Last weekend I took the Delhi-Meerut RRTS to visit a close friend in Meerut. The train hit 161 km/h. I was the only person in the premium cabin. It felt like I’d accidentally crossed a border.
The Route
The RRTS connects Delhi to Meerut via Ghaziabad, covering 82 km when fully complete. Right now about 55 km is operational, ending at Meerut South. The design speed is 180 km/h, though operational speed caps at 160 km/h. My train pushed past that. 161 km/h on the speedometer. It felt a lot like the high quality trains I took in Switzerland.
I boarded at New Ashok Nagar, which has an interchange with the Delhi Metro Blue Line. The regular ticket to Meerut South was ₹150. I paid ₹180 for the premium cabin because I wanted to see what an extra ₹30 gets you.
The Premium Experience
The premium section has its own boarding area. Separate platform section, separate queue (not that there was anyone in it). Walking in felt vaguely luxurious.
Inside, the cabin was almost entirely empty. I counted maybe three other passengers the whole journey. The seats are wider, the legroom generous. There’s even a vending machine.
The Ride
The trains are Alstom-built, branded “Namo Bharat.” Six cars, air-conditioned, 2+2 seating, USB charging ports, CCTV. The signaling uses ETCS Level 2, India’s first deployment of this system. It enables headways as low as 180 seconds.
What struck me most was how smooth it was. No rattling, no jerking. The acceleration was gentle but relentless. You’d glance at the display and realize you’re doing 150+ km/h without feeling it.
The journey from New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South took 39 minutes. The same trip by road would have been about an hour and twenty minutes.
The Catch
Here’s the thing: the line isn’t complete yet. My friend had to drive from Meerut to pick me up at Meerut South because there’s no onward connectivity. The full 82 km corridor, including Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi and Modipuram in Meerut, was supposed to open by late 2025. We’ll see.
Until then, it’s a bit of a destination without a destination. You take this incredible train and then… wait for a ride.
The Verdict
I’ve been on trains in Japan and across Europe. The RRTS doesn’t feel like Indian infrastructure. It feels like someone copy-pasted a piece of the developed world onto the NCR. The stations are clean. The trains are quiet. The whole experience felt very first-world-ish.
For ₹180, I got a premium cabin almost to myself, hit 161 km/h, and reached Meerut in under an hour. That’s not bad. That’s not bad at all.
Now we just need the rest of the line to open.