India is aiming to develop these homegrown bullet trains by 2030 while also building the infrastructure required to operate them.
The development comes after the Union Cabinet approved a higher budget for the Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project. The total cost of the project has now crossed Rs 2 lakh crore, almost twice the first estimate made in 2015. Around Rs 1 lakh crore will come from the Union Budget to help fund the project.
According to a Times of India report, India began working on the B35 bullet trains after Japan said in December 2024 that it would gradually stop making its existing E5 series trains. Japan said production of its newer E10 trains is expected to start in 2030, with the trains expected to be ready for service by 2034. Indian officials may look at using the E10 trains once they become available.
At the same time, India has started developing its own B28 high-speed trains. The country is also working on the Bharat Train Control System (BTCS), an Indian train control and signalling system. The system will help control train speeds, maintain a safe gap between trains and make railway travel safer. It is similar to China’s CTCS, which is used for both normal and high-speed trains.
According to an earlier Ministry of Railways release, the MAHSR project covers 508 km. The route will pass through Gujarat, Maharashtra and Dadra & Nagar Haveli. A total of 12 stations are planned, including Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Billimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati.
Integral Coach Factory (ICF), together with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), is designing and making new train sets. These trains are being developed to run at speeds of up to 280 kmph.
The B35 project, alongside the B28 train programme and the development of BTCS, reflects India’s ongoing effort to build domestic high-speed rail technology while the infrastructure for the MAHSR project continues to take shape.
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