Japan to Gift India Two Shinkansen Bullet Trains

April 17, 2025 - India's first bullet train project is set to receive a major boost with Japan announcing a gift of two Shinkansen bullet trains – East Japan Railway E5 and E3 – to India. These trains will assist in testing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, the first in the country. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is currently under construction.

According to a report by The Japan Times, the trains, which will be free of charge, are expected to arrive in India by early 2026 after being fitted with inspection equipment.

The Shinkansen trains have a top speed of 320 km/hour and have been operational in Japan since 2011. These trains will be equipped with special inspection devices to gather data on track conditions, speed, temperature and dust— tailored to India’s environmental conditions. This data will help in designing the next-generation E10 series (Alpha-X) and will also be India’s first hands-on experience with Shinkansen technology.

The E3 series is an older model, currently used in Japan’s Mini-Shinkansen service. It is known for its excellent ride quality, design and safety features. The Shinkansen is a symbol of safety, punctuality and cutting-edge engineering and expected to play a major role in transforming India’s rail system.

The E10 series, also considered for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed line, is on track to be introduced in both the countries in the early 2030s. But will not be ready for the August 2027 partial launch. The E10 can reach speeds up to 400 km/hour and represents the cutting edge of Japanese rail technology.

Japan has also gifted a Shinkansen test train to Taiwan in the past.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding up to 80% of India’s bullet train project through a loan with a very low interest rate of just 0.1% and a repayment period of 50 years.

With Media Inputs