Overview
- Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the inaugural run will operate between Surat and Vapi in August 2027, expanding the plan from an earlier 50 km pilot.
- Officials continue to target full operations on the 508 km Ahmedabad–Mumbai corridor by the end of 2029.
- As of November 17, construction includes 329 km of viaduct and 404 km of pier work, about 3,100 OHE masts covering roughly 75 km, and ongoing tunnelling and station builds.
- The line is designed for 320 km/h operation with an end-to-end travel time of 1 hour 58 minutes with four stops, or about 2 hours 17 minutes with all 12 stations.
- The ministry has awarded a Siemens-led signalling contract, industry experts have questioned Shinkansen compatibility, and the minister did not specify which trainset will run the first service as indigenous development progresses.