India first high speed rail line in summer 2027 with Japan help

Semi-high speed trains until the delivery of new Shinkansen E10

Stretching roughly 500 kilometers (310 miles) between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, the future line represents India’s first true high-speed railway. The project benefits of Japanese engineering expertise. But also of Tokyo’s financing. About 80% of the project’s cost, estimated at around $11.5 billion, comes from low-interest loans from Japan.

The project, overseen by India’s National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), is expected to open in phases. The first operational section should debut in August 2027.

This initial phase, running between Surat and Bilimora in Gujarat, will serve as a pilot stretch for India’s bullet train operations. Originally, India planned to use the E5 series trains for commercial service from Day 1. However, mounting costs and repeated delivery delays led Indian officials to explore using domestically produced, semi–high-speed trains instead. Vande Bharat trains will run at a speed of up to 250 km/h. By comparison, the Shinkansen E10’s operating speed is 320 km/h.

Once receiving E10, India will have the most advanced generation of Shinkansen technology. It will feature improved safety systems, upgraded braking and vibration control, and passenger comforts tailored to long-distance travel.

When fully operational, the Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor will cut travel time between the two major cities from over six hours to just over two.

Japan looks at exporting more Shinkansen technology

Japan’s decision to provide the E5 and E3 trains underscores Tokyo’s commitment to ensuring its flagship rail technology remains central to India’s emerging bullet train network.

It will also show as a prestigious export object for other high-speed rail projects in Asia-Pacific. While Japan lost the bid to build Indonesia’s first high speed rail from Jakarta to Bandung to the profit of China, the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) pins its hopes for the future high speed rail network in Australia.