India’s first hydrogen train to roll out soon

In a major leap towards green mobility, India is set to roll out its first hydrogen-powered train, a pioneering step in sustainable rail transport that will put the country among a select group of nations using zero-emission hydrogen technology.

The debut service will run between Jind and Sonepat in Haryana, capable of carrying up to 2,600 passengers, making it the most powerful and longest hydrogen train in the world. The project is part of Indian Railways’ ambitious “Hydrogen for Heritage” initiative, under which 35 hydrogen trains are planned for heritage and hill routes.

Each train will cost about Rs 80 crore, with another Rs 70 crore earmarked for route-specific ground infrastructure. While initial running costs are expected to be higher, officials say expenses will drop as the fleet expands. More importantly, the technology promises significant environmental gains, cutting carbon emissions to zero and drastically reducing railways’ dependency on fossil fuels.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday shared a video of the train on social media platform X, captioned, “Bharat’s First Hydrogen Train!”, indicating that the train has been manufactured and will hit tracks soon.

The 28-second clip shared by Minister Vaishnaw shows a sleek, modern train coach -- painted in shades of white and blue -- standing on a rail track at some rail coach facility. Further in the video, the side profile of the coach, highlighted its aerodynamic design and bold “Hydrogen” markings.

Railway officials also said the first hydrogen train was expected to hit the tracks soon, and if successful, could redefine passenger rail travel in the country’s push towards a green transport future.

Hydrogen, produced using renewable energy, will power fuel cells on board, emitting only water vapour --making the trains not just clean, but virtually silent in operation.Globally, hydrogen trains are still in the early adoption phase, with Germany and China among the few nations running them commercially.