India and Japan have agreed to fast-track the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project by beginning operations with an Indian high-speed train before Japan's next-generation E10 Series Shinkansen is ready. The decision comes as part of both countries' shared commitment to launching India's first bullet train corridor at the earliest, as construction on the project continues to gather pace.
Japan has agreed to provide its next-generation E10 Series Shinkansen trains in the early 2030s, once the model, currently under development, is ready for deployment.
In the meantime, construction of the corridor has advanced rapidly, with the first section expected to become operational in 2027. To ensure an early launch of services, India and Japan have agreed that operations on the initial stretch will begin with an Indian high-speed train until the E10 Series is introduced.
The arrangement aligns with the shared objective of both countries to commence high-speed rail operations at the earliest possible date.
Bullet train project timeline and route
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that India will begin operating the first phase of its maiden bullet train service from August 15, 2027. The inaugural stretch will cover the Surat-Bilimora section of the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor, with the remaining sections to be opened in phases as construction progresses.
Speaking at the HYSEA GCCS & IT Roundtable at the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, Vaishnaw said the under-construction Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor would be commissioned in a phased manner, starting with the Surat-Bilimora stretch. He added that services would subsequently be extended to Vapi, Ahmedabad, Thane, and finally the complete Mumbai-Ahmedabad route.
The minister said nearly 80 per cent of the bullet train project has been completed and expressed confidence that it will meet its rollout schedule. Once the entire corridor becomes operational, the trains are expected to run at speeds of up to 320 kmph.
The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor will use Japan's renowned Shinkansen technology, cutting travel time between the two cities to about 2 hours and 7 minutes.
The project is primarily financed through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). However, the additional cost escalation of nearly Rs 90,000 crore will be fully borne by Indian Railways through gross budgetary support, with no plans to seek further funding from Japan.
