India to Debut First Domestic Bullet Train by 2027

India is transitioning its first locally manufactured high-speed bullet train from design to production. A prototype is slated to debut on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor by 2027, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s domestic transit infrastructure capabilities.

India’s first domestically manufactured high-speed bullet train is moving from blueprint to factory floor, with a prototype expected in 2027 for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor.

First High-Speed Train Manufactured in India Expected in 2027

BEML, the Indian state-owned company manufacturing the first locally developed high-speed train, estimates that the prototype will be ready early next year. The B28 train is set to be tested on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor, where the first commercial services are planned for August 2027 on the Surat–Vapi section.

India is taking another step toward launching its first high-speed train project. BEML, the Indian state-owned company manufacturing the first locally developed high-speed train, estimates that the first prototype will be ready early next year.

The train is being manufactured at BEML’s Aditya plant in Bengaluru, which was inaugurated on April 25, 2026, by India’s Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Company management has stated that the goal is to have the first train completed by the beginning of the 2027 calendar year. Upon completion, the train will be transferred to the Surat depot, developed by National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), for testing and trials.

Before delivery to the depot, the train will undergo extensive testing at the BEML factory, followed by testing at the Surat depot and then trials on the main line. The testing process is expected to take between 4 and 6 months.

B28, India’s first high-speed train

The Indian Ministry of Railways has set a goal of manufacturing the country’s first high-speed train, named B28, by March 2027.

In October 2024, BEML received a contract from Integral Coach Factory (ICF), the Chennai-based rolling stock manufacturer, to design, manufacture, and commission two high-speed trains.

The name B28 comes from the concept of the Bharat-made Bullet, with a speed of 280 km/h.

India plans to initially operate these trains on the Surat–Vapi section, which is 97 km long and part of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor.

The Ministry of Railways previously announced that it is working toward launching B28 services in August 2027.

The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Corridor

The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is India’s first high-speed rail corridor and one of the country’s most important rail modernization programs.

The line will be 508 km long and will traverse the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and the territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli.

The corridor will include 12 stations: Mumbai (BKC), Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati.

Each station is designed to reflect the unique character of the city in which it is located and to include multimodal connections.

The Sabarmati station is being developed as a multimodal hub, with connections to the high-speed train, the metro, the BRTS system, and the conventional rail network.

The first high-speed service on the corridor is expected in August 2027.

320 km/h in operation

The Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor is designed for a speed of 350 km/h and an operational speed of 320 km/h.

Currently, the highest design speed on the Indian rail network is approximately 180 km/h, achieved by the Vande Bharat semi-express services.

Upon completion, the project is expected to reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to approximately 1 hour and 58 minutes. Currently, the same distance takes about 8–9 hours by road or approximately 4–5 hours by plane, including airport procedures.

Shinkansen Technology

The MAHSR project is being developed based on Japanese Shinkansen technology and operational standards.

The line will use a J-Slab ballastless track system, based on Shinkansen technology, implemented for the first time in India.

The traction system will include 2×25 kV overhead electrification, with over 20,000 poles for the contact line. The project also includes 12 traction substations, 2 depot traction substations, and 16 distribution substations.

Three rolling stock depots are under construction in Sabarmati and Surat, in Gujarat, and in Thane, in Maharashtra.

The project also includes specialized track maintenance bases for handling rails, track slabs, machinery, and equipment.

90% of the route will be on viaducts

Approximately 90% of the route will be built on elevated structures.

For the viaducts, the Full Span Launching Method is being used—the first time this method has been applied in India. According to project documents, this technology is 10 times faster than the conventional segmental construction method.

Noise barriers will be installed on both sides of the viaduct to reduce noise during operation.

The corridor also includes 25 river bridges, of which 21 are in Gujarat and 4 in Maharashtra. Work has been completed on several rivers, including the Meshwa, Vatrak, Vishwamitri, Dhadhar, Kim, Purna, Ambika, Kaveri, and Daman Ganga.

Work continues on major crossings over the Sabarmati, Narmada, Tapi, Jagani, and Vaitarna rivers.

