Why railway media is getting more attractive to brands

Railway stations have long been one of India’s biggest outdoor advertising platforms, offering brands massive visibility through millions of daily travellers. But the medium is now going through a significant change. 

As stations across India are redeveloped into modern transit hubs, railway media is beginning to move beyond its traditional image of large static hoardings and mass reach. For brands, the opportunity is now about visibility, context and ownership of the environment. 

According to Anuj Dev, Founder of InstaWingz Marketing, this transformation is opening up a new chapter for railway advertising. “The transformation that is happening today is just the beginning. Stations such as Surat, Gandhinagar, Ayodhya and Varanasi are being redeveloped with world-class infrastructure, and in the process, an entirely new canvas for advertising is being created,” said Anuj. 

Railway media is also becoming more targeted. Different stations attract different audiences, creating opportunities for brands to select locations based on their customer profile. For instance, a textile brand advertising at Surat Railway Station can benefit from the city’s strong association with the textile industry. 

For InstaWingz, railway media is already at the heart of its business. More than 80 per cent of the company’s portfolio comes from railway media across Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Its network currently includes more than 20,000 sq. ft. of media inventory and nearly 400 assets, covering static formats, LED screens and train media. 

Digital is another area where the medium is evolving. While around 80 per cent of InstaWingz’s current inventory remains static, the company is expanding its LED presence. However, Anuj believes the future will not be about replacing traditional formats with digital, but about finding the right balance between both.  

“Both formats have their own strengths. The future isn’t about abandoning static and chasing digital. It’s about creating the right balance between the two,” Anuj said. 

The company is also experimenting with larger, more integrated formats. At Surat Railway Station, InstaWingz has introduced a gantry advertising format designed to give brands a stronger association with the station itself. 

With India’s railway infrastructure modernising, the medium can compete for the premium budgets traditionally associated with airports and other transit environments.  

What does this transformation mean for brands, and can railway media become India’s next premium OOH canvas? 

Read the full article in the July edition of Outdoor Asia Magazine.