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Darjeeling – Toy Train

The Darjeeling railway train is known as the ‘Toy Train’ but is used as a serious service for the people of the remote Himalayan Villages.
A ride on this train takes you on a winding journey through remote Himalayan villages offering some of the most breathtaking views of surrounding peaks and mountains in the world.
The train itself was built by the North British Locomotive Company in 1881 yet even 125 years later it still clanks away around the great heights of the Himalayas.

The journey itself is around 50 miles and takes some 8 hours depending on the weather. It starts in New Jalpaiguri and ends in Darjeeling taking in some 10 stops on route. Since this was declared a Heritage Train on 21 May 2000 this is now pulled by a diesel engine.

The journey begins at the station in New Jalpaiguri hidden amongst the plains. Here the weather is much warmer than later in the journey as you will be steadily climbing up the mountains. You will carry on until you reach Sukna which is the second stop. Here is where the real climb starts . Here you will be at a height of just under 100ft and by the time you reach the fourth stop of Tindharia you will have climbed up to an altitude of some 3000ft. Here you will get a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and plains below.

Following on from here you will climb steadily until you reach Pagla Jhora . The track often disappears completely in the monsoon where the stream swells up and washes away the road and the railway line. The next stop you will arrive at is Kurseong at a height of around 5000ft. Here you will get your first sighting of a hill town and hill people set against a backdrop of a thickly wooded forest.

As you go up the views get more and more extensive of the surrounding mountains and scenery below. You will pass through several more stops until you reach Ghum which is the highest part of the journey at a height of some 7500ft. Upon leaving here the railway descends sharply down towards Darjeeling and as you approach you will be greeted with views of the far ranging tea plantations on the hills with snow topped mountains in the background. Finally you will reach Darjeeling where the journey ends and you can relax with a good old cup of tea.

During the tourist season there is a ‘Joy Ride’ on a steam train. The train slowly winds round Darjeeling, round the Batasia Loop – with a ten minute stop – then slowly climbs into Ghum where it stops for half an hour to allow viewing of the train museum. Then back to Darjeeling.

The steam train has a daily run from Darjeeling to Kurseong in the afternoon, returning next morning.

For special occasions we can arrange a special steam train run from Siliguri to Darjeeling. Please ask for details.

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