India is famous for incredible images of its busy train stations and carriages. Therefore there can be little surprise that the world’s longest train platform is in the country which also has the world’s biggest population – more than 1.4 billion.
However, it is surprising that the whopping 1,507 metre-platform is not within one of India’s biggest cities such as the capital New Delhi, bustling Kolkata or the country’s biggest financial hub, Mumbai. In fact the platform can be found in the city of Hubballi. Hubballi, in the south-west state of Karnataka, is one of the region’s fastest growing cities and has travel facilities to back that up.
The platform at the Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi railway in the city is a real spectacle.
It is so huge it can hold a train with seventy-five carriages – although it is designed to host multiple trains at once.
It cost almost £2 million to build and is part of a wider mega-project costing around £44 million, according to reports.
The giant platform, which holds a Guinness World Record, was opened in March 2023 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who also inaugurated the electrification of a local railway line designed to improve connectivity in the area.
Hubbali, well-known for its rich culture, is a popular stop for tourists and the huge platform reflects the growing demand for rail travel that is expected in the region in the coming decades.
The Shri Siddharoodha Swamiji Station is an important railway hub, connecting trade and commerce in the region and connections to other cities and towns.
It is also relatively close to the popular tourist destination of Gao on India’s west coast.
The Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi station platform is so huge it is more than double that of the UK’s longest (620 metres) in Colchester, Essex.
It is operated by Indian Railways’ South Western Railway zone division.
The platform allows two trains to travel in opposite directions simultaneously, easing congestion and improving efficiency, according to the provider.