India’s plan to surpass Japan’s E10: B35 bullet trains to target 350 kmph by 2030 as first B28 trains prepare to run at 249 kmph from 2027

India is preparing to take its high-speed rail ambitions a step further, with plans to develop and manufacture indigenous bullet trains capable of reaching a design speed of 350 kmph by 2030.

The proposed train, referred to as B35, is part of India's broader push to build domestic expertise in high-speed rail technology. According to a TOI report, the planned train would have capabilities comparable with Japan's next-generation E10 series, which is also scheduled to enter production in 2030.

The move comes even as India prepares to introduce its first domestically manufactured high-speed trainsets on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor.


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B28 bullet trains to begin trials in 2027

Before the 350 kmph B35 trains arrive, India is working on the B28 high-speed trainsets, which will have a design speed of 280 kmph.

Their maximum operating speed is expected to be around 249 kmph. Two prototype B28 trainsets are expected to be ready for trials in the first quarter of 2027, according to the TOI report.

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State-owned BEML has already received contracts for 32 B28 trainsets. It has also secured a separate order worth Rs 5,400 crore for another 15 trainsets, taking the total number of B28 trains covered by the reported contracts to 47. BEML listed the Rs 5,400-crore order among its September 2026 investor updates.

The trains are being developed for India's requirements rather than simply replicating designs used in other countries.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project cost crosses Rs 2 lakh crore

The indigenous train programme is closely linked with the country's first high-speed rail corridor, the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project.

The project's estimated cost has now risen to around Rs 2.1 lakh crore, nearly twice the original estimate of about Rs 1.1 lakh crore. Earlier reports said the Railway Ministry attributed the escalation to factors including delays in land acquisition in Maharashtra and delays associated with trainsets.

The Railway Ministry's proposal for the revised project cost forms part of the latest developments surrounding the corridor. The full Mumbai-Ahmedabad route is targeted for completion by December 2030, while an initial section is expected to begin operations in 2027.

The government has also indicated that the additional expenditure will receive budgetary support.

Why India is developing its own bullet trains

The push towards domestic manufacturing is not limited to the trains themselves. India is also working on an indigenous Bharat Train Control System (BTCS) for high-speed rail. The proposed system is intended to support functions such as train control, speed management and safe spacing between trains.

Developing domestic technology could also help India address rolling-stock requirements as more high-speed rail corridors are taken up.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad project itself is being executed with Japanese technical and financial assistance. The Railway Ministry has previously described it as a technology-intensive project that has been adapted to Indian requirements and climatic conditions.

BEML's Bengaluru facility to manufacture high-speed trains

BEML is manufacturing the indigenous high-speed trainsets at its dedicated Aditya High-Speed Rail Complex in Bengaluru.

The engineering requirements for a high-speed train are considerably different from those for conventional railway coaches. At higher speeds, factors such as aerodynamics, weight, suspension, wheel design, braking, stability and passenger comfort become increasingly important.

The Indian trainsets are also being designed with the country's environmental conditions in mind, including heat and dust.

The proposed B28 trains will feature fully air-conditioned chair-car coaches, reclining and rotatable seats, onboard infotainment and facilities for passengers with disabilities.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor: 508 km, 12 stations

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor will connect 12 stations across Maharashtra, Gujarat and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The planned stations are:

• Mumbai
• Thane
• Virar
• Boisar
• Vapi
• Bilimora
• Surat
• Bharuch
• Vadodara
• Anand
• Ahmedabad
• Sabarmati

The Railway Ministry said in February 2026 that the entire land requirement of about 1,389.5 hectares had been acquired and all 1,651 identified utilities had been shifted.

By March 2026, work on the project had advanced substantially, with pier, girder, track-bed and overhead electrification works progressing across the corridor.

Japan's E10 and India's B35

India's proposed B35 comes at a time when Japan is preparing its next-generation E10 bullet train. According to the TOI report, Japan informed India in December 2024 that production of its existing E5 series would be phased out and that manufacturing of the E10 series was expected to begin in 2030. The E10 trains are expected to enter service around 2034.

Indian officials are also expected to examine the possibility of deploying E10 trainsets once they become available. At the same time, India is pursuing its own B35 technology rather than relying entirely on imported trainsets.

Seven more high-speed rail corridors planned

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad project is only the beginning of India's wider high-speed rail ambitions.

Seven additional corridors have been announced for development, including routes connecting Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi and Varanasi-Siliguri via Patna, according to the latest report.

The proposed journey times range from around 48 minutes for Mumbai-Pune to about 3 hours 50 minutes for Delhi-Varanasi.

The development of indigenous high-speed train manufacturing capacity could therefore become important as India expands its network beyond the first bullet train corridor.

From 249 kmph B28 to 350 kmph B35

India's high-speed rail programme is consequently moving on two tracks, introducing the first indigenous B28 trainsets for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor while simultaneously working towards a more advanced 350 kmph B35 train by 2030.

If the development programme stays on schedule, India would move from testing its first domestically manufactured high-speed trainsets in 2027 to targeting a significantly faster indigenous train within the next few years.


Inputs from TOI & agencies