India’s first high-speed rail project has entered a crucial execution phase, with the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor achieving more than 56 per cent physical progress, reflecting steady momentum on one of the country’s most ambitious infrastructure initiatives.
The 508-kilometre high-speed rail corridor is being closely tracked under the government’s infrastructure monitoring framework and is among the major national projects currently under implementation. As per the latest project data, expenditure on the corridor has crossed Rs 85,300 crore so far, against an estimated total project cost of around Rs 1.08 lakh crore.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project is designed to significantly transform intercity travel, with trains planned to operate at speeds of up to 320 kmph. Once fully operational, the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is expected to reduce sharply to just 1 hour and 58 minutes.
The first operational segment of the bullet train corridor is scheduled to begin service in August 2027, covering a 100-kilometre stretch between Surat and Vapi. This initial run will mark the debut of high-speed rail operations in India and serve as a key milestone ahead of full corridor commissioning.
The project will be opened in phases. Following the Surat–Vapi stretch, services are planned to be extended across the Vapi–Ahmedabad and Thane–Ahmedabad sections, with the final Mumbai–Ahmedabad link becoming operational in the last stage of the rollout. The entire corridor is targeted for completion by December 2029.
Once operational, the bullet train will offer two travel options. With four intermediate stops, the Mumbai–Ahmedabad journey will take 1 hour and 58 minutes, while services halting at all 12 stations along the route will complete the journey in approximately 2 hours and 17 minutes.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project is expected to play a transformative role in India’s transport landscape by enhancing regional connectivity, promoting economic development along the corridor and introducing globally benchmarked high-speed rail technology to the country for the first time.