Indian Railways To Launch India’s First Hydrogen-Powered Train

Indian Railways will soon roll out India’s first hydrogen-powered train, with operations set to begin on the Jind–Sonipat route in Haryana.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) offering the first glimpse of this pioneering green initiative. With this launch, India will become the fifth country in the world—after Germany, France, Sweden, and China—to deploy hydrogen-powered train technology.

According to Indian Railways, the new hydrogen-powered train will be the world’s most powerful and longest of its kind, capable of transporting 2,600 passengers. Engineers recently completed testing the train’s first coach at Chennai’s Integral Coach Factory (ICF).

In July, Vaishnaw posted a video of the trial on the social media platform, calling it ‘a significant step towards creating a future-ready and sustainable India’.

“India is developing 1,200 HP Hydrogen train. This will place India among the leaders in Hydrogen powered train technology,” he posted on X.

Expansion Plans: ‘Hydrogen for Heritage’

In response to a Rajya Sabha query, Vaishnaw revealed that Indian Railways plans to roll out 35 hydrogen trains under the ‘Hydrogen for Heritage’ initiative.

Each train will cost approximately ₹80 crore, with an additional ₹70 crore required for route infrastructure on heritage and hill routes.

The pilot programme involves modifying an existing diesel-electric multiple unit (DEMU) rake to operate on hydrogen fuel cells, marking a significant innovation in India’s rail sector.

To support operations, Indian Railways is building an integrated hydrogen production, storage, and dispensing facility in Jind.

This facility will fuel the Haryana train using a 1-megawatt Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) electrolyser, producing about 430 kg of hydrogen daily.

The infrastructure will also include 3,000 kg of hydrogen storage, a hydrogen compressor, and two hydrogen dispensers with pre-cooler integration for fast refuelling.

The project also includes the development of five Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Based Tower Cars for maintenance purposes, with each unit costing ₹10 crore.

These specialised vehicles will ensure smooth upkeep of the hydrogen rail network.

By embracing hydrogen-powered trains, Indian Railways aims to reduce carbon emissions, modernise its fleet, and set global benchmarks for eco-friendly transportation. With the Jind–Sonipat route as the starting point, India is positioning itself as a leader in sustainable rail innovation.

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