In addition, the project includes 28 steel bridges over highways, canals, rivers, and rail lines.

India’s First Undersea Railway Tunnel

One of the most complex elements of the corridor is the tunnel section in Maharashtra, approximately 21 km long.

This includes India’s first underwater railway tunnel, under Thane Creek, spanning approximately 7 km.

The tunnel’s construction combines the NATM method with tunnel boring machine (TBM) technology. The alignment includes a 5 km section built using the NATM method and a 16 km section built using a TBM.

Both tracks will be housed in a single tunnel tube with a diameter of 13.1 meters. The TBM’s cutting head has a diameter of 13.6 meters, the largest ever used in an Indian railway project.

To date, 4.8 km of the undersea tunnel between Ghansoli and Shilphata have already been completed.

Safety Systems for Extreme Weather and Earthquakes

The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Corridor will be equipped with advanced monitoring systems for operation under variable environmental conditions.

The project includes an automated precipitation monitoring system, with rain gauges installed at critical points along the route. The data is transmitted in real time to the operational control center, where it is analyzed to inform traffic decisions.

There will be 6 stations for precipitation monitoring, each with a coverage radius of approximately 10 km.

For areas exposed to strong winds, the project also includes a dedicated wind speed monitoring system. Anemometers will be installed at 14 locations, of which 9 are in Gujarat and 5 in Maharashtra.

These can measure wind speeds of up to 252 km/h. If wind speeds reach between 72 and 130 km/h, train speeds will be regulated to ensure safe operation.

The corridor will also be equipped with an early earthquake detection system consisting of 28 seismometers. The system will detect primary waves and automatically cut off the power supply so that trains in the affected area can perform an emergency stop.

An Industrial and Economic Project

Beyond reducing travel times, the Mumbai–Ahmedabad project is presented by Indian authorities as an investment in the development of local industrial capacity.

The corridor is expected to contribute to the creation of a domestic ecosystem for high-speed trains, including the construction of viaducts, the installation of ballastless track, tunnel work, bridge construction, station development, and the training of Indian engineers and technicians.

The project is expected to generate approximately 4,000 direct jobs and between 35,000 and 40,000 indirect jobs. During construction, approximately 40,000 workers are expected to be involved on the construction site.

A specialized training institute for high-speed trains, established in Vadodara, will help train personnel in advanced railway technologies.

India is planning other high-speed corridors

The Mumbai–Ahmedabad project is just the first step in India’s plans for a high-speed rail network.

The budget for the 2026–2027 period announced seven high-speed corridors, with a total length of nearly 4,000 km.

Among the routes under consideration are Delhi–Varanasi, Varanasi–Patna–Siliguri, Chennai–Bengaluru, Bengaluru–Hyderabad, Chennai–Hyderabad, Mumbai–Pune, and Pune–Hyderabad.

Future Outlook

The roll-out of the domestic B28 train is poised to catalyze a massive shift in India’s transport infrastructure. By anchoring its initial high-speed project in Japanese Shinkansen standards while building out local manufacturing infrastructure at BEML’s Aditya plant, India is establishing a self-reliant blueprint for rapid rail development. If successful, the standard established on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad line will serve as the foundation for the seven expanded corridors planned nationwide, spanning nearly 4,000 km of high-speed tracks.

FAQs

What is the B28 train?

The B28 is India’s first domestically designed and manufactured high-speed bullet train. The name stands for “Bharat-made Bullet,” and it is designed to achieve operational speeds of 280 km/h.

When will the Indian bullet train start commercial operations?

The first commercial services are scheduled to launch in August 2027 on the 97 km Surat–Vapi section of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor.

How much will the new rail corridor reduce travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad?

Once fully operational, the high-speed rail network will reduce transit times between Mumbai and Ahmedabad from the current 8 to 9 hours by road down to just 1 hour and 58 minutes.

What technology is being used to build India’s bullet train network?

The project is built using Japanese Shinkansen technology and operational standards, featuring a specialized J-Slab ballastless track system and early earthquake detection networks.