Fastest Trains in India
Fastest Trains in India
Overview
Indian Railways has progressively upgraded its rolling stock and track infrastructure to push commercial speeds beyond 130 km/h. As of 2025, the “fastest” tag is decided by the Maximum Permissible Speed (MPS) sanctioned by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) and the Timetable Speed (distance ÷ total time) that the train actually achieves. Semi-high-speed trains such as Vande Bharat, Gatimaan, Rajdhani, Shatabdi and upgraded Durontos dominate the list, running on the Golden Quadrilateral and its diagonals where continuous-welded rail (CWR), 60-kg 90 UTS rails and advanced signalling (LHB coaches, TPWS, Kavach) exist.
Key Facts & Figures
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fastest sanctioned MPS (2025) | 160 km/h – Vande Bharat (2nd Gen), Gatimaan, New Delhi–Mumbai & New Delhi–Howrah Rajdhani |
| Fastest average start-to-stop run | 112.5 km/h – 22222 CSMT–Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express (19 halts, 1 532 km in 13 h 40 m) |
| First semi-high-speed train | Gatimaan Express (12050/49) flagged off 5 Apr 2016 between Hazrat Nizamuddin–Agra Cantt |
| Fastest electrified section | Tughlakabad–Agra Cantt (ETW–AGC) – 160 km/h certified |
| Longest 160 km/h stretch | New Delhi–Prayagraj–CNB–Mughalsarai (794 RKM) |
| Vande Bharat 2nd Gen acceleration | 0-100 km/h in 52 s (vs 1st Gen 0-100 km/h in 75 s) |
| Lightest LHB coach used | 2nd Gen Vande Bharat sleeper: 39 t (vs 43 t conventional LHB) |
| Kavach trial speed record | 180 km/h by 2018-Make-In-India rake on Gwalior–Birlanagar section (experimental) |
| Fastest Rajdhani timing | 12301 Howrah Rajdhani: 1 447 km in 16 h 55 m (avg 85.6 km/h) |
| Fastest Shatabdi | 12001 Bhopal Shatabdi: 707 km in 8 h 25 m (avg 84 km/h) |
| Fastest Duronto | 12259 Sealdah–Bikaner Duronto: 1 917 km in 24 h 35 m (avg 78 km/h) |
| Sleeper-service speed record | 22221/22 Mumbai Rajdhani (sleeper) – 160 km/h MPS |
| Highest priority train code | “R” (Rajdhani) followed by “S” (Shatabdi) in the working Time-Table |
| Track standard for 160 km/h | 60-kg 90 UTS CWR on PRC sleepers, ballast cushion 300 mm, minimum curve radius 1 000 m |
| CRS speed-certification zone | Northern Railway (NR) & North-Central Railway (NCR) jointly hold the maximum 160 km/h route kms |
| Energy consumption at 160 km/h | ≈ 17.5 kWh per 1000 GTKM for 16-coach Vande Bharat (vs 21 kWh for conventional LHB) |
Important Points
- Only Vande Bharat (2nd Gen), Gatimaan, Rajdhani & Shatabdi are cleared for 160 km/h commercial operation; all other Mail/Express trains are capped at 130 km/h.
- Kavach (TMS-based automatic train protection) is mandatory for any section where speeds >160 km/h are planned.
- LHB design (anti-climb, 160 km/h certified) has completely replaced ICF coaches on these premium services.
- Timetable speed can be 25-30 % lower than MPS because of permanent & temporary speed restrictions (PSR/TSR) in ghat, congested suburban and junction approaches.
- “Rajdhani Over-Riding Priority” – these trains get automatic signal clearance & loop-line avoidance even during fog, provided loco is equipped with RB-5 fog-pas.
- Dual-cab WAP-5 (6 000 hp) & WAP-7 (6 350 hp) are the regular links; WAP-5 #37308 holds Indian traction trial record of 180 km/h.
- Vande Bharat Express is India’s first Train-Set (semi-permanent couplers, motorized coaches), eliminating need for separate banker/parcel vans.
- Platform length criterion: 450 m for 22-coach Rajdhani/Shatabdi; 312 m for 16-coach Vande Bharat.
- Fare structure: Rajdhani/Shatabdi charge 1·5× base Mail/Express fare + Superfast surcharge + catering; Vande Bharat adds 10 % “Train-Set Surcharge”.
- First overnight Rajdhani to touch 160 km/h is 22221/22 Mumbai–Hazrat Nizamuddin (sleeper) from 1 Oct 2023.
- Track occupancy (line capacity) is the real bottleneck; Indian Railways targets 3 000 km of 160 km/h routes by Dec 2026 under “Mission Raftaar”.
