India will become the first country worldwide outside of Japan, to operate the brand new E10 Shinkansen bullet train, beginning with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, by the early 2030s. Before then, trials will be conducted using the older E5 trains, which will allow Japan to collect critical data under Indian conditions, such as heat and dust. These are all part of India taking major steps along its modern high-speed transport long journey.
E5 for Testing, E10 for Operational Start
To prepare for the operational start, two E5 train sets will be shipped from Japan in early 2026, and will be used for trial runs. These E5 trains, also known as Hayabusa, can run at speeds of 320 kmph, and will have some inspection systems installed on them to cope with trials in weather conditions including high heat and dust for testing bullet train performance.
This data will be fed to engineers to enhance the new E10 Shinkansen. The E10 is a bullet train that can go at speeds of up to 400 kmph, and will be design features to improve safety and energy savings, and provide better comfort. The E10 train is known as Alfa-X and is being developed by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), and is anticipated to commence full commercial operation in Japan by 2030.
India First to Receive E10 Outside Japan
According to Ministry of Railways sources, India will be the first country to operate the E10 series outside of Japan for commercial bullet train service. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor will be the launch site. Originally, the plan was for India to operate E5 trains for commercial service, but discussions with Japan led to the newer model arriving instead.
Japan’s move clearly demonstrates their commitment to supporting the modernization of Indian infrastructure to a level that comes with the latest technology.
Bullet Train Project Updates
The ₹1.1 lakh crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project will be India’s first bullet train line. Civil work is being completed at speed and scale:
• A 21 km tunnel section of the line between Ghansoli and Shilphata in Maharashtra is completed.
• 310 km of viaduct has been constructed.
• 15 river bridges are completed.
• 5 of 12 stations are complete.
• 4 more river bridges under construction and 3 new stations are nearing completion.
The full corridor is 508 km covering 352 km in Gujarat and 156 km in Maharashtra. The government is also planning future bullet train corridors.
