How India's maiden hydrogen-powered train will run on self-generated power

India is set to enter the hydrogen-powered rail era as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the country's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered trainset on Friday.

The 10-coach train will initially operate on 89-km Jind-Sonipat section of Northern Railway, according to the Ministry of Railways.

Unlike conventional electric trains that draw power from overhead wires or diesel locomotives that burn fuel, the hydrogen train generates electricity onboard using a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell.

Hydrogen stored in onboard cylinders combines with oxygen from the atmosphere inside the fuel cell to produce electricity, which powers the train's traction motors.

The only by-products of this electrochemical process are water vapour and heat, making it a near-zero emission mode of transport, the ministry said.

Additionally, the train has two Hydrogen Driving Power Cars and eight trailer coaches, with each power car producing 1,200 kW (1,600 hp).

Designed to carry around 2,600 passengers, it has a maximum speed of 110 kmph, making it one of the largest hydrogen-powered passenger trainsets developed globally.

To support operations, Indian Railways has established the country's first integrated railway hydrogen ecosystem at Jind.

Hydrogen is produced on-site through electrolysis, compressed for storage and dispensed into the train through dedicated refuelling stations.

However, the facility can store nearly 3,000 kg of hydrogen for regular operations.

Moreover, given hydrogen's highly flammable nature, Indian Railways has incorporated multiple safety systems across the train and refuelling infrastructure.

These include hydrogen leak detectors, flame, heat and smoke sensors, continuous ventilation and automatic shutdown systems that cut off hydrogen supply if any abnormality is detected.

The project has also undergone independent safety assessment and complies with international standards as well as the statutory requirements of the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).

According to the ministry, the hydrogen train represents the next step in its green transition after electrifying more than 99 per cent of the country's broad gauge network.

The project also supports India's National Green Hydrogen Mission and long-term net-zero goals, with hydrogen-powered trains likely to be introduced on other routes, including heritage railways, in the future, it added.