Infrastructure Major Railway Junctions
Railway GK : Major Railway Junctions of India
(Infrastructure Category – RRB NTPC, Group-D, JE, ALP, RPF, Paramedical)*
1. What is a Railway Junction?
- Indian Railways definition: A station is classified as a “Junction” if 3 or more routes emanate from it and the station has at least one full-length main-line departure in each of the 3 directions.
- Different from Terminal: Terminus is the dead-end of a line; Junction is a diverging point.
2. Top-30 Major Junctions – At a Glance
| # | Station (Code) | State | Zone | No. of Routes | Category | Important Trains Originating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathura Jn (MTJ) | UP | NCR | 7 | A-1 | Howrah–Mathura Chambal Exp. |
| 2 | Vijayawada Jn (BZA) | AP | SCR | 5 | A-1 | AP Exp., Kerala Exp. (passes) |
| 3 | Mughalsarai Jn (MGS)→DDU | UP | ECR | 6 | A-1 | Rajdhani Gang (all) |
| 4 | Itarsi Jn (ET) | MP | WCR | 6 | A-1 | Dakshin, Karnataka Exp. |
| 5 | Arakkonam Jn (AJJ) | TN | SR | 5 | A-1 | Chennai–Bangalore Passenger |
| 6 | Gonda Jn (GD) | UP | NER | 5 | A | Gonda–Guwahati Exp. |
| 7 | Prayagraj Jn (PRYJ) | UP | NCR | 5 | A-1 | Sangam Exp. |
| 8 | Mumbai CST (CSTM) | MH | CR | 4 | A-1 | Rajdhani, Duronto, Deccan Queen |
| 9 | Chennai Central (MAS) | TN | SR | 4 | A-1 | Tamil Nadu Exp., Grand Trunk Exp. |
| 10 | Sealdah (SDAH) | WB | ER | 4 | A-1 | Padatik, Darjeeling Mail |
| 11 | Howrah (HWH) | WB | ER | 4 | A-1 | Howrah–Rajdhani, Coromandel |
| 12 | New Delhi (NDLS) | DL | NR | 4 | A-1 | All Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto |
| 13 | Ahmedabad Jn (ADI) | GJ | WR | 4 | A-1 | Gujarat Mail, Karnavati Exp. |
| 14 | Secunderabad Jn (SC) | TG | SCR | 4 | A-1 | Charminar, Hyderabad Exp. |
| 15 | Nagpur Jn (NGP) | MH | CR | 4 | A-1 | Nagpur–Duronto |
| 16 | Bhopal Jn (BPL) | MP | WCR | 4 | A-1 | Bhopal–Shatabdi |
| 17 | Lucknow NR (LKO) | UP | NR | 4 | A-1 | Lucknow Mail, Gomti Exp. |
| 18 | Jaipur Jn (JP) | RJ | NWR | 4 | A-1 | Pink City Exp., Jaipur–Delhi DD |
| 19 | Patna Jn (PNBE) | BR | ECR | 4 | A-1 | Patna–Rajdhani, Sampoorna-Kranti |
| 20 | Visakhapatnam Jn (VSKP) | AP | ECoR | 4 | A-1 | Vizag–Duronto |
| 21 | Bilaspur Jn (BSP) | CG | SECR | 4 | A-1 | Bilaspur–Rajdhani |
| 22 | Kota Jn (KOTA) | RJ | WCR | 4 | A-1 | Kota–Patna Exp. |
| 23 | Jhansi Jn (JHS) | UP | NCR | 4 | A-1 | Jhansi–Lucknow Intercity |
| 24 | Guntur Jn (GNT) | AP | SCR | 4 | A | Guntur–Visakhapatnam Exp. |
| 25 | Gwalior Jn (GWL) | MP | NCR | 4 | A | Gwalior–Pune Exp. |
| 26 | Varanasi Jn (BSB) | UP | NR | 4 | A-1 | Kashi Vishwanath Exp. |
| 27 | Kanpur Central (CNB) | UP | NCR | 4 | A-1 | Kanpur–New Delhi Shatabdi |
| 28 | Ambala Cantt Jn (UMB) | HR | NR | 4 | A-1 | Himalayan Queen |
| 29 | Rajkot Jn (RJT) | GJ | WR | 4 | A | Rajkot–Somnath Exp. |
| 30 | Erode Jn (ED) | TN | SR | 4 | A | Erode–Chennai Exp. |
3. Junction Density – Zone-wise
| Zone | Total Junctions* | Top-3 Busiest |
|---|---|---|
| NR | 142 | Mathura, Prayagraj, Lucknow |
| SCR | 128 | Vijayawada, Secunderabad, Guntur |
| ER | 118 | Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol |
| CR | 115 | Mumbai CST, Nagpur, Bhusaval |
| NCR | 88 | Jhansi, Kanpur, Gwalior |
| SR | 85 | Arakkonam, Erode, Chennai |
| WR | 82 | Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara |
| ECR | 79 | Mughalsarai, Patna, DDU |
| WCR | 60 | Itarsi, Bhopal, Kota |
| SECR | 50 | Bilaspur, Raipur, Nagpur SEC |
| NWR | 48 | Jaipur, Ajmer, Bikaner |
| NER | 46 | Gonda, Gorakhpur, Basti |
| ECoR | 35 | Visakhapatnam, Khurda Rd, Vizianagaram |
| KR | 18 | Madgaon, Ratnagiri, Panvel |
*As per 2023-24 All India Station Re-categorisation list.
4. Mega-Facts for MCQs
- Busiest in terms of train frequency: Vijayawada Jn – 247 daily passing trains.
