Mumbai Central gets India’s first co-working space at railway station

The ground-plus-one, air-conditioned facility has 58 seats, including six recliners, and is open to both the general public and railway passengers. An entry fee of ₹200 allows access for one hour, with an additional charge of ₹150 for every extra hour

MUMBAI: India’s first co-working office and digital lounge at a railway station has been opened at Mumbai Central on Wednesday, offering passengers a workspace while waiting for their trains instead of spending time in conventional waiting areas.

WR officials said the 1,700-sq-ft space has been leased to a private entity for five years, generating non-fare revenue of ₹3.2 crore for the railways.

The ground-plus-one, air-conditioned facility has 58 seats, including six recliners, and is open to both the general public and railway passengers. An entry fee of ₹200 allows access for one hour, with an additional charge of ₹150 for every extra hour. Refreshments such as tea and coffee are available on an unlimited basis during the stay, though food prices are on the higher side.

Railway officials said that while digital lounges already exist at stations in Delhi and Chennai, they do not offer co-working facilities. “This space is aimed at passengers travelling by premium trains such as Vande Bharat and Rajdhani, who may not want to spend on hotels but need a place to work, freshen up or attend meetings before their journey,” a Western Railway (WR) official said. The lounge is equipped with cushioned chairs, desks and individual charging points, a concept commonly seen at railway stations abroad.

The upper floor of the lounge houses recliners, priced at ₹700 for up to two hours. Full meals are priced at around ₹400, while snacks such as sandwiches and light bites cost approximately ₹250. The lounge is located close to the main concourse of Mumbai Central Terminus, which already has an air-conditioned waiting hall for regular and upper-class passengers, as well as urban pod facilities that can be booked for resting for four hours or more.

WR officials said the 1,700-sq-ft space has been leased to a private entity for five years, generating non-fare revenue of ₹3.2 crore for the railways. Sources said similar digital lounges are being planned at stations such as Andheri and Borivali.

“Tenders were floated earlier for these stations, but did not receive adequate response. The proof of concept at Mumbai Central could generate demand at other stations as well,” another railway official said.

Suburban stations that have sufficient open spaces on the elevated decks that connect platforms are being targeted by the Western Railway for setting up such work lounges. After Andheri, Goregaon, Khar and Borivali, an elevated deck was recently opened at Vasai.