Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday confirmed that India’s first bullet train is slated to become operational on August 15, 2027 with services being rolled out in phases along the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor.
“The bullet train will be ready in 2027, August 15th, 2027. The first section to open will be from Surat to Bilimora. After that, Vapi to Surat will open. Then Vapi to Ahmedabad will open, and after that, Thane to Ahmedabad will open, and then Mumbai to Ahmedabad will open,” Vaishnaw said.
The 508-km high-speed rail corridor, being built between Sabarmati in Ahmedabad and Mumbai, is designed for trains running at speeds of up to 320 kmph. Once fully operational, the bullet train will cover the entire distance in 2 hours and 17 minutes.
The project’s foundation stone was laid in 2017 and was originally targeted for completion by December 2023. However, delays due to land acquisition and other challenges pushed back the timeline. Providing an update on the inaugural run, Vaishnaw said, “The bullet train, in its inaugural run, will now cover 100 km between Surat and Vapi in August 2027. Earlier, the inaugural run was planned on a 50-km stretch between Surat and Billimora within the same deadline.”
He also highlighted the travel-time advantage once the full corridor is functional. “The bullet train will cover the distance between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in 1 hour 58 minutes while stopping at four stations. However, if it stops at all 12 stations, the entire distance will be covered in 2 hours and 17 minutes,” the minister added.
In November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the under-construction bullet train station in Surat and reviewed progress on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor. During his interaction with engineers and workers, he sought updates on timelines, speed targets and construction milestones. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the team assured him that the project was progressing smoothly.
The Prime Minister also suggested that if experiences from the project are documented and compiled like a “Blue Book”, India could move faster towards large-scale implementation of bullet train projects, stressing the importance of avoiding repeated experimentation.
Also read: Vaishnaw, Japanese minister review bullet train works in Surat
Follow us