- Next-generation Vande Bharat (Sleeper) prototype crossed 180 km/h during oscillation trials in Kota–Sawai Madhopur section (Oct 2025).
- Fog-pass device and GPS-based “Data Logger” are compulsory for 160 km/h services during winter.
- Integrated next-gen signalling: ETCS-L2 (European Train Control System Level-2) is under pilot between Delhi–Mathura for 200 km/h future upgrade.
Frequently Asked in Exams
- Which is the first semi-high-speed train introduced by Indian Railways?
- Maximum permissible speed of Vande Bharat 2nd Generation train set.
- Name the loco class that hauls 160 km/h Rajdhani/Shatabdi.
- Track & sleeper specification needed for 160 km/h operation.
- Difference between MPS and average (timetable) speed with one example.
Practice MCQs
Question:01 Which train was the first in India to be commercially operated at 160 km/h?
A) Mumbai–Ahmedabad Shatabdi
B) Gatimaan Express
C) Howrah Rajdhani
D) Vande Bharat (1st Gen)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B Explanation: Gatimaan Express, running between Delhi and Agra, was launched on 5 April 2016 and became the country’s first semi-high-speed train to touch 160 km/h in regular commercial service.Question:02 The maximum permissible speed of 2nd Generation Vande Bharat Express is
A) 130 km/h
B) 150 km/h
C) 160 km/h
D) 180 km/h
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The 2nd Generation Vande Bharat Express is designed and permitted to operate at a maximum service speed of 160 km/h.
Question:03 The first railway section certified by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) for regular operation at 160 km/h was
A) New Delhi–Howrah
B) Hazrat Nizamuddin–Agra Cantt
C) Mumbai Central–Ahmedabad
D) Chennai–Bengaluru
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Hazrat Nizamuddin–Agra Cantt section was the first in India to receive CRS certification for 160 km/h running, marking the beginning of semi-high-speed operations on Indian Railways.
Question:04 Which locomotive class is normally used for 160 km/h Rajdhani trains?
A) WAG-9
B) WAP-4
C) WAP-5/7
D) WDG-4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: WAP-5 and WAP-7 are the dedicated high-speed electric passenger locomotives of Indian Railways, designed to haul premium trains like Rajdhani at 160 km/h. WAG-9 is a freight loco, WAP-4 is rated for 130 km/h, and WDG-4 is a diesel freight loco.
Question:05 The lightweight LHB coach used in Vande Bharat 2nd Gen weighs approximately
A) 39 t
B) 43 t
C) 48 t
D) 52 t
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The LHB coach shell in the 2nd-generation Vande Bharat train-set is built with aluminium and stainless-steel composites, bringing its tare weight down to about 39 tonnes—significantly lighter than conventional ICF coaches (~48–52 t).
Question:06 Indian Railways’ indigenous ATP system for speeds >160 km/h is called
A) Tri-Netra
B) Kavach
C) Rota
D) Rakshak
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Kavach is the indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system of Indian Railways, designed to prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD) and over-speeding, and it is certified for operation at speeds above 160 km/h.
Question:07 The train with the highest average start-to-stop speed (≈112 km/h) is
A) 12001 Bhopal Shatabdi
B) 22222 CSMT–NZM Rajdhani
C) 12301 Howrah Rajdhani
D) 22436 Varanasi Vande Bharat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The 22222 CSMT–NZM Rajdhani Express clocks an average start-to-stop speed of about 112 km/h, making it the fastest among the listed trains.
Question:08 Track standard for 160 km/h uses rail of weight
A) 52 kg 72 UTS
B) 60 kg 90 UTS
C) 75 kg 108 UTS
D) 90 kg 110 UTS
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: For 160 km/h operation, Indian Railways specifies 60 kg 90 UTS rails to provide adequate strength, stiffness and fatigue resistance under higher axle loads and dynamic forces.
Question:09 The fare of Vande Bharat Express includes an extra surcharge of
A) 5 %
B) 10 %
C) 15 %
D) 20 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Indian Railways levies a 10 % surcharge on the base fare of Vande Bharat Express to cover the premium amenities and faster service offered by these train-sets.
Question:10 Under Mission Raftaar, Indian Railways plans to upgrade __________ km of route for 160 km/h by 2026.
A) 1 000 km
B) 2 000 km
C) 3 000 km
D) 5 000 km
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Mission Raftaar targets raising the speed of passenger trains to 160 km/h on select corridors; the sanctioned upgrade is for 3 000 route-km to be completed by 2026.
BETA
