Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project: India To Receive 2 Shinkansen Trains From Japan As 'Gift' In 2026 For Testing

Mumbai: In a major move to strengthen Indo-Japanese ties and boost India’s bullet train ambitions, Japan will gift India two Shinkansen train sets, E5 and E3 models, for inspection purposes on the under-construction Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor. These train sets are expected to arrive in India by early 2026 and will serve as a training and familiarisation platform for Indian engineers to understand Shinkansen technology before the corridor becomes operational.

According to a report by the Japan Times, India and Japan are also in talks to introduce the next-generation E10 series Shinkansen on the MAHSR corridor by the early 2030s. The first phase of the corridor is likely to begin operations between Surat and Bilimora, a 48 km stretch, by August 2026. Other sections will be opened in phases as and when construction milestones are achieved.

However, progress in Maharashtra has been comparatively slow, primarily due to delays in the arrival and deployment of tunnel boring machines (TBMs). One of the most challenging components is the 21-kilometre-long tunnel between Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Shilphata in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), which is expected to take at least five years to complete. This means the corridor’s commissioning in Maharashtra may not happen before 2030.

Details On Progress Of Mega Project

Despite these delays, overall construction is progressing steadily. Viaduct construction has now spanned 292 km, with pier construction completed over 374 km and foundation work stretching across 393 km. Girders have been cast along 320 km of the corridor.

Bridges have also seen notable progress. Construction on 14 river bridges has been completed across Gujarat, including those over the Par, Purna, Mindhola, Ambika, Auranga, Mohar and Kim rivers, reported Times of India. Additionally, seven steel bridges and five pre-stressed concrete (PSC) bridges have been built.

Another bridge, another step closer to India’s first Bullet Train!
A 120-meter-long bridge over the Kim River in Surat district was completed on 15th March 2025. Located between Surat and Bharuch stations, it is the 14th river bridge completed in Gujarat out of the 21 planned. pic.twitter.com/tjEWy0VnVl

— NHSRCL (@nhsrcl) April 4, 2025

A 70-meter-long 'Make in India' steel bridge, weighing 674 MT, has been launched over DFCCIL tracks near Vadodara, Gujarat. Completed in just 13 hours (spread over three days), this is the 7th steel bridge in Gujarat, driving India’s high-speed journey forward! pic.twitter.com/STBCyCyh3H

— NHSRCL (@nhsrcl) April 9, 2025

Watch how Bilimora Bullet Train Station is progressing steadily towards completion!
Here’s the latest update on its journey — stay tuned as we continue building the future of high-speed travel! pic.twitter.com/55tlHCrBWb

— NHSRCL (@nhsrcl) April 14, 2025

Noise barriers have been installed along a 150 km stretch of the viaduct in Gujarat, with three lakh panels in place. Track bed construction has advanced over 135 km in the state. Rail welding to create 200-metre-long continuous panels is ongoing, and work to install overhead equipment (OHE) masts is in progress. So far, 2 km of steel masts have been erected between Surat and Bilimora stations.

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