Cool Facts About Trains: Why Do Trains Run Faster at Night?

Indian Railways transports millions of passengers daily. The poor and middle class often travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometers by train. However, there's a surprising and interesting aspect to train travel: trains tend to travel much faster at night compared to daytime. Do you know why?

The simple reason why trains travel faster at night compared to daytime is reduced human activity. At night, there's less human movement around railway tracks and surrounding areas, allowing trains to speed up.

Railway track maintenance work is primarily carried out during the day. If such work is underway on a particular route, trains are halted until its completion, impacting their speed.

During the day, railway signals are often not visible until the train is close, requiring speed reductions. However, at night, the loco-pilot can spot signals from a distance, often eliminating the need to slow down. This allows the train to maintain a consistent speed.

Railway stations experience less passenger traffic at night, with fewer people boarding and alighting. This reduces the need for prolonged stops, contributing to faster journeys.