Solar-powered trains run on the sun’s energy to run, through solar panels installed at train stations, on train roofs, or more commonly from rail tracks.
by Mariam Zahra
Dear EarthTalk: Is anyone working on solar-powered trains, and if so, when will they be ready for prime time?
—Paul Best, Los Angeles, CA
Solar-powered trains run on the sun’s energy to run, through solar panels installed at train stations, on train roofs, or more commonly from rail tracks. They also often derive power indirectly from the sun, using electricity from solar farms that is sometimes stored in batteries to facilitate auxiliary functions other than propulsion, including lighting, ventilation, and GPS systems. As of 2026 most solar train travel was for short distances, best suited for tourist and urban shuttles such as Australia’s Byron Bay Train.
However, there are significant plans to achieve long-term solar train travel around the world. Unlike traditional diesel-powered trains, solar-powered trains are highly sustainable and offer a better climate future because they rely on clean and renewable energy. Like other renewable energy sources, solar energy improves the environment because it reduces the environmental tensions and pollutants that arise with the use of fossil fuels.
In 2019, the International Earth Agency predicted that the global rail network could expand to around 2.1 million kilometers by 2050. In 2024, Argentina unveiled its first solar-powered tourist train with a range of about 41 kilometers. Since launching its first solar-powered train in 2017, India has also joined the effort. Indian Railways plans to develop 20 GW of solar power on vacant land by 2030 The UK and Switzerland have also made efforts to introduce solar power to train travel
In 2017, Alice Bell, co-director of the UK climate change group Possible, wrote The Guardian“We think solar could power 20 per cent of the Merseyrail network in Liverpool, as well as 15 per cent of commuter routes in Kent, Sussex and Wessex… Trains and trams around the world could be running on the sun within a few years.” Approved in 2008, California’s solar-powered high-speed train will run about 1287.5 kilometers and is the first of its kind in the world. The train is slated for completion in 2030 and hopes to connect cities like Vancouver, San Diego and Los Angeles.
Although solar-powered train projects are promising, they still face financial, operational and timing challenges. Many have to deal with train maintenance and stability, which can affect the safety of train operations. Still, solar trains could completely change the current state of climate-conscious transportation.
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Previously published in the newspaper
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