In a significant boost to India–Nepal trade connectivity, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has successfully operated the first direct commercial container freight train from Kolkata Port to the Biratnagar Customs Yard in Nepal.
The freight service, comprising 40 container wagons carrying canola consignments, completed its journey under the revised India–Nepal Rail Transit Protocol. The new system eliminates the need for transshipment at the border, allowing seamless and uninterrupted rail movement of cargo between the two countries.
NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma stated that the development marks the operational rollout of the revised transit framework and represents a major step toward improving cross-border freight transportation.
Railway officials noted that the direct service is expected to significantly reduce transit time, lower logistics costs, and minimise cargo handling, thereby enhancing efficiency in bilateral trade.
The initiative builds upon the broad-gauge rail link between Jogbani in Bihar and Biratnagar in Nepal, which was inaugurated in June 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepal’s then Prime Minister. The signing of the revised Letter of Exchange in November 2025 paved the way for direct commercial rail operations.
Sharma stressed that the launch highlights NFR’s expanding role in strengthening international rail connectivity and facilitating smoother regional trade. He added that the railway zone remains committed to improving freight logistics and supporting the growing economic partnership between India and Nepal through reliable rail services.
He further said that the Agartala–Akhaura rail link connecting India and Bangladesh, another key cross-border infrastructure project under NFR, is nearing completion and is expected to further enhance connectivity between the Northeastern region and Bangladesh.
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