The indigenous B28 high-speed train is designed to operate at speeds of up to 280 kmph across the high-speed rail corridor. Its development marks a shift towards domestic technology for India’s bullet train programme, with the train being developed by upgrading technology from the Vande Bharat platform.
India was initially preparing to operate bullet trains based on Japan’s Shinkansen E10 coaches. However, delays in receiving these coaches prompted the government to adopt an indigenous alternative. For the first time, a high-speed train with a stainless-steel body is being developed using indigenous technology.
The B28 train has a design speed of 280 kmph, while its actual operating speed is expected to range between 220 and 250 kmph. Its ability to accelerate from zero to 100 kmph in 52 seconds is another key feature of the domestically developed train.
The indigenous option is also expected to reduce procurement costs compared with Japanese bullet train coaches. For the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, the original plan involved purchasing 10-coach trainsets based on Japan’s Shinkansen technology. Each trainset was estimated to cost approximately Rs 460 crore to Rs 500 crore. According to the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), the cost could rise to Rs 600 crore after accounting for advanced technology, earthquake-resistant systems and weather-related modifications.
The prototype of India’s first indigenous bullet train is scheduled to be launched between December 2026 and March 2027. Following successful speed trials, the first commercial operation is targeted for August 2027 on the 97-km Surat-Vapi section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor.
If the indigenous technology successfully completes its trials, India is preparing to extend bullet train services to other routes, including Delhi-Varanasi, Chennai-Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The proposed Delhi-Varanasi bullet train is also expected to connect metropolitan cities through the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route.
India is also developing the B35 trainset, which will have a design speed of 350 kmph. These trainsets are expected to be ready by 2030 and are intended to compete directly with Japan’s next-generation Shinkansen E10 trains.
The indigenous B28 bullet train will be different from Japan’s Shinkansen E5 series, which is planned for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route and has a maximum speed of 320 kmph. The B28 is being developed using Indian technology rather than relying on the Japanese train design.
Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) is manufacturing the high-speed rail coaches at its Aditya plant in Bengaluru. Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, is assisting with the design, frame and technical structure of the indigenous bullet train.
BEML has received a contract worth Rs 867 crore for two high-speed trainsets, each comprising eight coaches. A separate NHSRCL contract worth Rs 5,400 crore includes maintenance and the supply of 16 trainsets.
The cost difference between the two technologies is another significant aspect of the programme. Importing a single coach for Japan’s Shinkansen costs between Rs 46 crore and Rs 48 crore, while a coach for the Made-in-India bullet train is estimated to cost Rs 28 crore.
With the B28 prototype targeted for completion by early 2027 and the B35 planned for 2030, India’s high-speed rail programme is moving towards domestic manufacturing, with the potential to reduce coach costs while developing trains capable of competing with international high-speed rail technology.
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