NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Railway Board Chairman and CEO Satish Kumar said on September 6, 2026, that Indian Railways is working on its ambitious plan to operate India’s first hydrogen-powered train at a speed of 110 km/h after completing trial runs at speeds of up to 120 km/h.
As of now, the authorities have capped the train’s operational speed at 75 km/h. However, the hydrogen train touched the speed of 120 km/h during trials. So efforts are being made to operate at a speed of 110 km/h. The proposed 110 km/h operational speed would allow the hydrogen train to run faster than its current 75 km/h operational limit while still maintaining a margin below its 120 km/h tested speed.
Consultations are underway with stakeholders to identify suitable routes. Technical requirements and hydrogen fuel-supply arrangements are also being examined. The railway is also assessing various routes where hydrogen trains could be operational.
Unlike conventional electric trains that receive electricity through overhead wires, a hydrogen fuel-cell train generates electricity onboard through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Its stated by-products are water vapour and heat, with no combustion, smoke or tailpipe carbon emissions.
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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first hydrogen-powered train on July 17, 2026. The train currently operates on the 89 km Jind-Sonipat route in Haryana.
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