India is gearing up for a historic leap in rail travel as the country’s first bullet train is scheduled to begin operations in August 2027, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced. The maiden run will take place on the 100-km Surat–Vapi stretch in Gujarat, marking the beginning of India’s long-awaited high-speed rail era.
Once the entire Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is completed, the bullet train will cover the 508-km route in just 1 hour and 58 minutes, dramatically transforming intercity travel on one of the busiest routes in the country.
“The inaugural run in August 2027 will showcase a 100-km journey between Surat and Vapi. When the full corridor is ready, passengers can travel from Ahmedabad to Mumbai in under two hours,” Vaishnaw said.
The state-of-the-art trains will operate at 320 km/h, with two journey options:
- Express service (4 stops): 1 hour 58 minutes
- All-stops service (12 stations): 2 hours 17 minutes
Construction is advancing swiftly, and the minister confirmed that the entire project is expected to be completed by December 2029.
Vaishnaw, however, declined to reveal whether the inaugural service will use an indigenously built train or a Japanese-manufactured model, leaving the final choice undisclosed for now.
India’s bullet train project promises to usher in a new era of ultra-high-speed, modern, and efficient rail travel—bringing the country closer to global transportation standards.
