Commuters on the Delhi-Meerut route are a step closer to faster travel, as the Namo Bharat train completed its first full-length timetable trial on the 82-km Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor.

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) confirmed that the high-speed train ran from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram in Meerut in less than an hour.

The trial was conducted at the corridor’s maximum operational speed of 160 km/h, with scheduled halts at all stations.

This successful trial marks a major leap toward full-scale operations. According to NCRTC, all systems performed smoothly, including the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 3 Hybrid over LTE, a first-of-its-kind signalling system used anywhere in the world.

The trains strictly followed the planned timetable, demonstrating the corridor’s readiness for commercial service.

Platform Screen Doors at all stations also functioned as intended. Meerut Metro services ran alongside the Namo Bharat trains during the trial.

This will be the first time in India that both regional and local metro services will operate on shared rail infrastructure.

At present, 55 km of the corridor, spanning 11 stations, is already operational. Work is ongoing on the remaining sections: a 4.5 km stretch from Sarai Kale Khan to New Ashok Nagar in Delhi, and around 23 km from Meerut South to Modipuram.

Simultaneously, trial runs for the 23-km Meerut Metro are also underway. The metro line includes 13 stations, with 18 km on elevated tracks and 5 km underground.

Once complete, the RRTS is expected to dramatically cut travel time, ease congestion, and improve daily connectivity between Delhi and Meerut.

The NCRTC views this achievement as a major step in modernising public transport in the National Capital Region.

With safety, speed, and seamless integration at its core, the Delhi-Meerut RRTS promises to transform regional commuting.

Image Credit: Kaushik.atulya, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Delhi_Meerut_RRTS_Interior.png