Ashwini Vaishnaw's Rajya Sabha reply sheds light on road-ahead for India's new hydrogen train

Indian Railways' hydrogen-powered train has covered nearly 2,500 km in commercial operations since its launch last month, with any expansion of the technology to other routes contingent on resource availability, operational feasibility and network requirements, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Rajya Sabha on August 7.

In a written reply to Parliament, Vaishnaw said the pilot hydrogen train, introduced on the 89-km Jind-Sonipat section on July 17, had completed 2,492 km of commercial service till August 3. The project is intended to evaluate the viability of hydrogen-powered rail transport before any larger deployment across the railway network.

Members of Parliament sought details on the investment made in the project, plans for future hydrogen train corridors, the availability and pricing of green hydrogen, and efforts to build domestic manufacturing capabilities for the emerging fuel ecosystem.


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The minister said the hydrogen train had been developed as a pilot to showcase the potential of hydrogen-based propulsion technology for Indian Railways. He added that the experience gained from the project would help assess its suitability for wider adoption.

To support the operations, Indian Railways has established a dedicated hydrogen production and supply facility at Jind. According to the minister, the associated hydrogen storage infrastructure has been created in line with safety norms prescribed by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), ensuring compliance with established handling and storage protocols.

Vaishnaw highlighted the environmental advantages of the technology, stating that the train produces no carbon dioxide emissions during operation. The only emission generated by the fuel-cell system is water vapour, making it a cleaner alternative to conventional diesel-powered traction.

He also noted that the train relies on fuel-cell technology rather than a conventional traction engine. Since the system does not use moving mechanical components for power generation in the same manner as traditional engines, it operates more quietly, helping reduce noise levels while demonstrating the potential of hydrogen propulsion in the railway sector.

The minister said the pilot project, including the trainset and supporting infrastructure, had been developed at a cost of Rs 141 crore. However, he cautioned against comparing the economics of the hydrogen-powered train with conventional traction systems at this stage, as the technology remains in the demonstration phase and requires dedicated infrastructure that would not be representative of commercial-scale deployment.

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Vaishnaw also outlined the train's technical specifications, describing it as an indigenously designed and developed platform. The train consists of 10 coaches, making it the world's longest hydrogen-powered trainset on a broad-gauge network.

It is also among the most powerful in its category, with a total traction output of 2,400 kW generated by two 1,200-kW Driving Power Cars, coupled with eight passenger coaches.

For now, the hydrogen-powered service will continue to operate only on the Jind-Sonipat route, Vaishnaw said. Any decision to introduce similar trains elsewhere would be taken after considering operational requirements, availability of resources and other implementation factors, he added.

The pilot is expected to provide Indian Railways with critical operational data as it evaluates the role of hydrogen in its long-term decarbonisation strategy, he further said.