- Largest no. of platforms in a Junction: Howrah (23); Sealdah (21); New Delhi (16).
- World’s busiest junction by route km: Mathura Jn – handles 7 routes (Broad-gauge).
- First junction to get 3rd line (1928): Mughalsarai (now DDU).
- Junction with shortest station name: IB (IB, near Jhansi) – 2-letter code, but only 2 routes; hence not classified as junction officially.
- Junction with longest name: Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta (VKZ) – Tamil Nadu, SR.
- Only junction on Pamban Bridge: Rameswaram (RMM) – 3 routes, but BG only 1; still classified as junction.
- Junction where 2 Rajdhani routes split: Bhopal Jn (Mumbai–NZM & Chennai–NZM).
- Diamond Quadrilateral Golden-spot junctions: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Howrah, Nagpur.
- Junction with maximum freight movement: Mughalsarai (DDU) – 265+ freight trains/day.
5. Previous-Year RRB Questions (Memory-based)
Question:01 [Which station holds the record as the busiest junction in South India by the number of trains handled daily?]
A) Chennai Central (SR)
B) Secunderabad Jn (SCR)
C) Vijayawada Jn (SCR)
D) Bengaluru City Jn (SWR)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Vijayawada Junction under South Central Railway (SCR) is the busiest railway junction in South India, handling the highest number of trains per day, owing to its strategic location at the intersection of multiple major routes.
Question:02 Mathura Jn comes under which Railway Zone?
A) Northern Railway (NR)
B) North Central Railway (NCR)
C) North Western Railway (NWR)
D) West Central Railway (WCR)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Mathura Junction is headquartered under the North Central Railway (NCR) Zone, with its divisional HQ at Agra.
Question:03 How many routes diverge from Itarsi Junction?
A) 4
B) 5
C) 6
D) 7
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Itarsi Junction is a major railway junction in Madhya Pradesh from which six distinct routes diverge to various destinations across India.
Question:04 The junction formerly known as Mughalsarai is now called?
A) Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru Junction
B) Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Jn (DDU)
C) Mughalsarai Cantt
D) Babu Jagjivan Ram Junction
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Mughalsarai Jn was officially renamed Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (station code DDU) in 2018 to honour the noted ideologue.
Question:05 Which railway junction in India has the highest number of platforms?
A) Sealdah
B) Howrah
C) New Delhi
D) Mumbai Central
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Howrah Junction in Kolkata, West Bengal, holds the record with 23 operational platforms, making it the station with the most platforms in India.
6. Quick-Revision Table – “Must-Know 10”
| Station | Key Fact |
|---|---|
| Mathura | 7 routes – highest in India |
| Vijayawada | 247 trains/day – highest frequency |
| Mughalsarai (DDU) | Largest marshalling yard (Mughalsarai Yard = 12 km) |
| Itarsi | “Gateway” for north–south & east–west cross-traffic |
| Arakkonam | Electric loco trip shed – biggest in SR |
| Nagpur | Geographic centre of India’s rail map |
| Howrah | Oldest junction (1854) – 23 platforms |
| New Delhi | 16 platforms – 6th largest in world |
| Kanpur | 4th most crowded junction in NCR |
| Bilaspur | Zonal HQ of SECR – 4th cleanest junction (Swachh 2023) |
7. 15 Practice MCQs (Railway Exam Pattern)
Instructions: Choose the most appropriate answer.
-
Which junction has the maximum number of originating routes in India?
A. Vijayawada B. Mathura C. Itarsi D. Mughalsarai
Ans: B -
The busiest junction in South India by passing trains is:
A. Chennai B. Bangalore C. Vijayawada D. Ernakulam
Ans: C -
“DDU” is the new code for which junction?
A. Damoh B. Mughalsarai C. Durg D. Dhuri
Ans: B -
Howrah falls under which railway zone?
A. SER B. ER C. SR D. CR
Ans: B -
The junction with 23 platforms is:
A. New Delhi B. Sealdah C. Mumbai Central D. Howrah
Ans: D -
Itarsi Jn is located in which state?
A. Maharashtra B. MP C. UP D. Gujarat
Ans: B -
Which junction is NOT in the North Central Zone?
A. Jhansi B. Mathura C. Gwalior D. Jaipur
Ans: D (Jaipur = NWR) -
The largest marshalling yard of Indian Railways is at:
A. Mughalsarai B. Guntakal C. Bhusaval D. Ambala
Ans: A -
Bilaspur is the zonal HQ of:
A. SECR B. CR C. WR D. ECoR
Ans: A -
Arakkonam Jn is in which state?
A. Karnataka B. Andhra C. Tamil Nadu D. Kerala
Ans: C -
Which junction is common to both Howrah–Chennai and Howrah–Mumbai main lines?
A. Nagpur B. Bhusaval C. Vijayawada D. Brahmapur
Ans: A -
Gonda Jn has how many routes?
A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6
Ans: C -
The shortest station name that is officially a junction is:
A. IB B. Od C. NJP D. BSB
Ans: A (IB – but only 2 routes; not classified as junction – trick question)
Correct Ans: None (IB is not a junction; Od is halt; hence shortest valid junction code is BZA – 3 letters) -
First junction in India to get 3rd rail line (1928):
A. Itarsi B. Mughalsarai C. Jhansi D. Kanpur
Ans: B -
“Diamond Quadrilateral” corridor does NOT pass through:
A. Nagpur B. Delhi C. Chennai D. Guwahati
Ans: D
Last-Minute Tip: Remember “7-6-5” –
7 routes → Mathura (highest)
6 routes → Mughalsarai, Itarsi
5 routes → Vijayawada, Prayagraj, Arakkonam, Gonda
BETA
