India’s first hydrogen train completes final high-speed trials, set for commercial operations
New Delhi, July 1. India’s first hydrogen-powered train has successfully completed its final high-speed trials on the Jind-Sonipat section in Haryana, marking a major milestone in the country’s efforts to introduce cleaner and greener rail transport.
During the trials conducted on June 26, the train achieved a top speed of 120 kmph while successfully undergoing a series of operational and safety assessments, including emergency braking and stability tests on the Delhi-Jind corridor. Railway officials declared the trials successful, paving the way for the train’s entry into commercial service.
The 10-coach hydrogen-powered trainset, developed domestically under the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) initiative, has now received clearance from the Railway Board for commercial operations following multiple pilot runs and technical evaluations. Although capable of reaching higher speeds, the train is expected to operate at a regular service speed of around 75 kmph.
The train will be operated by Northern Railway on the Jind-Sonipat route, which has been selected as India’s first corridor for hydrogen-powered rail services. Supporting infrastructure, including hydrogen production and refuelling facilities, has been established at Jind to enable regular operations.
The Jind facility is designed to produce green hydrogen using electricity generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The plant is expected to generate around 430 kg of hydrogen fuel each day to meet the train’s operational requirements.
Maintenance, inspection and safety-related activities for the new technology will be carried out at the Shakurbasti facility in Delhi.
Unlike conventional diesel locomotives, the hydrogen fuel cell train generates electricity onboard through a chemical reaction between hydrogen stored in roof-mounted tanks and oxygen drawn from the atmosphere. The electricity produced powers the train’s traction motors, with water vapour and heat being the only by-products, making the train a zero-carbon emission mode of transport.
The successful completion of the trials provides Indian Railways with its first operational platform for evaluating hydrogen-based mobility and could pave the way for wider adoption of the technology across the national rail network.
