Fast Facts
Introduced
In the Year : 1881
Famous As : World Heritage Site
Duration of one way Journey : 8.5 to 10 hrs
Route : New Jalpaiguri – Siliguri – Sukna –
Rangtang – Tindharia – Gayabari – Mahanadi – Kurseong –
Tung – Sonada – Ghoom – Darjeeling.
New Jalpaiguri Departure : 9.00 am
Darjeeling Arr : 15.55 pm
Darjeeling Departure : 9.15 am
New Jalpaiguri Arr : 16.20 pm
Overview
Darjeeling, the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’ has always been a
favoured destination for tourist visiting the hill resorts of India.
However, if you reach this hill station by Darjeeling Himalayan Railway,
your enjoyment will increase many fold. Lovingly nicknamed as the ‘Darjeeling
Toy Train’ the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a memorable approach to
the mysterious region of Great Indian Himalayas.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a 2 feet (610 mm) gauge (narrow-gauge)
railway from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling in the Indian state of West
Bengal. Constructed between 1879 and 1881, the route is about 86 kms long
and the elevation level varies from 100 mts in New Jalpaiguri to 2,200 mts
in Darjeeling. Even more than 100 years after its introduction ,the train is
still powered by a steam engine. In the year 1999, the Darjeeling Himalayan
Railway was designated as a World Heritage property by UNESCO.
So, plan your next trip to Darjeeling very soon, board the Darjeeling Toy
Train at New Jalpaiguri and experience a journey full of romance, fun and
thrill. En-route you will see lush tea gardens, small hamlets and beautiful
snow-covered Himalayan peaks.
The Journey In Detail
Your journey starts from New Jalpaiguri, a major railway station in the
plains where the climate of the town is more warmer than the hills. Leaving
New Jalpaiguri railway station, the train crosses through the Siliguri town
and reaches Siliguri Junction. After a short stoppage, the train leaves
Siliguri station and next reaches Sukna station from where the real ascent
starts.
Further, you can see the blue mountain ranges of the Great Himalayas. The
train fastly ascends from the plain, crosses tea gardens and teak and sal
forest. Rantang Station (1404 ft/ 430 m) is the next halt, from here you can
enjoy the fantastic views of wooded mountains. Next, the train crosses the
Tindharia Railway workshop and reaches Tindharia station (2,822 ft/ 860 m).
Leaving Tindharia station, you can see the jagged rock-faced mountains
called Giddhapahar which the train passes later.
Following the ‘zig-zag reverses’ the train leaves Gayabari
station (3,400 ft/ 1040 m). After Gayabari, the train stops near Pagla Jhora
(Mad Torrent) for water, shortly after this you will reach Mahanadi Bazar
station (4,000 ft/ 1,225 m). Kurseong station (4,864 ft/ 1485 m) a beautiful
hill station is the next stoppage of the train. After Kurseong railway
station, the train passes through important stations namely – Tung
(5,656 ft/ 1,725 m), Sonada (6552 ft. /2000m) and finally reaches Ghoom
(7407 ft/2260 m) the highest point of the journey.
From Ghoom railway station, the train descends towards the hill station of
Darjeeling. On the way the train crosses Batasia Loop from where you can get
a magnificent view of Darjeeling town having the Kanchenjunga and other
snowy peaks in the back-drop. Finally, the train enters the Darjeeling
station, where a town full of charm and beauty awaits your arrival.
