The new Shamshabad-Visakhapatnam semi-high-speed rail corridor is set to transform travel between major cities in the Telugu states, cutting travel time significantly. Planned to connect Hyderabad’s Shamshabad area with Visakhapatnam (Duvvada), this ambitious project has reached a crucial planning stage. By routing through Suryapet and integrating a semi-high-speed design capable of 220 km/h, this corridor promises a faster, more efficient rail experience.
Key Features of the Semi-High-Speed Rail Corridor
Rapid Transit with Semi-High Speed:
The finalized alignment of this new rail route will enable trains to travel up to 220 km/h, drastically reducing travel time. This semi-high-speed corridor includes 12 stations, ensuring that key towns receive faster connectivity. Additionally, a secondary corridor between Visakhapatnam and Kurnool via Suryapet has also been proposed. Extending from Visakhapatnam through Vijayawada, Suryapet, Nalgonda, Kalwakurthy, Nagar Kurnool, and finally Kurnool, this route is nearing completion of its preliminary engineering and traffic (PET) survey, with findings expected to be submitted to the Railway Board by November.
A Landmark Project in the Telugu States
This semi-high-speed rail corridor is set to be the first of its kind in the Telugu states. Notably, the route is designed to link both Shamshabad and Rajahmundry airports, giving air travelers convenient and rapid rail access to surrounding regions. Once operational, this corridor will allow passengers to travel between Shamshabad (Hyderabad) Airport and Visakhapatnam in under four hours. Currently, this journey takes approximately 12 hours by standard train, with the Vande Bharat Express completing the route in 8.5 hours.
Faster Speeds, Shorter Travel Times
Today, two primary train routes connect Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam: one through Warangal, Khammam, and Vijayawada, and another through Nalgonda, Guntur, and Vijayawada. The maximum speeds on these routes are limited to between 110 and 130 km/h, while the new Shamshabad-Visakhapatnam corridor will operate at nearly double these speeds, cutting travel time by more than half.
Strategic Route to Kurnool
The proposed Visakhapatnam-Shamshabad corridor features another important connection: a route to Kurnool through Suryapet. This path will include eight designated stations along the way, improving access for travelers heading to key towns and regions in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
A Corridor Benefiting Telangana’s Growth
One of the notable aspects of this corridor is its path through towns and districts that have yet to experience rail connectivity, particularly in Telangana. Several towns in the former Nalgonda district, including Narkatpalli, Nakirekal, Suryapet, and Kodad, currently lack a railway line. Similarly, in the former Mahabubnagar district, areas like Kalwakurthy, Vanaparthi, and Nagar Kurnool have no rail access. This corridor, capable of supporting speeds up to 220 km/h, will finally link these areas to the rail network, enhancing connectivity and growth.
A More Direct Path to Visakhapatnam
The proposed semi-high-speed route from Shamshabad through Suryapet to Visakhapatnam will cover a distance of approximately 618 km. For comparison, the current Warangal-Khammam route extends 699 km, while the Nalgonda-Guntur route measures around 663 km.