India’s first hydrogen train to launch soon: Check route, stops, timetable, speed and features
Indian Railways approved daily service of India's first hydrogen fuel-cell powered train on the Jind–Sonipat route in Haryana
The train, manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, is a 10-coach trainset with a 1,200 kW hydrogen propulsion system
It will run two round trips daily covering a total of 356 km (89 km one way), with a maximum speed of 75 kmph, halting at stations including Jind City, Gohana, Butana, and Barwasni
The train emits only water vapour, positioning it as a zero-emission alternative to diesel traction on non-electrified branch lines
India joins a small group of countries — including Germany, China, Japan, and Sweden — operating hydrogen-powered railway technology
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology vs Battery Electric Propulsion
A hydrogen fuel cell generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, producing water vapour as the only by-product; the electricity powers traction motors, similar in principle to how mAbs or batteries convert stored energy but via a continuous chemical reaction rather than stored charge. This distinguishes fuel-cell trains from Battery Electric Multiple Units (BEMUs), which store grid electricity in onboard batteries, and from conventional electric traction, which draws power continuously from overhead catenary wires.
Key Details
- Hydrogen is stored onboard in high-pressure tanks (typically 350–700 bar)
- Fuel cell trains offer shorter refuelling time than battery-electric trains and need less trackside infrastructure than overhead electrification, but hydrogen production, storage, and refuelling infrastructure remain capital-intensive
- For Indian Railways — already pursuing near-total broad-gauge electrification — hydrogen trains are viewed as a complementary solution for select non-electrified or difficult-to-electrify routes, not a replacement for electrification
- The trainset was indigenously developed at the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, which also manufactures Vande Bharat and Vistadome coaches
The Jind–Sonipat train is India's first revenue-service application of hydrogen fuel-cell traction, testing the technology's viability on a shorter branch route before wider adoption.
National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023)
The National Green Hydrogen Mission, approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2023, aims to make India a global hub for production, use, and export of green hydrogen — hydrogen produced via electrolysis powered by renewable energy, as distinct from "grey hydrogen" (from natural gas) or "blue hydrogen" (fossil-based with carbon capture).
Key Details
- Initial outlay: ₹19,744 crore, including ₹17,490 crore for the SIGHT (Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition) programme, ₹1,466 crore for pilot projects, and ₹400 crore for R&D
- Target: at least 5 MMT (million metric tonnes) per annum green hydrogen production capacity by 2030
- Expected to leverage over ₹8 lakh crore in investments by 2030
- Nodal ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
Hydrogen-powered rail transport is one of the end-use applications envisaged under the Mission's broader push to scale hydrogen demand across mobility, industry, and energy sectors, alongside pilot projects for hydrogen-fuelled buses and shipping.
- Route: Jind–Sonipat (Haryana), total daily distance 356 km, one-way distance 89 km
- Maximum speed: 75 kmph
- Trainset: 10 coaches, 682 seats, ~2,600 total passenger capacity, 1,200 kW hydrogen propulsion system
- Manufacturer: Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai
- National Green Hydrogen Mission initial outlay: ₹19,744 crore (approved January 2023); production target of 5 MMT/annum by 2030
- Only by-product of hydrogen fuel cell operation: water vapour