Namo Bharat fast trains with limited stops will begin operating during peak hours on the Delhi-Meerut corridor from November 16, 2026, reducing travel time between Anand Vihar and Begumpul to 36 minutes and covering the full corridor in less than 50 minutes, according to the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).
The additional services are being introduced as passenger numbers on the corridor rise, particularly during the morning and evening commuting peaks. The fast trains will operate in addition to the existing regular Namo Bharat services, which will continue to run at 10-minute intervals.
During the morning peak, two fast trains will operate in each direction from the two terminal stations. Services from Sarai Kale Khan to Modipuram and from Modipuram to Sarai Kale Khan are scheduled to depart at 8:00 am and 8:30 am. During the evening peak, trains in both directions will depart at 6:00 pm and 6:30 pm.
Unlike regular services, the fast trains will stop at only five stations: Sarai Kale Khan, Anand Vihar, Ghaziabad, Begumpul and Modipuram. The limited-stop pattern is intended to reduce journey times for passengers travelling longer distances across the corridor.
Under the new service arrangement, the journey from Anand Vihar to Ghaziabad will take eight minutes, while the trip from Ghaziabad to Begumpul will take 28 minutes. The Anand Vihar-Begumpul journey will be completed in 36 minutes. The complete Sarai Kale Khan-Modipuram journey is expected to take less than 50 minutes.
The service change comes as the corridor records approximately 1.1 lakh passenger journeys each day, with ridership continuing to increase, the report said. The system has also crossed five crore passenger journeys since operations began. During the past three months, it recorded an average of more than 32 lakh passenger journeys each month.
The NCRTC said the additional peak-hour trains are intended to make daily travel faster and more convenient, particularly for office workers and students who depend on predictable travel times. The corporation has also linked the move to efforts to encourage public transport use and reduce pressure on roads amid severe air pollution in the region.
Passengers have been advised to check station display boards and listen to platform announcements before boarding. These indications will identify whether the arriving train is a fast service or a regular Namo Bharat train. The regular services will continue to operate alongside the new limited-stop trains, with no change to their scheduled frequency mentioned in the report.
