India's Mumbai Ahmedabad bullet train cheaper than Hokuriku Shinkansen
India's first bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is set to be much cheaper per kilometer than similar high-speed rail lines in Japan or Indonesia.
Even though the total budget has increased since 2016, officials say the project still offers better value for money, with costs at ₹390 crore per kilometer compared to over ₹1,150 crore per kilometer for Japan's Hokuriku Shinkansen.
Bullet train: local trains and signaling
The big savings come from using locally made trains and signaling tech instead of pricey imports.
Most of the incremental cost is expected to be borne through internal accruals, plus a soft loan from Japan's JICA.
Construction on a key Surat-Vapi stretch wraps up this year.
If all goes to plan, testing of Indian-built bullet trains starts mid-2027 and you could hop on board by August that year, cutting travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in a big way.