If the traveler wants to have an exciting experience, they should ride in one of India’s popular toy trains. These trains are built by the British and give you an amazing and delightful experience. A thrilling train ride goes through the mountains and greets you with beautiful greenery. The journey in these trains is worth remembering, as they are located at the famous tourist hill stations in India. Tourists who go to these hill stations never leave a hill station if they have not taken a ride in these toy trains.
Why are these trains known as toy trains?
These trains are known as toy trains because of their minimized structure compared to the other trains. These narrow-gauge trains run on the historic mountain railway lines and give you a wonderful ride. Travelling in these trains provides a cheerful experience for the traveler, as they can discover hills, valleys, and waterfalls, and altogether, you can enjoy nature to the fullest. Here is the list of the famous toy trains in India.
A-List of 5 Heritage Toy Trains in India:
1. Darjeeling Himalayan Railways:
Darjeeling Himalayan Railways gives you an unforgettable ride, as you can enjoy the snow-clad mountains, beautiful landscape and zigzag turns. While travelling on Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, you will see the perfect view of Darjeeling town and Kanchenjunga peak. Its route has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its journey begins from New Jalpaiguri railway station, which is located in West Bengal and reaches Darjeeling by travelling a distance of 88 kms.
It is the oldest toy train in the country and it has the narrowest gauge in the country. Travelers must take a two-hour ride from Darjeeling to Ghoom, as it gives you a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
2. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway:
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway covers the smallest route of 46 km from Mettupalayam in Coimbatore to Udagamandalam (Ooty) via Coonoor. Between both the destinations, the train passes through 16 tunnels and 250 bridges, and it is considered to be the major attraction in Ooty. This toy train opened in 1885 and then, later on, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.
On the whole journey, the travelers experience the dense forests, misty hilltops, and plantations in Coimbatore and Nilgiri districts. Travelers on the way will view the beautiful scenery. The engine of this train is at the back in order to push the train forward. This amazing journey begins at the height of 1069 feet, and then it goes up to 7228 feet.
3. Kalka-Shimla Railway:
The Kalka-Shimla Railway was declared by UNESCO as the mountain railways of India’s World Heritage Site on July 8, 2008. The train passes through 18 railway stations, 103 tunnels, 969 bridges, and 912 curves. Its ride is for 96 kilometers and it completes its journey in 5 hours. The last tunnel is the haunted tunnel and is believed to be the longest tunnel in India. The train gives you a breathtaking view of the lush green hills, valleys, and hamlets.
The travelers will get an absolutely great and worthwhile experience. The destinations covered by Kalka to Shimla are Dharampur, Solan, Kandaghat, Barog, Taradevi, Summerhill, and Shimla. The route starts from a height of 656 meters above sea level at Kalka in the Himalayan Shivalik Hills foothills.
4. Matheran Hill Railway:
Matheran Hill Railway is a narrow-gauge railway in Maharashtra, India. The toy train was built by Abdul Hussein Adamjee Peerbhoy between 1901 and 1907. He got permission from his father and started working on this project. The Matheran toy train journey starts from Neral on the Mumbai-Pune line and ends at Matheran. It covers a distance of 21 kilometers and takes 2 hours to complete its journey between Neral and Matheran. Travelers can enjoy a pollution-free journey because in Matheran, all vehicles, including bicycles, are fully banned. Hence, you can fully enjoy the lush green valleys of the Western Ghats.
Matheran is a beautiful hill station and it is 108 km away from Mumbai. This toy train in India is small and it has a capacity of 100 passengers. It has 1 first-class carriage and 3 second-class carriages. If you want a comfortable journey, then you must choose first class, as it has comfortable seats. This toy train stops at 3 stations, i.e., Jummapatti, Waterpipe, and Aman Lodge, before reaching Matheran, and it passes through one short tunnel.
5. Kangra Valley Railway
The Kangra Valley Railway has the longest narrow gauge line in India and it runs from Pathankot, Punjab, to Jogindernagar, Himachal Pradesh, and a distance of 164 kilometers. The route covers Pathankot Junction, Jwalamukhi Road, Kangra, Nagrota, Palampur, Baijnath, and Jogindernagar. It passes through 993 bridges, 484 curves, and 2 tunnels, and the journey takes 10 hours.
You will enjoy and get the memorable experience, as the train goes from villages, and farmlands and you will view an impressive Dhauladhar mountain range. The ride on this train shows you numerous bridges and tea gardens of Palampur. This toy train in India has the longest mountain railway route and its route is different from other trains.
Heritage Toy Trains in India give you a way to enjoy nature’s beauty. The traveler can discover the beautiful valley, high mountains and waterfalls. These toy trains are located in a beautiful location, so you can fully enjoy the ride and it will make your trip more scenic. If you have not explored the beauty of nature, then we recommend you experience the breathtaking views of green valleys and fresh air.
Also See:- On a Boat Tour in 2022, Take a Look at These Top Cruises in India.
I hv not been to this hill stations but by reading this article i am planning to take a ride on this toy train
Thanks a lot for sharing this article
Being a mountain lover, reading this article surely had compelled me to explore and have a rideee !!!!