There is no rail transport in Bhutan.
Bhutan and India signed a memorandum of understanding in January 2005 to connect Bhutan with the Indian Railways network with 5 new routes in Bhutan, [1] [2] additionally Indian Military has also identified more routes to compliment India-China Border Roads (ICBR) & negate Siliguri Corridor geostrategic vulnerability, all of which will be built in 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge.
Note: Rail lines listed west to east.
Route | Length (km) | Future Extensions | Operational (date) | Major tunnels # & names | Major bridges # & names | Conceived by | Status/Comments
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gangtok-Nathang-Haa-Paro-Thimphu line | Ext-1:
Yongphulla Airport-
Bathpalathang Airport-
Lingmethang(
Mongar)-
Thimphu-
Paro International Airport line. Also see Ext-3 for Paro-Doklam-Lingzhi Yügyal Dzong connection. |
N (2027?) | Indian Military |
Gangtok-
Nathang-
Haa-
Paro International Airport-
Thimphu.
[3]
| |||
Banarhat–Samtse line | 18 km | Ext-2: Samtse- Nathu La line | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU |
Banarhat–
Samtse.
[4]
[2]
| ||
Hasimara–Pasakh-Phuentsholing line | 18 km | Ext-3: Phuentsholing- Paro International Airport- Doklam- Lingzhi Yügyal Dzong line. | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU | Hasimara Airforce Station– Pasakha- Phuentsholing. This line has the first priority to be constructed due to high passenger and goods transportation. [5] [2] | ||
Kokrajhar–Gelephu line ( Gelephu Airport) | 70 km | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU | Kokrajhar of New Jalpaiguri–New Bongaigaon section– Gelephu. [2] survey completed in April 2023 and construction will be completed by 2026 (aug 2023 update). [6] | |||
Pathsala–Naglam line | 40 km | Ext-4:
Naglam-
Lingmethang(
Mongar)-
Lhuntse-
Rinchen Bumpa line with spur to
Trashiyangtse in northeast. Also see Ext-1 for connection in east to Yongphulla Airport (& Lumla- Tawang). |
N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU |
Pathsala–
Naglam.
[2]
| ||
Rangla–Darranga–Samdrup Jongkhar line | 60 km | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU |
Rangla–
Darranga–
Samdrup Jongkhar.
[2]
| |||
Tawang-Trashigang-Yongphulla line | See Ext-1 (Thimphu-Tawang). | N (2027?) | Indian Military | Tawang- Lumla- Trashigang- Yongphulla Airport. [3] |