Nation / Mon, 13 Jul 2026 News18

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Date, 4 New Routes From Delhi: What The Railways Minister Said

2 / 12 The Railway Minister said nearly 80% of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project has already been completed and expressed confidence that it will meet its rollout timeline. ADVERTISEMENT5 / 12 Delhi to Become India's Next Bullet Train Hub: Following the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project, the Centre is planning to develop Delhi as the country's next major bullet train hub, with four high-speed rail corridors proposed. ADVERTISEMENT7 / 12 Delhi-Varanasi-Siliguri Bullet Train Corridor: The proposed Delhi-Varanasi-Siliguri corridor is expected to become India's longest bullet train route. 8 / 12 Delhi-Jaipur-Udaipur-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Corridor: The proposed Delhi-Jaipur-Udaipur-Ahmedabad corridor will connect Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat, making travel faster between major tourism and business destinations while providing direct connectivity with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train. 10 / 12 India's Indigenous Bullet Train Under Development: The Railway Minister also said India is developing its first indigenous bullet train, the B35, with trials expected in the near future.

Last Updated: July 13, 2026, 10:57 IST

1 / 12 Indian Railways News Update: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that India's first bullet train service will begin operations from August 15, 2027, with the first phase of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor opening between Surat and Bilimora. The remaining sections of the 508-km high-speed rail corridor will be opened in phases as construction progresses. Speaking at the HYSEA GCCS & IT Roundtable in Hyderabad, Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project has entered its next phase, with services to be expanded section by section after the initial launch. According to him, after the Surat-Bilimora section becomes operational, services will be extended to Vapi, followed by Ahmedabad, Thane, and finally the complete Mumbai-Ahmedabad route.

2 / 12 The Railway Minister said nearly 80% of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project has already been completed and expressed confidence that it will meet its rollout timeline. Once fully operational, the bullet train will run at a maximum speed of 320 kmph, drastically reducing travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The first phase between Surat and Bilimora is scheduled to open on August 15, 2027, while the entire Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor is targeted for completion by 2029.

3 / 12 Hyderabad to Become a High-Speed Rail Hub: According to a report by NDTV, Ashwini Vaishnaw also announced that Hyderabad is being planned as a major high-speed rail hub, with the Centre proposing three new bullet train corridors connecting the city with other major destinations. These proposed routes include Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Chennai and Hyderabad-Bengaluru. According to the minister, the new corridors will significantly reduce travel time, with Pune to Hyderabad expected to take just 2 hours, Hyderabad to Mumbai 2 hours 50 minutes, Hyderabad to Amaravati 1 hour 10 minutes, Hyderabad to Chennai 3 hours, and Hyderabad to Bengaluru 2 hours 35 minutes. He described the proposed bullet train network as a "game changer", saying it would reduce travel time, create jobs, boost tourism and strengthen regional economic integration.

4 / 12 Rs 5,400 Crore Railway Push for Telangana: Ashwini Vaishnaw said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has allocated Rs 5,400 crore for railway projects in Telangana, adding that the investment is bringing significant changesd to the state's railway infrastructure. He also highlighted the state's growing role in electronics manufacturing, saying the state has emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries under the Centre's electronics manufacturing programmes.

5 / 12 Delhi to Become India's Next Bullet Train Hub: Following the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project, the Centre is planning to develop Delhi as the country's next major bullet train hub, with four high-speed rail corridors proposed. Among these, the Delhi-Varanasi-Siliguri Bullet Train has been identified as a priority project. The corridor is one of the seven high-speed rail routes announced by the Central government in the Union Budget. Work on these seven corridors is expected to move ahead on priority with an estimated investment of around Rs 2 lakh crore. A decision on the proposed Delhi-Jaipur-Amritsar corridor will be taken after the feasibility report is completed.

6 / 12 Delhi-Lucknow-Varanasi Bullet Train Corridor: The proposed Delhi-Lucknow-Varanasi high-speed rail corridor is expected to be one of the biggest infrastructure projects for Uttar Pradesh. Stretching approximately 813 to 865 kilometres, the corridor will feature 13 to 15 stations and allow trains to operate at speeds of up to 320 kmph. The route will connect Noida, Jewar International Airport, Mathura, Agra, Firozabad, Etawah, Kannauj, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Prayagraj, New Bhadohi and Varanasi. A separate 124-135 km link line will also connect Lucknow with Ayodhya, improving access to one of India's most important religious destinations. Once operational, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Lucknow to just 2 hours 10 minutes, while the journey from Delhi to Varanasi will take only 3 hours 50 minutes. The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has already issued tenders for the civil structure design of the project.

7 / 12 Delhi-Varanasi-Siliguri Bullet Train Corridor: The proposed Delhi-Varanasi-Siliguri corridor is expected to become India's longest bullet train route. The project aims to connect northern India directly with the Northeast by extending the Delhi-Varanasi corridor to Siliguri, with a future proposal to further extend the line to Guwahati. The route is expected to pass through Delhi, Noida, Mathura, Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, Buxar, Patna, Begusarai, Khagaria, Katihar and New Jalpaiguri (Siliguri). Spanning around 1,705 kilometres, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Siliguri to around six hours, compared to nearly 20 hours at present. Around seven stations are proposed between Varanasi and Siliguri. The Railway Ministry is currently conducting surveys and preparing the feasibility report for the project.

8 / 12 Delhi-Jaipur-Udaipur-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Corridor: The proposed Delhi-Jaipur-Udaipur-Ahmedabad corridor will connect Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat, making travel faster between major tourism and business destinations while providing direct connectivity with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train. The route, which will be approximately 886 kilometres long, will connect three state capitals and include around 14 to 15 stations. Proposed stations include Dwarka, Bijwasan, Gurugram, Manesar, Rewari, Neemrana, Shahpura, Jaipur, Kishangarh, Bijaynagar, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Himmatnagar and Sabarmati (Ahmedabad). The Detailed Project Report (DPR) has already been prepared, although budget approvals are still awaited.

9 / 12 Delhi-Amritsar-Jammu Bullet Train Corridor: The proposed Delhi-Amritsar-Jammu corridor will connect Delhi, Rohtak, Jind, Kaithal, Chandigarh, Mohali, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar, with a future extension planned to Pathankot, Jammu and Katra (Vaishno Devi). The corridor is expected to be around 450 to 500 kilometres long and will include 10 to 12 stations. Once completed, it is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Amritsar to just two hours. The project is currently in the preliminary survey and route alignment stage.

10 / 12 India's Indigenous Bullet Train Under Development: The Railway Minister also said India is developing its first indigenous bullet train, the B35, with trials expected in the near future. He added that the government aims to lay nearly 250 kilometres of bullet train track every year as it expands the country's high-speedrail network.

11 / 12 Underwater Tunnel Near Mumbai Under Construction: Construction is also progressing on one of the most technically challenging sections of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project: a 20.37-km tunnel, including 7 km beneath the sea near Mumbai. Thetunnel will be built around 65 metres below ground level using Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs). Two TBMs, manufactured in Germany and imported by sea in March 2026, are being used by Afcons Infrastructure Limited, which is executing the tunnel project. The Railway Ministry has directed the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) to expedite tunnelling work despite adverse weather conditions to ensure the project remains on schedule.