Overview
- The Railway Minister said the inaugural section will run between Surat and Bilimora, with subsequent openings planned for Vapi–Surat, Vapi–Ahmedabad, and then Thane–Ahmedabad before the full route.
- The 508-km corridor is being executed by NHSRCL with 12 planned stations across Maharashtra, Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
- As of December 9, 2025, reported works included 330 km of viaduct and 408 km of pier completed, 17 river bridges delivered, 260 track km of RC track bed built, and about 3,700 OHE masts erected.
- Once fully operational, the line is projected to cut Mumbai–Ahmedabad travel to about 2 hours and 7 minutes at operating speeds up to 320 kmph.
- The minister also announced that the Prime Minister will flag off the first Vande Bharat Sleeper between Howrah and Guwahati in mid-January, with fares described as substantially lower than air travel.