Bullet train in India: Indian Railways plans to run bullet train services on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor at intervals of 15 to 20 minutes in the initial phase of the launch of Bharat’s very first bullet train.
Speaking to reporters at the headquarters of the ministry of Railways on Friday (January 2, 2026), Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the bullet train will run every 15–20 minutes during peak hours in the initial period of the train’s launch.
Vaishnaw added that the frequency might be later increased depending on passenger demand. As per Vaishnaw, the ministry has presently envisioned a later stage where they would run the train every 10 minutes during peak periods, if required foot traffic follows.
What did Vaishnaw say?
While presenting the details of the upcoming train’s operation schedule, Vaishnaw linked the near completion of the project to the mark of a new era of transportation across the country.
“When the MAHSR corridor becomes fully operational, services will run every 15–20 minutes during peak hours. There is also planning to reduce the interval to 10 minutes based on traffic demand. This will mark the beginning of a new transport system in the country,” Vaishnaw said.
Bullet train’s impact on Indian economy
Vaishnaw also said the bullet train project will have a strong multiplier effect on the Indian economy. The union railways minister further told reporters Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train project is completed, the travel time between the two cities will be reduced to less than two hours.
“Suppose you board the bullet train from Surat in the morning after breakfast, travel to Mumbai for work, and return to Surat in the evening. This kind of seamless connectivity will become possible,” the Railway Minister said.
Speaking about the employment boost facilitated by the railway project, Vaishnaw added that around one lakh people have benefited, either directly or indirectly, through employment generated during the construction phase of the project.
Bullet train ticket price
During the press interaction, the minister also promised that the fare for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train will be affordable for the rising Indian middle class. On Friday, India’s first bullet train corridor marked a major milestone with the breakthrough of a mountain tunnel in Maharashtra’s Palghar district.