India’s first bullet train to begin phased operations from August 15, 2027; Hyderabad to get three high-speed rail corridors

India's first bullet train will begin phased operations from August 15, 2027, starting with the Surat-Bilimora section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also announced three proposed high-speed rail corridors connecting Hyderabad with major southern cities.

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

The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor will be commissioned in stages, allowing sections of the project to become operational before the completion of the entire route. Following the launch of the Surat-Bilimora stretch, the remaining sections, including Vapi-Surat, Vapi-Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad-Thane and Ahmedabad-Mumbai, will be opened progressively.

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Sharing the update, the Railway Ministry quoted Vaishnaw as saying that India’s first bullet train project has entered its next phase, with the under-construction Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor scheduled for phased commissioning beginning with the Surat-Bilimora section.

The Railway Minister said nearly 80 per cent of the ambitious project has already been completed and construction is progressing rapidly to meet the target timeline. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail corridor is India’s first high-speed rail project and is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the two financial hubs while introducing advanced rail technology and strengthening regional connectivity. The project is also expected to spur economic growth along the corridor.

Vaishnaw also outlined the Centre’s long-term plans to expand the country’s high-speed rail network, announcing three proposed bullet train corridors centred around Hyderabad. These include the Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Chennai and Hyderabad-Bengaluru routes, which are expected to enhance connectivity across southern India. He added that a Hyderabad-Mumbai high-speed rail link is also planned, which would substantially cut travel time between the two cities.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given three high-speed bullet train corridors to Hyderabad, which will change its landscape,” Vaishnaw said, adding that the proposed network would cover large parts of Telangana and improve connectivity across several districts in the state.

The minister also highlighted the government’s ongoing railway modernisation drive under the station redevelopment programme. As part of the Nav-Nirmaan initiative, 261 railway stations across the country are being upgraded with modern passenger amenities and improved infrastructure. In Telangana, key stations including Secunderabad, Begumpet and HITEC City are among those undergoing redevelopment.