Indian Railway Government has created some beautiful pathways around the Himalayan ranges. These routes are worth to travel for and the experience you get has no match with anything else in this world. Toy train is a source of joy to all of us. You can also track your train online if you have to know about the proper hill routes.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railways
The toy train that runs in the Darjeeling Himalaya section is a matter of pride to all the Indians. It is indeed a beautiful journey when you travel to Darjeeling by toy train. It is not only a matter of pride, but it also shows the high level of engineering skills by the railway engineers. From Siliguri to Darjeeling, the rail track covers around 83 kilometres and is one of the World’s heritage sites. The journey includes Ghum station, which is considered to be the highest railway station of India. It is situated in an altitude of 2257 meters. This rail track is a visual treat, as well as a journey to remember. It is a great innovation from Indian Railways.
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
Not covering a long distance, it is a 46 kilometre long stretch and connects Ooty with Mettupalayam. First the railway tract was stretched till Coonor and later it was connected with Ooty in the year 1903. This railway track is also a part of World Heritage Site. The serene beauty that you notice while travelling is a sheer beauty and one cannot afford to miss it. If you are visiting Nilgiri, then you must go for Nilgiri Biosphere Nature Park. It is a must visit.
Kalka-Shimla Railway
One cannot miss a journey in the Kalka-Shimla Railway when travelling to Himachal Pradesh. This is the most popular hillside railway track in India. These trains are also known as Toy Trains. After you board the morning train, you will be awed by the beauty of Himalayan terrains that lie and go parallel with the track. The major attraction in the journey is the ecstatic mountains and the tunnels. There are actually 103 tunnels in the route. The last tunnel is considered to be a haunted one too. On the way one can see Solan city, which is known as Mini Shimla.
Neral-Matheran Railway
Matheran is a hill station in Western Ghat region in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. The Neral-Matheran Railway track is the centre of attraction in the Matheran city, which is situated on a hill top at an altitude of 800m. This 11 kilometre stretch of railway track passes through the dense forest and the Matheran cliffs that you can see around creates a beautiful scenario. This is also known as the smallest hill station of India.
Pathankot- Jogindernagar Railway
The train that connects the Pathankot- Jogindernagar track is known as the Kangra toy train. The railway track passes through hills and valleys and the scenic beauty one observes while travelling in this train is an experience of a life time. It is a 163 kilometre long route and has enchanting views throughout.
Try it for your own experience!