Maruti Suzuki has crossed a major milestone in its shift towards rail-based vehicle transportation, with more than 10 lakh vehicles now dispatched directly through its in-plant railway sidings at Hansalpur in Gujarat and Manesar in Haryana. The two facilities have become an increasingly important part of the company’s logistics network as it looks to raise the share of rail dispatches further.
Around 7.9 lakh vehicles have been dispatched through the Hansalpur facility, while the Manesar siding has contributed about 2.1 lakh units. The combined milestone comes after the Hansalpur siding began operations in March 2023 and the Manesar facility started operations in June 2025.
Rail Gains Bigger Role in Maruti Suzuki’s Logistics
Railways have taken on a much larger role in Maruti Suzuki’s outbound logistics over the past decade. The company’s share of vehicle dispatches through rail stood at about 5 per cent in FY 2014-15. It rose to 26.5 per cent in FY 2025-26.
Maruti Suzuki has set a target of increasing the share of rail-based vehicle dispatches to 35 per cent by FY 2030-31. The company is also expanding its dedicated railway infrastructure, with another in-plant siding planned for its Kharkhoda manufacturing facility in Haryana.
The Gujarat and Manesar sidings are already handling a significant portion of the company’s rail-based vehicle movement. More than 3 lakh vehicles were moved by rail between the beginning of FY 2026-27 and August 31, according to the company’s latest figures.
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More Than 33 Lakh Vehicles Dispatched by Rail
Maruti Suzuki has dispatched more than 33 lakh vehicles through railways since FY 2014-15. Of this total, about 10 lakh vehicles have been moved directly from its manufacturing plants through the Hansalpur and Manesar in-plant sidings.
The remaining vehicles were dispatched through railway loading terminals located outside the manufacturing facilities.
The company has steadily increased its use of specialised automobile railway rakes as part of this logistics strategy. In calendar year 2025 alone, Maruti Suzuki dispatched more than 5.85 lakh vehicles by rail, up 18 per cent from the previous year.
How In-Plant Railway Sidings Work
An in-plant railway siding allows finished vehicles to be loaded onto trains directly inside or next to the manufacturing facility. This removes the need to first transport vehicles by road to an external railway terminal.
For an automaker operating at a large scale, that can reduce the number of trucks required for the first leg of transportation while also lowering fuel consumption and logistics-related emissions.
Maruti Suzuki says its railway logistics programme is also aimed at easing road congestion and reducing the environmental impact associated with vehicle transportation. The company follows the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) framework for reporting logistics-related emissions.
Hansalpur and Manesar Sidings
The Hansalpur facility in Gujarat was Maruti Suzuki’s first in-plant automobile railway siding. Vehicle dispatches began from the facility in March 2023, while the siding was formally inaugurated in March 2024 under the PM GatiShakti programme. The facility has since crossed 7.5 lakh cumulative vehicle dispatches.
The Manesar siding began operations in June 2025 and is described by Maruti Suzuki as India’s largest automobile in-plant railway siding. It has an annual dispatch capability of up to 4.5 lakh vehicles at full capacity.
The Manesar facility covers about 46 acres and includes four full-length tracks for railway rakes, an engine escape track and an electrified rail corridor. The project was developed as part of the Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor.
Kharkhoda to Add Another Rail Link
Maruti Suzuki’s railway logistics network is set to expand further with an in-plant siding planned for its Kharkhoda manufacturing facility in Haryana.
The company says the siding will help reduce road movement and fuel consumption associated with transporting finished vehicles from the plant. Kharkhoda is part of Maruti Suzuki’s expanding manufacturing footprint in Haryana.
With production capacity also expanding, dedicated rail infrastructure could become an increasingly important part of the company’s vehicle distribution strategy.
A Bigger Shift Towards Green Logistics
Maruti Suzuki’s growing reliance on rail comes as the company looks to move more finished vehicles through lower-emission transport modes.
The company has invested in dedicated railway infrastructure, specialised automobile rakes and logistics hubs as part of its broader green logistics programme. Its Gujarat railway siding has also been registered under Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard programme as a modal-shift transportation project.
The latest 10 lakh-vehicle milestone from the Hansalpur and Manesar sidings shows how quickly in-plant rail infrastructure is becoming a part of Maruti Suzuki’s vehicle distribution network. With Kharkhoda next in line, the company is positioning railways to handle a larger share of its vehicle dispatches in the years ahead.
