High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of rail transport that operates significantly faster than traditional rail traffic, using an integrated system of specialized rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, new lines in excess of and existing lines in excess of are widely considered to be high-speed, with some extending the definition to include lower speeds in areas for which these speeds still represent significant improvements. The first such system began operations in Japan in 1964 and was widely known as the bullet train. High-speed trains normally operate on standard gauge tracks of continuously welded rail on grade-separated right-of-way that incorporates a large turning radius in its design.
Higher-speed rail
In October 2013, the Minister of Railways announced at the two-day international technical conference on "High Speed Rail Travel; Low Cost Solution" that the focus of India's rail improvement is to implement a lower cost solution to meet the immediate needs by providing higher-speed rail services as an incremental step before the dedicated track high-speed rail can be achieved. India's higher-speed rail will be in the range of . On 3 July 2014, a trail run with the new top speeds of was successfully completed on a journey of between Delhi and Agra. The new service, operational since 5 April 2016, cut the travel time by 126 minutes (compared to standard trains) with a top speed of down to 99 minutes.