Overview
- Northeast Frontier Railway operated a 40‑wagon container train from Kolkata Port to the Biratnagar customs yard in late July carrying roughly 1,225 tonnes of canola, completing the first direct commercial container run between the two countries.
- The service used the amended India–Nepal Rail Transit Protocol, formalized by a Letter of Exchange in November 2025, which allows containerized and bulk cargo to move across the border without transshipment.
- Officials say direct movement will shorten transit time and lower logistics and cargo‑handling costs by removing the need to unload and reload containers at the border.
- The operation builds on the 18.6 km Jogbani–Biratnagar broad‑gauge link opened in June 2023 and NFR plans to extend direct corridors to routes such as Kolkata–Nautanwa and Visakhapatnam–Nautanwa.
- Beyond faster deliveries and lower costs for traders, authorities expect the service to strengthen regional supply chains and spur further cross‑border projects, including the nearing‑completion Agartala–Akhaura link and studies for additional India–Nepal rail links.