Gujarat's Sixth Vande Bharat Hits the Tracks
The latest addition to Gujarat's rail network is the new Vande Bharat Express connecting Surat with Udaipur in Rajasthan. This service marks the sixth Vande Bharat train for Gujarat and the very first for the city of Surat, a major hub for the textile
and diamond industries. The train, which will run six days a week, is expected to significantly slash travel time between the two cities to just seven and a half hours. The route includes nine stops at key stations such as Bharuch, Vadodara, and Anand, boosting connectivity for passengers across central and south Gujarat travelling to Rajasthan. This new service replaces the previous Udaipur-Asarva (Ahmedabad) Vande Bharat, extending the popular route to better serve commercial and tourism interests between the two states.
The Bullet Train Project Speeds Ahead
Beyond the Vande Bharat network, progress on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor, popularly known as the bullet train project, is rapidly advancing. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently confirmed that the project is moving at a strong pace, with the first test coach already manufactured. Significant construction milestones have been achieved, particularly within Gujarat. The civil work on the Vapi-Surat section is expected to be completed by December 2026, with the Surat-Bilimora stretch targeted for commissioning in 2027. While a final completion date for the entire 508-km corridor remains under review, officials are targeting the first trial run for August 2027. Upon completion, the journey between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is expected to take just under three hours for services that stop at all 12 stations.
World-Class Stations on the Horizon
To complement the faster trains, railway stations across Gujarat are undergoing a massive overhaul under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. A total of 87 stations in the state have been selected for redevelopment to meet world-class standards. The redevelopment of Ahmedabad station is one of the flagship projects, with its design inspired by the Modhera Sun Temple. It is envisioned as a massive multimodal transport hub connecting the railway with the bullet train, metro, and bus systems, projected to handle over 300,000 passengers daily. Structural works at key stations like Sabarmati, Vadodara, and Surat are also complete or nearing completion, with a focus on modern passenger amenities, improved accessibility, and enhanced safety features.
Boosting Capacity with New Lines and Doubling Projects
To reduce congestion and allow for more train services, Indian Railways is heavily investing in expanding the track infrastructure. On September 8, 2026, the Prime Minister is slated to launch railway projects worth over ₹35,000 crore in Gujarat. Key projects include adding third and fourth lines to the busy Vadodara-Ratlam section, a critical part of the Delhi-Mumbai route that will increase capacity for both passenger and freight trains. Other significant capacity-building works include the doubling of the Vishwamitri-Dabhoi and Adipur-Bhuj sections. These upgrades are designed to make train operations smoother, reduce delays, and support the growing industrial and commercial activity in regions like Kutch by facilitating heavier freight movement.
