onJanuary 9, 2021

Every year, a large number of passengers use the Indian railways for travelling. To fulfil the growing demand, the government has built larger and longer platforms. Indian Railways ranks third in the world with around 1,23,542-kilometre track and approximately 7,500 stations. It is the only rail network in the world which is driven by a single body, the Ministry of Railways.

In terms of the longest platform, On 6 Oct 2013, Gorakhpur station became the world’s longest railway platform in India, followed by Kollam Station, Kharagpur junction and Bilaspur Railway Station. However, when it comes to the number of platforms, the list is very different. In terms of the highest number of platforms, Howrah has the biggest station, with 23 Platforms and 26 tracks.

List of Railway Stations of India with the Highest Number of Platforms:

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1. Howrah Junction Railway Station (HWH) – 23 Platforms

Howrah Railway Station is the busiest stations in terms of passenger volume per day. It has 23 platforms, and it serves more than one million passengers daily. Howrah station also has the largest number of railway platforms in India and one of the busiest railway platforms too.

Number of Platforms: 23

Number of Tracks: 23

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 286

2. Sealdah Railway Station (SDAH) – 21 Platforms

Sealdah railway station is an important suburban station of Kolkata. Sealdah station holds 20 platforms divided into two terminals, the northern terminal and southern terminal. The North terminals of Sealdah station has 14 platforms, and South terminal consists of 7 platforms. It serves approximately 1.8 million passengers daily for commutation. This station was opened in the mid 19th century!

Number of Platforms: 21

Number of Tracks: 28

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 78

Also Read: Best Railway Stations in India

3. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) – 18 Platforms

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus or CST is the busiest railway station in India and is remarked as UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is formerly known as Victoria Terminus. The Chhatrapati station holds 18 platforms. Eleven of those eighteen platforms are used for long-distance trains out of Mumbai and seven are for local suburban trains. It serves more than one million passengers daily.

Number of Platforms: 18

Number of Tracks: Multiple

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 130

Also Read: Beautiful Railway Stations of India

4. Chennai Central Railway Station (MAS) – 17 Platforms

The Chennai Central railway station is one of the cleanest railway stations in the country. Chennai station has a total of 17 platforms. Five of these platforms are used for suburban trains and the rest 12 platforms to handle long-distance trains. Chennai Central railway station is the busiest and most profitable station in South India. Approximately 200 long-distance trains and 257 local trains serve this station daily. It serves more than 550,000 passengers daily.

Number of Platforms: 17

Number of Tracks: 30

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 170

5. New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) – 16 Platforms

The New Delhi railway station is the fourth busiest railway stations in the country. The New Delhi station has 16 platforms and serves more than 350 trains daily. The railway station holds the record for being the largest railway station in India and the most complex interlocking system in the world. The New Delhi station handles more than 500,000 passengers every day. The Palace on Wheels train starts and ends from here.

Number of Platforms: 16

Number of Tracks: 18
Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 342

Also Read: Busiest Railway Stations in India

6. Ahmedabad Junction Railway Station (ADI) – 12 Platforms

Ahmedabad station is the biggest railway station in Gujarat and the second most profitable railway station in the Division of Western Railway. The Ahmedabad station has 12 platforms, and it serves around 340 trains daily. The Ahmedabad station is famous for its long list of facilities like elevators, escalators, golf carts, VIP lounge, and more.

Number of Platforms: 12

Number of Tracks: 16

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 340

7. Kharagpur Junction Railway Station (KGP) – 12 platforms

Kharagpur Junction railway station is the busiest station in South Eastern Railway Zone of West Bengal. Kharagpur station has the world’s third-longest railway platform with a length of 1,072.5 metres. The Kharagpur station has 12 platforms, and it handles 176 trains daily. Kharagpur also has Asia’s largest Railway Solid State Interlocking system.

Number of Platforms: 12

Number of Tracks: 24

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 265

8. Kanpur Central Railway Station (CNB) – 10 Platforms

The Kanpur station is one of the five central Indian railway stations of the country and second busiest in terms of passengers footfall. The Kanpur station has 10 platforms serving more than 2.3 million passengers daily. Around 611 trains serve this station every day. According to the railway government report, this is the most profitable railway station in the country.

Number of Platforms: 10

Number of Tracks: 14

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 475

9. Allahabad Junction Railway Station (ALD) – 10 Platforms

Allahabad Junction Railway Station is the A-Grade railway station. It has ten platforms, and it serves more than 50,000 passengers daily. Allahabad station is also the busiest railway station in India and lies on Howrah–Delhi main line, Allahabad-Mau- Gorakhpur mainline and Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line. Allahabad station is officially known as Prayagraj Junction.

