India unveils first design for Mumbai Ahmedabad bullet train

The Indian Ministry of Railways has unveiled the first visual design for the country’s inaugural bullet train, offering the public a glimpse of the sleek, aerodynamic train set to run on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor. An image of the proposed train is now on display at Gate Number 4 of the ministry’s building in New Delhi, featuring a white body with black and saffron-colored stripes and a streamlined nose.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, a 508-kilometer flagship project, is tentatively scheduled to begin operations on August 15, 2027. Officials have stated that initial service will likely commence on a 100-kilometer section in Gujarat between Surat and Vapi, with the full corridor expected to be operational by 2029. Once complete, the high-speed service is projected to reduce travel time between the two major cities to approximately two hours, a significant decrease from current durations.

The project is being developed by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) and utilizes Japanese Shinkansen technology. The train sets, with a design speed of 280 km/h, are being manufactured domestically by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai and BEML...