India’s first bullet train project will use Japan’s latest E10 high-speed trains for operations, after initially testing the E5 series of trains. The E10 series of bullet trains are set for debut in Japan in 2030, and are therefore likely to be used on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor at the same time.The 508 km bullet train route, with 352 kms in Gujarat and 156 kms in Maharashtra, is under construction using the Japanese Shinkansen technology. According to railways, the new bullet train corridor will establish new standards in speed, safety, and operational reliability in India.
Japan’s E10 Bullet Trains For India
- The Japanese Shinkansen currently operates E5 trains, with E10 being the next generation model. “The newest Japanese trains will run on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed corridor,” an official told ET.
- “In the spirit of strategic partnership between Japan and India, the Japanese government has agreed to introduce E10 Shinkansen trains in the project,” an official statement said.
- A status report released on Monday regarding the bullet train project indicated that construction of 310 km of viaduct had been completed.
- Commercial services of India’s first bullet train project are scheduled to begin in 2027, whilst the initial prototype is expected to commence operations in 2026.
Moving Beyond Japanese Technology
The Indian Railways is now also diversifying its approach to bullet train technology, moving beyond exclusive Japanese collaboration to include European and domestic partnerships. A recent contract for comprehensive signalling and telecommunication systems has been granted to European technology providers working with Indian collaborators.Simultaneously, discussions continue with Japanese firms regarding Shinkansen trainset procurement. Testing of E5 variant Shinkansen trainsets will evaluate their suitability and help determine necessary adjustments for the E10 trainsets currently under development.The government has additionally commissioned Integral Coach Factory (ICF) to manufacture a bullet train that can achieve speeds of 280 kmph. For this project, ICF has established a partnership with the defence public sector company BEML to manufacture these high-speed trains.
