Indian Railways plans bullet train corridor connecting Delhi and Patna

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced plans for a high-speed bullet train corridor designed to connect Delhi with major cities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, including Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Patna. This major infrastructure initiative represents the next phase of India's high-speed rail development following the ongoing Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor project. Passengers travelling across northern and eastern India can look forward to drastically reduced travel times and a modern commuting experience.

The planned 1,705-kilometer Delhi-Lucknow-Varanasi-Patna-Siliguri route is engineered for a design speed of 350 km/h, with operational speeds expected to reach 320 km/h. Officials anticipate the infrastructure will utilize advanced Japanese Shinkansen technology and ballastless concrete tracks. The government expects this high-speed network to significantly stimulate tourism and economic activity, particularly within religious tourism hubs located along the route.

Projected Travel Times and Distances

The upcoming high-speed rail network will transform intercity travel, bringing major destinations closer than ever before. The Delhi-to-Patna journey is expected to take approximately 4.5 hours over a distance of 1,170 kilometers. Other segment travel times include Delhi to Agra over a distance of 200 km in an estimated 58 minutes, Delhi to Kanpur covering 455 km in 1 hour 50 minutes, and Delhi to Lucknow covering 495 km in 2 hours 12 minutes. Furthermore, passengers can travel from Delhi to Prayagraj over a distance of 750 km in 3 hours, and from Delhi to Varanasi covering 945 km in just 3 hours 33 minutes.