Mumbai to Pune in Just 48 Minutes? India Plans Seven New High-Speed Rail Corridors
Mumbai to Pune in Just 48 Minutes? India Plans Seven New High-Speed Rail Corridors
June 15th, 2026 (Staff Reporter)
Railway Ministry aims to transform travel across major cities with a new high-speed rail network connecting Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and more.
The Indian Railways is planning a major expansion of its high-speed rail network, with seven new corridors proposed across the country. The ambitious project is expected to cost around ₹16 lakh crore and aims to make travel between major cities much faster and more convenient.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently reviewed the proposed routes, including the Delhi–Varanasi and Varanasi–Siliguri corridors. Once completed, travel from Delhi to Siliguri could take just six hours.
Among the key projects is the Mumbai–Pune high-speed rail corridor. Covering a distance of 170 km, the journey is expected to take only 48 minutes. Currently, the fastest train between the two cities, the Deccan Queen, takes over three hours.
| Proposed High-Speed Rail Corridor | Distance (km) | Estimated Travel Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai – Pune | 170 km | 48 minutes |
| Pune – Hyderabad | 501 km | 1.6 hours (approx. 1 hour 36 minutes) |
| Delhi – Varanasi | 945 km | 3.5 hours |
| Varanasi – Siliguri | 670 km | 2.4 hours (approx. 2 hours 24 minutes) |
| Hyderabad – Bengaluru | Not announced | To be announced |
| Bengaluru – Chennai | Not announced | To be announced |
| Hyderabad – Chennai (proposed network link) | Not announced | To be announced |
Other proposed routes include Delhi–Varanasi (945 km) with a travel time of 3.5 hours, Varanasi–Siliguri (670 km) in 2.4 hours, and Pune–Hyderabad (501 km) in around 1.6 hours. Additional corridors are planned between Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai.
Meanwhile, India’s first indigenous bullet train is under development and is expected to run at speeds of up to 280 kmph, with plans to increase the speed further in the future. The first section of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train project, between Surat and Bilimora, is expected to begin operations in August 2027.
The Railway Ministry aims to accelerate construction and eventually build up to 250 km of high-speed rail lines every year once work on the new corridors begins.
