India’s First Bullet Train To Begin Operations On August 15, 2027, Says Ashwini Vaishnaw

India’s first bullet train service will begin phased operations from August 15, 2027, with the Surat-Bilimora section of the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor set to become the country’s first operational high-speed rail route, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor will be commissioned in stages. Completed sections will become operational before the entire route is finished.

After the launch of the Surat-Bilimora stretch, the remaining sections—Vapi-Surat, Vapi-Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad-Thane and Ahmedabad-Mumbai—will be opened progressively.

Vaishnaw said the project has entered its next phase, with nearly 80 per cent of the construction already completed. He added that the corridor is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, introduce advanced rail technology and strengthen regional connectivity while boosting economic growth.

The Railway Minister also announced three proposed high-speed rail corridors centred around Hyderabad: Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Chennai and Hyderabad-Bengaluru. He added that a Hyderabad-Mumbai bullet train corridor is also planned to reduce travel time between the two cities.

Vaishnaw said the proposed network would transform Hyderabad’s connectivity and cover large parts of Telangana. He also highlighted the Centre’s railway modernisation programme, under which 261 railway stations across the country are being redeveloped with modern passenger amenities.

In Telangana, stations including Secunderabad, Begumpet and HITEC City are among those undergoing redevelopment.

Also Read: Amit Shah To Inaugurate 11th INTERPOL Digital Forensics Meeting In Gandhinagar