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Indian Railways is working to run India's first hydrogen-powered trainset at a regular service speed of 110 kmph, after it completed trial runs at 120 kmph; its operational cap so far has been 75 kmph.
Railway Board Chairman and CEO Satish Kumar announced the target at a press briefing in Indore, reported on 7 September 2026.
The 10-coach trainset runs on the 89-km Jind-Sonipat section of Northern Railway in Haryana and was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Jind on 17 July 2026.
It was developed indigenously by the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, with the Research Designs and Standards Organisation, and a dedicated hydrogen storage and refuelling facility has been set up at Shakurbasti in Delhi.
A hydrogen fuel-cell train makes its own electricity from hydrogen and oxygen, emitting only water vapour and heat and needing no overhead traction wire.
Hydrogen stored on board is combined with oxygen from the air inside a fuel cell. The reaction releases electrons, producing electricity that drives the traction motors, and leaves water vapour and heat behind. There is no combustion and no tailpipe carbon emission at the point of use.
Simple Analogy: A power station the size of a coach, riding along with the train.
Production unit of Indian Railways that designed and built the hydrogen trainset; also the maker of the Vande Bharat trainsets.
The technical and standards body of Indian Railways; sets design standards and conducts testing and certification, including the speed trials for this trainset.
Apex decision-making body of Indian Railways under the Ministry of Railways; its Chairman and CEO announced the 110 kmph target.
The zonal railway operating the Jind-Sonipat section on which the hydrogen train runs.
India's push to become a hub for green hydrogen production and use; rail traction is one of the demand sectors that gives the fuel a domestic market.
Most of the broad-gauge network is being electrified, so hydrogen is aimed at the sections where stringing overhead wire is uneconomic - heritage, hill and lightly used branch lines.
Indian Railways has set itself a net-zero carbon emission goal, and zero-emission rolling stock at the point of use is one of the routes to it.
The first hydrogen passenger trains entered commercial service in Germany, making India one of a small group of countries operating the technology.
General Awareness > Indian Railways: production units, technology and recent developments
GS Paper 3 > Infrastructure and Science and Technology > Clean energy in transport
Which one of the following is the exhaust pipe emission from Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, powered by hydrogen?
Answer: Water vapour
With reference to bio-toilets used by the Indian Railways, consider the following statements: 1. The decomposition of human waste in the bio-toilets is initiated by a fungal inoculum. 2. Ammonia and water vapour are the only end products in this decomposition which are released into the atmosphere. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: Neither 1 nor 2
Consider the following types of vehicles: I. Full battery electric vehicles II. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles III. Fuel cell-electric hybrid vehicles How many of the above are considered as alternative powertrain vehicles?
Answer: All the three
According to the Indian Railways (2019-2020), which state has the largest railway track in India?
Answer: Uttar Pradesh
A device that converts the chemical energy of hydrogen and oxygen directly into electricity, with water vapour and heat as the only by-products.
The Indian Railways production unit at Perambur, Chennai, established in 1955, which builds coaches and modern trainsets including Vande Bharat and the hydrogen train.
Research Designs and Standards Organisation, Lucknow, the technical arm of Indian Railways responsible for design standards, testing and certification.