Indian Railways (IR) Prepares India’s First Hydrogen Train for Pilot Run on Jind–Sonipat Route

Key facts

• The Northern Railway (NR) is entering the final stages of a pilot project to launch India’s first hydrogen-powered train on the Jind–Sonipat route in Haryana.
• The train features 10 coaches, including two driving power cars and eight passenger coaches, designed and manufactured indigenously at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai.
• A state-of-the-art hydrogen production plant with a 3,000-kg storage capacity has been established at Jind to generate green hydrogen using the electrolysis process.
• The project involves retrofitting a Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) with hydrogen fuel technology, delivering a total output of 2,400 kW across two power cars.
• The Research, Design & Standards Organisation (RDSO) laid down the technical specifications for the hydrogen train-set as part of a green mobility initiative.
• The train is designed to reach an operational speed of 110 km per hour and is capable of covering 180 km using 360 kg of hydrogen.
• The coaches are equipped with metro-style features, including two doors on each side and safety mechanisms that ensure doors are fully closed before departure.
• The hydrogen plant at Jind is supported by a stable 11 kV power supply to ensure uninterrupted electrolysis for fuel generation.
• Target dates for trial runs have been reported as January 26, 2026, according to project officials and state government statements.