Railway Gk Zone Headquarters
Quick Revision Sheet: Indian Railways – Zone & HQ
(For RRB NTPC/Group-D/ALP last-day cram)
1. Bullet Points – Must Know
- 19 Zones + 1 Metro Railway (Kolkata) = 20 Railway units whose HQ city is asked every year.
- Chairman Railway Board = CEO of Indian Railways (not a Zone head).
- Each Zone is divided into Divisions; Divisional HQ ≠ Zonal HQ.
- HQ name usually = biggest city of that Zone (exception: SWR Hubballi > Bengaluru).
- Alphabetical-trick: “NCR NF NER NFR NWR NR SCR SER SECR SR SWR WCR WR KR CR” – 19 letters, 19 zones.
2. Table – Zone & HQ (One-glance)
| Zone Code | Long Name | HQ City (State) | Quick Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| CR | Central Railway | Mumbai (Mah) | Oldest (1853) |
| WR | Western Railway | Mumbai (Mah) | Both CR & WR HQ in Mumbai |
| NR | Northern Railway | New Delhi | Largest route km |
| NER | North Eastern Railway | Gorakhpur (UP) | Longest passenger platform |
| NFR | Northeast Frontier Railway | Maligaon (Guwahati) | Only zone HQ in N-E |
| NCR | North Central Railway | Prayagraj (UP) | Prayag junction old name |
| NWR | North Western Railway | Jaipur (Raj) | Pink City |
| WCR | West Central Railway | Jabalpur (MP) | ‘J’ in MP |
| SR | Southern Railway | Chennai (TN) | Oldest electric loco shed |
| SCR | South Central Railway | Secunderabad (TS) | Bifurcated from SR 1966 |
| SER | South Eastern Railway | Kolkata (WB) | Only zone with SER & SECR |
| SECR | South East Central Railway | Bilaspur (CG) | Freight hub |
| SWR | South Western Railway | Hubballi (Kar) | Not Bengaluru! |
| ECR | East Central Railway | Hajipur (BR) | Bihar’s only zone |
| ECoR | East Coast Railway | Bhubaneswar (Od) | Konark territory |
| KR | Konkan Railway | CBD Belapur (Navi-Mumbai) | Not a full zone, but HQ asked |
| MR | Metro Railway | Kolkata (WB) | Only suburban metro under Rail |
3. Memory Aids / Mnemonics
-
North sisters:
Northern → New Delhi
North Eastern → Gorakhpur (G for NE)
North Central → Prayagraj (Prayag starts with ‘P’ like ‘C’entral)
North Western → Jaipur (J like Jewel in NW) -
South sisters:
Southern → Chennai
South Central → Secunderabad (SC=SC)
South Western → Hubballi (remember ‘H’ is hidden in SW) -
West & Central:
Central / Western → Both Mumbai (CW = ‘See Double M’) -
East & Coast:
ECoR → Bhubaneswar (East-Coast=Sea=B for Beach)
ECR → Hajipur (H for Hajipur beside Ganga)
4. Exam Shortcut Rules
- If options have two same-state cities → pick the bigger one (e.g., CR/WR → Mumbai).
- Never choose Bengaluru for SWR – Hubballi is correct.
- Konkan Railway HQ is NOT Goa → CBD Belapur (Navi Mumbai).
- Delhi = NR only; no other zone.
- Kolkata appears thrice (SER, MR, plus ER old HQ) – read question carefully.
5. Common MCQ Patterns
(Use toggle to self-test)
Q1. HQ of North Central Railway is?
Prayagraj (Allahabad)Q2. Which Zone has HQ in Bhubaneswar?
East Coast Railway (ECoR)Q3. South Western Railway → HQ?
HubballiQ4. Konkan Railway HQ?
CBD Belapur (Navi Mumbai)Q5. Only Zone HQ in Assam-type region?
Northeast Frontier Railway – Guwahati (Maligaon)6. 30-Second Rapid-Fire Facts
- Oldest Zone: Central Railway (CR) 1951.
- Youngest Zone: South Coast Railway (yet to be operational; till then SWR latest 2003).
- 2 Zones in same city: Mumbai → CR & WR.
- Only Zone named after a river: Konkan Railway (KR).
- Pink city Zone: NWR Jaipur.
- Silicon Valley of India NOT a Zonal HQ.
Revise this sheet 3 times the night before – 100% Zone-HQ questions will be in your pocket. All the best!
BETA