Number of Platforms: 10

Number of Tracks: 16

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 273

10. Patna Junction Railway Station (PNBE) – 10 Platforms

The Patna Junction is one of the busiest railway stations in India and lies between Delhi and Kolkata, making it a commercially important station. Around 4 lakhs passengers use this station daily. The Patna railway station holds 10 platforms covering 15 tracks.

Number of Platforms: 10

Number of Tracks: 15

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 281

11. Vijayawada Junction Railway Station (BZA) – 10 Platforms

Vijayawada railway station is the fourth busiest station in India. It serves approx 51 million passengers every year with 10 platforms and 22 tracks. Approximately, 180 trains and 150 freight carriers operate this station daily. This station was built in 1888. It is one of the famous railway junctions and is a nationally important halt of the Indian Railways.

Number of Platforms: 10

Number of Tracks: 22

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 393

12. Bangalore City Railway Station (SBC) – 10 Platforms

Bangalore City Railway Station is the busiest station in the South Western Railway zone. Every day, more than 5,50,000 passengers use this station for long-distance and metro travelling. This station holds 10 platforms and 25 tracks. Bangalore city station is the fifth busiest intercity railway station in South India.

Number of Platforms: 10

Number of Tracks: 25

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 200

Also Read: Nearest Stations to Bangalore

13. Gorakhpur Junction Railway Station (GKP) – 10 Platform

Gorakhpur Junction railway station offers Class A-1 railway station facilities is located in the Uttar Pradesh. Gorakhpur station has 10 platforms and handles over 190 trains daily. It has the world’s longest railway platform and serves as the headquarters of the North Eastern Railway.

Number of Platforms: 10

Number of Tracks: 26

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 255

14. Lucknow Charbagh Railway Station (LKO) – 9 Platforms

Lucknow NR station is one of the three main railway stations in Lucknow. This station is also one of the most beautiful railway stations with a unique Mughal Garden in the front and pillars resembling chess coins. Lucknow Charbagh station serves both long-distance trains and metro trains. It has 15 platforms and 26 tracks.

Number of Platforms: 9+6

Number of Tracks: 26

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 321

15. Varanasi Junction Railway Station (BSB) – 9 Platforms

Varanasi railway station was ranked 14th among 75 busiest A1 category railway stations in India. During religious times, the passenger footfall increases several folds. Every day, more than 250 passenger trains and 3,63,000 peoples cross this station. Varanasi station is also one of the cleanest railway stations in the country. Varanasi Junction holds 9 platforms and 13 tracks.

Number of Platforms: 09

Number of Tracks: 13

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 270

16. Mughalsarai Junction Railway Station (DDU) – 8 Platforms

Mughalsarai railway station is officially known as Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction in Uttar Pradesh. The Mughalsarai station holds the largest railway marshalling yard in Asia. Mughalsarai yard caters to more than 500 trains in a month. The DD Upadhyaya railway station has 9 platforms, and all eastbound Rajdhani trains halt at this railway station.

Number of Platforms: 08

Number of Tracks: 23

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 364

17. Kalyan Junction Railway Station (KYN) – 8 Platforms

Kalyan railway station is a major station on the central line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network. Kalyan station has 8 platforms, and it serves both the long-distance intra-state train and local suburban trains. Kalyan station is the fourth busiest railway station in the Mumbai region. The Kalyan junction handles more than 360,000 passengers every day.

Number of Platforms: 08

Number of Tracks: 09

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 313

18. Itarsi Junction Railway Station (ET) – 8 Platform

Itarsi Junction railway station is the 8th busiest railway station in India. It is located in Madhya Pradesh and falls under the West Central Railway zone of Indian Railways network. The Kanpur station has eight platforms serving more than 1 million passengers daily. Itarsi Junction Railway station is well connected with train routes from all four sides.

Number of Platforms: 08

Number of Tracks: 11

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 369

19. Bilaspur Junction (BSP) – 8 Platform

Bilaspur Junction railway station located in the Chhattisgarh State is the third-cleanest railway station and cleanest zonal headquarter station of India. Bilaspur is amongst the top hundred booking railway stations of Indian Railways. The Bilaspur station has eight platforms, and it serves about 340 passenger trains and goods trains every day. It is fourth-longest railway platform in Bilaspur Junction, and 4,50,000 passengers use this station daily.

Number of Platforms: 08

Number of Tracks: 18

Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 175

20. Nagpur Junction Railway Station (NGP) – 8 Platforms

Nagpur Junction is one of the oldest and busiest stations in Maharashtra. Nagpur railway station receives 242 trains daily with approximately 160,000 passengers embarking and disembarking. Nagpur Junction Railway Station became a major tourist destination. It is an important station on the Howrah-Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai trunk line of the Indian Railways.

Number of Platforms: 08

Number of Tracks: 13
Number of Trains Crossing Every Day: 282

Check the train schedule of the upcoming trains running through these railway stations to help you plan your trip well in advance.