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, 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 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. | ||||
| Banarhat–Samtse line | 18 km | Ext-2: Samtse-Nathu La line | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU | Banarhat–Samtse.[3] | |||
| Hasimara–Pasakha-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.[4] | |||
| Kokrajhar–Gelephu line (Gelephu Airport) | 70 km | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU | Kokrajhar of New Jalpaiguri–New Bongaigaon section–Gelephu. survey completed in April 2023 and construction will be completed by 2026 (aug 2023 update).[5] | ||||
| 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. | |||
| Rangla–Darranga–Samdrup Jongkhar line | 60 km | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU | Rangla–Darranga–Samdrup Jongkhar. | ||||
| Tawang-Trashigang-Yongphulla line | See Ext-1 (Thimphu-Tawang). | N (2027?) | Indian Military | Tawang-Lumla-Trashigang-Yongphulla Airport. |