India flags off “NaMo Green Rail,” its first hydrogen-powered passenger train
India launched its first hydrogen-powered train on July 17, 2026, on the Jind-Sonipat route in Haryana, joining Germany, Japan, China and the US.
Photo by Rohit Gangwar on Pexels
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first domestically built hydrogen-powered passenger train at Jind railway station in Haryana on July 17, 2026, putting the country’s first hydrogen fuel-cell trainset into service on the Jind-Sonipat route, according to Reuters and the Associated Press, as reported by Al Jazeera. Dubbed “NaMo Green Rail” – an abbreviation of the prime minister’s name – the train makes India one of a small number of countries operating hydrogen-powered passenger rail, alongside Germany, Japan, China and the United States, Al Jazeera reported.
Route, capacity and daily service
The 10-coach train will make two return trips a day along the roughly 90-kilometer route linking Jind and Sonipat in Haryana, traveling at up to 75 kilometers per hour, Al Jazeera reported. Business Today, citing officials, reported the train completes the route in about an hour, against roughly two hours for the diesel multiple-unit service it replaces, and that it will run six days a week under Northern Railway’s Delhi Division. Ticket prices will range from 5 to 25 rupees, Business Today reported. The hydrogen set produces only heat and water vapor when running, generating electricity onboard so it does not require the overhead electrification that covers most of India’s roughly 70,000-kilometer rail network, according to Al Jazeera.
Passenger-capacity figures vary slightly between sources: Al Jazeera, citing Reuters and the Associated Press, reported the train can seat about 2,600 passengers, while Business Today put the figure at about 2,500. Both figures describe the same 10-coach configuration of two driving power cars and eight passenger coaches.
A discrepancy between the approval and launch figures
Indian Railways’ approval of the project, announced by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on May 27, 2026, described a “10-Car Train with 1200 KW Engine” operating at a maximum speed of 75 kmph on the Jind-Sonipat section, powered by a 1,200-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. Coverage of the July 17 launch, including Business Today’s report citing officials, instead described a “3,200-horsepower (2,400 kW) hybrid propulsion system” combining a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with lithium iron phosphate battery technology. Winss Solutions was not able to independently reconcile the two figures; the maximum speed of 75 km/h is consistent across both the May approval release and the July launch coverage.
| Specification | PIB approval release (May 27, 2026) | Launch-day reporting (July 17, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Propulsion power | 1,200 kW | 3,200 hp / 2,400 kW (Business Today) |
| Propulsion type | Hydrogen fuel cell | PEMFC + lithium iron phosphate battery hybrid (Business Today) |
| Maximum speed | 75 kmph | 75 km/h (Al Jazeera, Business Today) |
| Coach configuration | 10-car trainset | 10 coaches: 2 driving power cars + 8 passenger coaches |
| Passenger capacity | Not stated | ~2,600 (Al Jazeera/Reuters/AP) or ~2,500 (Business Today) |
Source: PIB press release ID 2265781, May 27, 2026; Al Jazeera (Reuters, AP), July 17, 2026; Business Today, July 17, 2026.
Refuelling infrastructure and safety systems
Indian Railways built an indigenous hydrogen storage and refuelling facility at Jind for the trainset, licensed by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) for the storage and dispensing of compressed hydrogen gas, according to the PIB release. Business Today reported the facility consumes close to 300 kilograms of hydrogen a day to keep the train fuelled. The PIB release said the site includes a hydrogen compression system with a standby compressor unit, and hydrogen leak and flame detectors that are inspected regularly to prevent dust accumulation. The approval mandates 24-hour monitoring of the refuelling system, certified personnel for critical operations, and regular inspection schedules, with trained technical staff accompanying the train during its initial phase of operations.
Part of a wider net-zero rail push
The rollout is part of a broader Indian effort to expand hydrogen use and cut carbon emissions, with the government aiming to make the country’s railways net-zero by 2030, Al Jazeera reported. The PIB release said the project “reflects Indian Railways’ broader commitment to innovation, energy efficiency and environmentally sustainable transportation” and supports India’s national clean-energy and net-zero goals. Germany launched the world’s first hydrogen-powered train fleet in 2022; Japan, China and the United States are also testing or operating the technology, according to Al Jazeera, and the PIB release said the technology remains at a “nascent stage” globally, with only a limited number of countries currently operating or testing such systems.
Background
India’s hydrogen rail push follows other recent moves to pair renewable generation with hydrogen production, including China’s Rudong project, which linked 400 megawatts of solar power with battery storage and a green-hydrogen electrolyser in Jiangsu in June 2026. It also extends a wider push toward rail-based transport decarbonization in which the European Union has set a 2030 target to shift 30% of long-distance freight to rail or waterborne transport as part of its own emissions-cutting goals. For India, the Jind-Sonipat line is explicitly a pilot: the PIB approval release describes it as a test of hydrogen fuel-cell technology on a section that will inform how the approach could extend to other parts of the country’s rail network where full electrification is not practical, feeding directly into Indian Railways’ 2030 net-zero target.
Sources: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Railways; Al Jazeera (Reuters, The Associated Press); Business Today
Featured image: photo by Rohit Gangwar on Pexels (free Pexels license).
Become a Sponsor
Our website is the heart of the mission of WINSS – it’s where we share updates, publish research, highlight community impact, and connect with supporters around the world. To keep this essential platform running, updated, and accessible, we rely on the generosity of you, who believe in our work.
We offer the option to sponsor monthly, or just once choosing the amount of your choice. If you run a company, please contact us via info@winssolutions.org.
I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.
