India has a hydrogen-powered train, and with it a place in a small group of countries running them. EBNW reported the launch on July 17, placing India alongside Germany, Japan, the United States and China.
The train is a pilot. It will be used to test how efficient, safe and commercially workable the technology is before any wider rollout to other non-electrified routes. A LinkedIn post from June, by a rail enthusiast, said the Railway Board had approved the first passenger runs on the Jind-Sonipat route in Haryana. The post also called it the longest hydrogen train on broad gauge track in the world, a claim it did not back with figures.
How the trains work
A hydrogen train carries fuel cells that make electricity on board. The only thing that comes out of the exhaust is water vapour. That makes them attractive on lines that have no overhead wires, where diesel locomotives are the usual choice.
Who got there first
Germany was first to run hydrogen passenger trains, with the Alstom Coradia iLint. In 2022 one of them covered 1,175 kilometres without refuelling. The country is now extending hydrogen service to several regional networks.
The US joined in 2024 with the ZEMU, a zero-emission multiple unit in California. Japan plans to launch its hydrogen hybrid train, HYBARI, by the end of fiscal year 2027, on the Tsurumi and Nambu lines near Tokyo. China has been testing hydrogen trains built for faster urban and intercity service.
India’s targets
EBNW said the pilot fits Indian Railways’ goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. It also ties in with the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which aims to make India a leader in producing and using clean hydrogen.
Sources
- With First Hydrogen Train India Enters Elite League Of Hydrogen Rail Nations; Joins Germany, Japan, US And China In Green Mobility Revolution – EBNW Story
- India Joins Elite Group with Hydrogen Train Technology | Meghraj Kumbhar 🌐 posted on the topic | LinkedIn
