New Delhi: India’s first domestically built bullet train is expected to begin track testing by May or June 2027, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. The train could be inaugurated within two to four months after testing is completed.
Speaking at the NaMo for Viksit Bharat event in Vadodara, Vaishnaw said the first body frame of the bullet train has already been completed and sent for a squeeze test.
Vadodara-Mumbai journey in 1.5 hours
Vaishnaw said the bullet train would cut travel time between Vadodara and Mumbai to around one-and-a-half hours.
The train is being developed domestically as part of the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat push to strengthen local manufacturing and railway technology.
Work on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail corridor is also progressing. According to Vaishnaw, the Surat-Vapi section is expected to be completed by December 2026.
The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor is being designed for trains capable of operating at speeds of up to 320 km per hour.
Railways undergoing modernisation
Vaishnaw said Indian Railways is modernising its operating and reservation systems along with construction practices.
He said 280 railway stations have been redeveloped and 36,000 km of new tracks developed. Cargo trains based on Vande Bharat technology are also nearing completion.
The minister also highlighted major infrastructure projects, including the Chenab Bridge and the railway connection to Mizoram.
Full bullet train timeline uncertain
While testing could begin in 2027, the completion timeline for the entire Mumbai-Ahmedabad project remains uncertain.
In a recent Rajya Sabha reply, Vaishnaw said an exact completion date could be determined only after civil structures, tracks, electrical systems, signalling, telecommunications and trainset supplies are completed.
The statement follows an earlier Lok Sabha reply on July 23, when the minister had indicated December 2029 as the estimated completion date for the entire project.
The bullet train project is among India’s biggest ongoing railway infrastructure initiatives.
