Overview

• Indian Railways completed a successful trial of its first hydrogen-powered coach at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai on July 25, 2025.
• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the coach trial sets the stage for a 1,200 horsepower hydrogen train now under development.
• Under the Hydrogen for Heritage initiative, Indian Railways plans to operate 35 hydrogen trains at an estimated ₹80 crore per unit with ₹70 crore per route for infrastructure.
• A ₹111.83 crore pilot project will retrofit a DEMU rake with hydrogen fuel cells for service on the Jind–Sonipat section of Northern Railway.
• Officials expect operating costs to decline as the hydrogen fleet grows and highlight the fuel’s zero-emission profile in support of India’s net-zero carbon goals.