Why India is betting on hydrogen, not electricity, for its next big rail experiment

While much of the conversation around cleaner rail travel in India has focused on electrification, Indian Railways is preparing to test a different approach entirely: hydrogen. The country’s first indigenous hydrogen-powered passenger train is set to launch on July 17, flagged off from Jind railway station in Haryana on the Jind-Sonipat section under Northern Railway.

The project was approved by the Ministry of Railways in May this year, with the Railway Board clearing a 10-car indigenous hydrogen fuel cell train equipped with a 1,200 kW hydrogen propulsion system, capable of running at a maximum operational speed of 75 km/hr. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) described the initiative as a significant step towards “greener and more energy-efficient rail operations.”

The pilot corridor spans approximately 90 kilometres and has been chosen specifically to test hydrogen-powered rail operations, with the train expected to carry around 2,500 passengers. Fares are likely to range between Rs 5 and Rs 25, keeping the experience accessible even as it introduces an entirely new railway technology.

Unlike conventional diesel trains, which emit carbon dioxide and particulate pollution, hydrogen-powered trains produce only water vapour and heat as by-products. They are also quieter and require less maintenance than diesel alternatives — advantages that matter most on non-electrified routes, which the pilot is specifically designed to address. If successful, officials say hydrogen trains could eventually expand to more such routes across the country.