Marking a historic shift toward green energy in public transit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first hydrogen-powered train from the Jind railway station in Haryana. The rollout establishes India as a pioneer in alternative fuel infrastructure, signaling a major technological leap for Indian Railways as it works toward long-term net-zero carbon emissions.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Prime Minister Modi described the launch as a landmark moment for the country’s clean-energy goals.
“Today, the dream of India receiving its first hydrogen train is about to come true,” PM Modi stated. “This is a very significant day in the direction of a self-reliant India and sustainable development. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to everyone associated with this.”
The Prime Minister also shared a Sanskrit quote emphasizing relentless drive, writing that whether a task is large or small, it must be executed with the single-minded focus and renewed enthusiasm of a lion.
The Jind-Sonipat Pilot Corridor
Developed natively by the Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory (ICF), the green passenger trainset will begin regular daily operations along the 89-kilometer-long Jind–Sonipat stretch under the Northern Railway’s Delhi Division.
Operating as train numbers 74010 and 74009, the new alternative-fuel daily service is set to touch a maximum operational speed of 75 km/h, covering the single journey in roughly two hours. The layout features a 10-coach configuration—including two Driving Power Cars (DPCs) and eight passenger trailers—boasting a total capacity of up to 2,600 passengers, making it the highest capacity hydrogen trainset introduced globally to date.
The daily train services will link local commuters across 12 scheduled commercial halts in Haryana, including Jind City, Pandu Pindara, Lalit Khera, Bhambeva, Ishapur Kheri, Butana, Khandrai, Gohana, Rabhra, Lath, Mohana, and Barwasni.
Understanding the Onboard Technology
Unlike conventional electric trains that draw current from continuous overhead power lines, or traditional diesel engines, this train generates its own energy entirely onboard.
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The Propulsion System: The train runs on a 3,200-horsepower propulsion system powered by Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells.
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The Chemical Process: Inside the fuel cells, compressed hydrogen gas combines with ambient atmospheric oxygen to generate clean electricity. This electricity is immediately fed into the train’s traction motors to drive the wheels.
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Zero On-Route Emissions: Because the technology relies on an electrochemical reaction rather than fossil fuel combustion, the locomotive emits only harmless water vapor and heat as by-products.
Fuel Infrastructure and Global Footprint
To support the pilot operations, Indian Railways has built its largest dedicated hydrogen compression, storage, and fast-refueling station directly at Jind. The facility produces green hydrogen via localized water electrolysis, compresses it to 500 bar for bulk storage, and utilizes dual independent dispensers to refill both driving power cars concurrently. The setup has already secured structural licensing from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).
Advanced, multi-layered passive safety nets—including continuous airflow ventilation systems, automatic emergency isolation valves, flame sensors, and real-time hydrogen leak detectors—have been deployed both onboard the trainset and throughout the refueling infrastructure to mitigate gas accumulation hazards.
With the official launch of the Jind–Sonipat corridor, India enters an elite global bracket alongside Germany, Japan, China, and the United States, who are actively deploying hydrogen fuel cell technology for clean rail transit. Officials have indicated that the data gathered from this commercial pilot will form the blueprint to expand the green hydrogen ecosystem to iconic regional lines, including heritage routes like the Kalka–Shimla railway.
