Rail transport in Bhutan

Rail transport in Bhutan

There is no rail transport in Bhutan, but several rail lines have been planned.

Planned

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. Additionally, the Indian Military has also identified more routes to complement the India-China Border Roads (ICBR) and negate the Siliguri Corridor's geostrategic vulnerability, all of which will be 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge.

<table><thead><tr><th>Route</th><th>Length (km)</th><th>Future Extensions</th><th>Operational (date)</th><th>Major tunnels # & names</th><th>Major bridges # & names</th><th>Conceived by</th><th>Status/Comments</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Gangtok-Nathang-Haa-Paro-Thimphu line</td><td></td><td>Ext-1: Yongphulla Airport-Bathpalathang Airport-Lingmethang(Mongar)-Thimphu-Paro International Airport line. Also see Ext-3 for Paro-Doklam-Lingzhi Yügyal Dzong connection.</td><td>N (2027?)</td><td></td><td></td><td>Indian Military</td><td>Gangtok-Nathang-Haa-Paro International Airport-Thimphu.</td></tr><tr><td>Banarhat–Samtse line</td><td>18 km</td><td>Ext-2: Samtse-Nathu La line</td><td>N (2025?)</td><td></td><td></td><td>2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU</td><td>Banarhat–Samtse.</td></tr><tr><td>Hasimara–Pasakha-Phuentsholing line</td><td>18 km</td><td>Ext-3: Phuentsholing-Paro International Airport-Doklam-Lingzhi Yügyal Dzong line.</td><td>N (2025?)</td><td></td><td></td><td>2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU</td><td>Hasimara Airforce Station–Pasakha-Phuentsholing. This line has the first priority to be constructed due to high passenger and goods transportation.</td></tr><tr><td>Kokrajhar–Gelephu line (Gelephu Airport)</td><td>70 km</td><td></td><td>N (2025?)</td><td></td><td></td><td>2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU</td><td>Kokrajhar of New Jalpaiguri–New Bongaigaon section–Gelephu. survey completed in April 2023 and construction will be completed by 2026 (aug 2023 update).</td></tr><tr><td>Pathsala–Naglam line</td><td>40 km</td><td>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).</td><td>N (2025?)</td><td></td><td></td><td>2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU</td><td>Pathsala–Naglam.</td></tr><tr><td>Rangla–Darranga–Samdrup Jongkhar line</td><td>60 km</td><td></td><td>N (2025?)</td><td></td><td></td><td>2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU</td><td>Rangla–Darranga–Samdrup Jongkhar.</td></tr><tr><td>Tawang-Trashigang-Yongphulla line</td><td></td><td>See Ext-1 (Thimphu-Tawang).</td><td>N (2027?)</td><td></td><td></td><td>Indian Military</td><td>Tawang-Lumla-Trashigang-Yongphulla Airport.</td></tr></tbody></table>