Japan's E5 Shinkansen to Lead Trial Runs in India's Bullet Train Project

In a significant development for India's first bullet train project, the E5 variant of Japan's Shinkansen trains will be utilized for trial runs in the Gujarat section of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai corridor during the financial year 2026-27. This marks a pivotal step towards the introduction of the state-of-the-art E10 variants, anticipated to debut simultaneously in India and Japan by 2030.

Strategic Partnership Elevates Project

The collaboration between Japan and India underscores a deep strategic and technological partnership, with the Japanese government agreeing to introduce the E10 Shinkansen trains for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train project. This initiative is set to establish new benchmarks in speed, safety, and reliability, leveraging Japanese Shinkansen technology across the entire 508-km corridor.

Progress and Challenges Ahead

With civil works advancing rapidly, including the construction of 310 km of viaducts and 15 river bridges, the project is on a promising trajectory. However, the integration of E5 trains with the newly bid signalling system, awarded to a Siemens and DR Agrawal Infracon joint venture, presents an upcoming challenge.