India's 1st bullet train to run by December 2029
India's first bullet train, connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad, is set to roll out by December 2029, according to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The Vapi-to-Sabarmati section in Gujarat should be ready even earlier, by December 2027.
Spanning 508km with 12 stations—including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati—the project is being built with major support from Japan.
Project cost, land acquisition, and construction status
The project costs a massive ₹1,08,000 crore, with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) covering most of it—about 81%. As of June this year, ₹78,839 crore has already been spent.
After some early land hassles in Maharashtra, all the needed land (roughly 1,390 hectares) is now secured.
On the construction front: most contracts are awarded; nearly 400km of piers are up; over 300km of girders have been installed; and a huge undersea tunnel—21km long—is currently being built.