India's First Bullet Train: Mumbai-Ahmedabad Line To Be Fully Operational By 2029 With Surat-Bilimora Section Opening In 2027

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw conducted an inspection of the ongoing construction work at Surat in Gujarat.

India's first bullet train connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad will be fully operational by 2029, with the initial 50-kilometer stretch between Surat and Bilimora in Gujarat scheduled to open by 2027, according to Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday.

During his visit, Minister Vaishnaw inspected the under-construction Surat station, examining track installation work and the first turnout. He emphasized that passengers will be able to travel between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in just two hours and seven minutes on these high-speed trains, compared to the current nine-hour journey time shown on Google Maps.

Bharat's bullet train project is advancing rapidly with the world's most modern technology.📍HSR Surat Station pic.twitter.com/j3zrFwiPKo

"The overall progress of the first bullet train project is very promising. The first 50 km section connecting Surat and Bilimora will begin operations by 2027. By 2028, we expect to commission the Thane-Ahmedabad section, and by 2029, the entire Mumbai-Ahmedabad line will be open to the public," the minister stated.

Progress of the first #BulletTrain project in our country is very good. The first section within this bullet train project will open in 2027 between Surat and Bilimora: Hon'ble MR @AshwiniVaishnaw pic.twitter.com/UIW8fHecVO

The minister highlighted the implementation of cutting-edge technology to ensure passenger safety, including vibration absorption mechanisms along the tracks and specialized safety features designed to handle high winds and earthquakes.

Vaishnaw noted that major construction work at Surat station has been completed, with finishing touches and utility work currently in progress alongside track linking operations. The first turnout, a critical junction where tracks converge or diverge, has been installed using advanced technologies including roller bearings and composite sleepers.

The main line is engineered to support speeds up to 320 kilometers per hour, while the loop line will operate at 80 kilometers per hour. The service schedule is designed to have trains departing every half hour during morning and evening peak times. Once the network fully stabilizes, trains will run every 10 minutes during peak hours, as previously announced by the minister.

This ambitious project is expected to integrate the economies of major urban centers along the corridor and stimulate regional development, following a model similar to Japan's economic growth after implementing its high-speed rail network.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor spans 508 kilometers and represents India's first bullet train project. Minister Vaishnaw also indicated plans for four additional bullet train corridors in other regions of the country, as outlined in the BJP manifesto.