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In India, travel by rail guarantees stunning views, jolly chit-chat with fellow passengers, and, of course, much less of a strain on the pocket compared to pricey airfare. The 2026 Budget, announced on February 1 by the union government, has put forth a plan to streamline travel even further (let’s be honest, some train journeys aren’t worth a day and a half) by proposing seven new high-speed rail corridors.
These train routes are set to cover key metropolises, hugely cutting travel time, hassle, and your carbon footprint.
The proposed rail routes include:
- Mumbai-Pune
- Pune-Hyderabad
- Hyderabad-Bengaluru
- Hyderabad-Chennai
- Chennai-Bengaluru
- Delhi-Varanasi
- Varanasi-Siliguri
When can you hop on?
While it’s a step in the right direction, the government’s yet to outline a timeline for when travellers will be able to use the new high-speed rail routes.