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Two Churchgate-Virar trains have started skipping Borivali during evening rush hour from September 1. Check the revised services and alternatives for commuters
Despite the timetable changes, the overall number of Western Railway services remains unchanged at 1,414.
Mumbai News: Commuters travelling on the Western Railway network are seeing changes to evening rush-hour services from September 1, with two Churchgate-Virar locals skipping their Borivali halt on a trial basis. The move is part of Western Railway’s efforts to reduce congestion and delays on the busy Virar route.
The 6.22 pm Churchgate-Virar AC local and the 7.05 pm Churchgate-Virar local now skip Borivali during the evening peak. Both trains, however, halt at Dahisar, shifting some passenger movement away from Borivali during one of the busiest periods of the day.
Western Railway officials said the change was introduced because heavy boarding and alighting at Borivali during peak hours often leads to longer stoppages, which can subsequently cause delays to other services.
Alternative AC Local For Borivali Commuters
Passengers who usually depend on the 6.22 pm Churchgate-Virar AC local to reach Borivali have an alternative.
A new 6.28 pm AC service from Churchgate halts at Borivali, allowing commuters to continue using an AC local while avoiding the service that now skips the station.
Total Number Of Services Remains Unchanged
Despite the timetable changes, the overall number of Western Railway services remains unchanged at 1,414.
The revised timetable includes six new services, while six low-demand off-peak services have been withdrawn. This has allowed Western Railway to redeploy train paths and resources to strengthen services where passenger demand is higher.
Weekday AC local services have also increased from 145 to 147.
Two existing non-AC services – the 5.28pm Churchgate-Borivali local and the 6.24pm Borivali-Churchgate local – have been converted into AC locals.
Virar Gets A Longer Morning Service
Western Railway has also strengthened connectivity from Virar during the morning peak.
The 8.23 am Virar-Dadar local has been extended up to Churchgate. The service will reach Churchgate at 9.48 am, giving morning commuters from Virar a direct connection to South Mumbai.
Dadar-Dahanu Road Services Integrated
Services operating on the Dadar-Virar and Virar-Dahanu Road stretches have also been integrated under the revised timetable.
The Dadar-Dahanu Road local will leave Dadar at 5.22 pm and reach Dahanu Road at 7.30 pm.
Additional Non-Peak Services Added
Western Railway has introduced several additional services outside the peak hours, particularly on the Borivali-Bhayandar-Virar section.
These include:
- 7.46 am: Bhayandar-Virar
- 10.14 pm: Borivali-Bhayandar
- 10.51 pm: Borivali-Virar
- 11.51 pm: Virar-Borivali
- 12.28 am: Borivali-Bhayandar
The additional services are aimed at improving connectivity beyond the evening and morning rush periods.
One AC Service Now Ends At Goregaon
Another change affects the 10.24 am Churchgate-Borivali AC slow local.
Under the revised timetable, this service will now terminate at Goregaon instead of Borivali. Its return service will also originate from Goregaon.
Why The Borivali Change Matters
Borivali is one of the key suburban railway stations on Mumbai’s Western line and handles substantial passenger movement throughout the day. During evening rush hours, large numbers of passengers board and alight at the station, increasing the time trains spend at the platform.
By making two Churchgate-Virar services skip Borivali while retaining a Borivali stop on the alternative 6.28 pm AC service, Western Railway is attempting to spread passenger demand across multiple services.
For commuters, however, the change means checking the revised timetable before boarding – particularly those who previously relied on the 6.22 pm AC local or 7.05 pm Churchgate-Virar local for Borivali.
The revised timetable has been operational from September 1, with the Borivali skip being introduced initially on a trial basis.
Quick Answers
Ask News18The changes aim to reduce congestion and delays on the busy Virar route. Commuters travelling to Borivali during the evening peak can no longer use the 6.22 pm AC local or the 7.05 pm local from Churchgate, as these services now skip Borivali. However, these trains now halt at Dahisar, shifting passenger movement away from Borivali. Commuters can instead use a new 6.28 pm AC service from Churchgate, which still halts at Borivali.
Ask News18September 02, 2026, 13:14 IST
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