India’s infrastructure cuts travel times across the country
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India is shortening journeys across the country with new infrastructure projects. The government has recently completed and is building bridges, tunnels, expressways, and railways that reduce travel times for people and goods.
The Bhupen Hazarika Setu bridge now allows people to travel between Rupai in Assam and Meka/Roing in Arunachal Pradesh in one hour, a trip that previously took six. Similarly, the Kosi Rail Mahasetu cut the Nirmali-Saraigarh rail journey from eight hours to just 30 minutes.
Tunnels are also making travel faster in mountainous regions. The Atal Tunnel bypasses Rohtang Pass, saving drivers four to five hours on the Manali-Sarchu route. New expressways are compressing long road trips. The Delhi-Meerut Expressway now takes 50 minutes instead of two and a half hours. Rail travel is also becoming more efficient. The 2026 railway timetable includes speed increases for 549 trains, and Vande Bharat services offer faster connections.
A new Vande Bharat Sleeper train between Howrah and Guwahati reduced the trip from 17 hours to 14 hours, carrying 823 passengers. Future high-speed rail projects, including a 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, aim to further decrease travel times with operational speeds of 320 kmph.
