Starting 28th October, Central and Western Railway Zones have announced that they will restore Mumbai local train services to the pre-pandemic level, but with conditions attached.
At present, Central Railway (CR) currently runs 1,702 trains a day. Western Railway (WR) operates another 1,304 services daily. Will full restoration, CR’s Mumbai suburban services will go up by 72 to a total of 1,774 daily while WR’s total services will increase to 1,367, up 63 services from the present.
Indian Railways had shut down Mumbai local train services on 22nd March 2020 with the Government of India imposing a full national lockdown to control the rise in COVID-19 cases. Local trains did not operate for more than two and a half months. Partial restoration began on 15th June 2020. Services were gradually ramped up over the next several months. However, restoration to the original timetable was kept on hold.
Travel Restrictions for Mumbai Local Trains: Who is allowed?
Despite the full restoration of services, Indian Railways says that only those allowed as per state government norms are eligible to travel.
| Who are eligible to travel? | Conditions |
| Long-Distance Train Passengers | Passengers who have a valid train ticket for an incoming or outgoing long-distance train from a station in the Mumbai suburban region |
| Fully Vaccinated Persons | Anyone who has a valid Universal Travel Pass issued by the Government of Maharashtra. The Universal Travel Pass is now mandatory for all govt notified essential category workers and local, state or central govt employees also as per the latest notification dated 26th October 2021. |
| Students | Students under 18 and not eligible for vaccination, with valid Aadhaar and school ID cards |