New Delhi–Mumbai main line

New Delhi–Mumbai main line
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleDelhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra
Termini
Service
Operator(s)Northern Railway, North Central Railway, West Central Railway, Western Railway
Technical
Line length1,386 km (861 mi)
Number of tracks2/4
Track gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification25 kV AC 50 Hz OHE
Operating speedup to 130 km/h
Route map

km
0
New Delhi
7
Hazrat Nizamuddin
Delhi
Haryana
28
Faridabad
Haryana
Uttar Pradesh
141
Mathura
Uttar Pradesh
Rajasthan
175
Bharatpur
217
Bayana
249
Hindaun City
294
Gangapur City
357
Sawai Madhopur
405
Lakheri
465
Kota
to Guna
Rajasthan
Madhya Pradesh
599
Shamgarh
691
Nagda Junction
732
Ratlam
Madhya Pradesh
Gujarat
846
Dahod
919
Godhra
993
Vadodara
1,063
Bharuch
1,073
Ankleshwar
1,122
Surat
1,152
Navsari
1,191
Valsad
1,217
Vapi
Gujarat
Maharashtra
1,266
Dahanu Road
1,299
Palghar
1,330
Virar
1,338
Vasai Road
1,356
Borivali
1,368
Andheri
Bandra Terminus
1,380
Dadar
1,386
Mumbai Central
km
Sources: [1][2]

The New Delhi–Mumbai line is a major railway line in India. Linking the national capital of New Delhi with financial capital Mumbai, this railway line covers a distance of 1,386 kilometres (861 mi) across the Indian states of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Mumbai Tejas-Rajdhani Express which is the fastest Tejas-Rajdhani Express and the fastest train on this route, travels on this line and covers the distance between Delhi and Mumbai in 15 hours and 32 minutes at a top speed of 130 km/h which will be increased to 160km/h soon and a top average speed of 89 km/h.

Sections of the New Delhi–Mumbai main line

New Delhi–Palwal–Mathura section

Mathura–Gangapur City–Kota section

Kota–Nagda–Ratlam section

Ratlam–Vadodara section

Vadodara–Mumbai section

Track expansion and additional lines

The New Delhi–Mumbai main line is one of the busiest railway corridors in India and is undergoing capacity enhancement through the construction of additional third and fourth lines on multiple sections.

New Delhi–Palwal–Mathura section

The New Delhi–Palwal–Mathura stretch has been quadrupled and the third and fourth lines are fully operational.

Mathura–Gangapur City–Kota section

A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the construction of third and fourth lines on this section was submitted to the Railway Board in November 2025.

Kota–Nagda section

The DPR for third and fourth lines on the Kota–Nagda section has been submitted to the Railway Board for approval.

Nagda–Ratlam section

Budget allocation for the third and fourth line project has been sanctioned and construction work has commenced.

Ratlam–Vadodara section

This section has received budget allocation for third and fourth lines and construction work is underway.

Vadodara–Mumbai section

Work on the third and fourth lines is currently in progress, and this stretch is expected to be fully quadrupled in the near future.


Details

Starting at the New Delhi, the Delhi–Mumbai line runs concurrent with Delhi–Chennai line for 141 km up to Mathura. From here it runs in Southwest direction and passes through cities of Bharatpur, Kota, Ratlam, Vadodara, Surat before terminating at Mumbai Central. Within Maharashtra, Western line of Mumbai Suburban Railway uses runs on the same tracks from Dahanu Road to Mumbai Central.


Electrification

The Delhi–Mumbai line was fully electrified by 1987.[3] Virar Ahmedabad sector was AC electrified since 1973-74 in phases.[4]

Passenger movement

New Delhi, Mathura, Kota, Ratlam, Vadodara, Surat and Mumbai Central, on this line, are amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian Railway.[5]

Line upgradation

The line is set to be upgraded for the trains to travel at a speed of 130 kmph. This will reduce the travel time between the two cities. In the future the new generation trains such as Vande Bharat and its sleeper version, would also be able to run at a speed of 160 kmph.[6]

Golden quadrilateral

The New Delhi-Mumbai line is a part of the golden quadrilateral. The routes connecting the four major metropolises (New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata), along with their diagonals, known as the golden quadrilateral, carry about half the freight and nearly half the passenger traffic, although they form only 16 per cent of the length.[15]

Major trains

References

  1. ^ Google Maps
  2. ^ "Mumbai Rajdhani Express". India Rail Info.
  3. ^ "Electric Traction — I". IRFCA. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  4. ^ "History of Electrification". IRFCA. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry". Availability in trains for Top 100 Booking Stations of Indian Railways. IRFCA. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Indian Railways to upgrade the speed of trains on Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Howrah routes". Live Mint. 2 July 2020.