Historic cargo service between Kolkata and Nepal’s Biratnagar begins

Kathmandu: A first-ever rail cargo service between Kolkata and Biratnagar, an eastern city in Nepal, officially began on Friday, marking a major milestone in facilitating imports from third countries under the Nepal–India Transit Treaty.

The inaugural freight train departed from Kolkata Port on Friday carrying 40 high-capacity containers bound for the Biratnagar Customs Yard, the Consulate General of Nepal in Kolkata said in a press statement.

The inaugural service was jointly flagged off by Nepal’s Consul General in Kolkata, Jhakka Prasad Acharya, along with officials from Kolkata Customs, Kolkata Port and the Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR).

Until now, Birgunj, a city adjoining the Indian town of Raxaul, had been the country’s only rail-linked customs point for containerized imports from seaports. The launch of the Biratnagar service is expected to enable regular commercial transportation of both containerized and bulk cargo through eastern Nepal.

“The first shipment comprises 40 forty-foot containers operated by Maersk Line, carrying Canola grain – farmer dressed, a raw material imported from a third country for Nepal’s Swastik Oil Industries,” the Consulate General said.

The inaugural shipment was transported on a CONCOR freight train, and all containers have been fitted with the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS).

With the full operation of the rail service, which passes through the Jogbani Integrated Customs Yard on the Nepal–India border before reaching Biratnagar, up to 45 forty-foot cargo containers can now be transported directly to Biratnagar in a single train, according to the Consulate General.

“The inaugural movement comprises 40×40′ containers carrying farmer-dressed bulk canola grain from Fremantle, Australia, moving under the aegis of Maersk Line. This seamless logistics solution, enabled through the collaborative efforts of Indian Railways, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Customs, Maersk Line, Inland World Logistics and Transecure (ECTS), marks a significant step towards faster, more efficient and cost-effective trade. This service opens a new chapter in India–Nepal connectivity, strengthening regional trade and supply chain resilience,” CONCOR’s Area-IV (East) posted on X.

The Consulate General said rail transport offers a safer, more reliable and lower-cost alternative to road transport, with cargo expected to reach Biratnagar in around 24 hours.

The new arrangement is expected to significantly reduce logistics costs by lowering port demurrage charges, container detention charges and additional road transportation costs incurred by Nepali importers. It is also expected to facilitate trade and strengthen the competitiveness of Nepali industries.

Under the Nepal–India Transit Treaty, which allows Nepal to transport imports and exports to and from third countries through Indian roads, railways and inland waterways, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) of the Government of India amended the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) Regulations, 2019, on November 4, 2025. The amendment expanded the scope of rail cargo transportation from the Indian ports of Kolkata, Haldia and Visakhapatnam to the Biratnagar Customs Office.

“Following sustained efforts by the Consulate General of Nepal to implement this decision, Kolkata Customs issued a public notice on Feb. 26, 2026, establishing the procedural framework for transporting cargo by rail from Kolkata and Haldia to the Nepal Customs Yard in Biratnagar via the Jogbani Customs Yard in India, in addition to the existing rail route to Birgunj,” the Consulate General said.

IANS