Vande Bharat to Run on Bullet Train Tracks
India is set to take a significant leap in high-speed rail transport as the semi high-speed Vande Bharat train will soon operate on the country’s first bullet train corridor between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. This initiative marks the first instance of Indian Railways running a train at a speed of 250 km/h on the bullet train track before the launch of the actual bullet train service.
The trial runs for this service are expected to begin on the Gujarat section of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed corridor by the end of this year. Initially, the Vande Bharat train will operate at a speed of 250 km/h on this track, compared to its current maximum speed of 160 km/h. The final phase of testing for India’s first bullet train, which will run at a speed of 320 km/h, is planned for 2027.
Global and Indian Bullet Train Speeds:
- Japan: 603 km/h
- China: 600 km/h
- France: 320 km/h
- South Korea: 305 km/h
- India (planned for Ahmedabad–Mumbai corridor): 320 km/h
According to railway officials, the bullet train project has faced an increase in estimated costs due to land acquisition challenges in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Originally budgeted at ₹1.08 lakh crore, the project cost is now expected to rise by approximately ₹8,000 crore.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train corridor spans 508 kilometers, with around 21 kilometers of it being underground. A significant highlight is a 7-kilometer stretch under the sea near Mumbai. Once operational, the bullet train will reduce travel time between the two cities to just about 2 hours, compared to the current 6–7 hours.
