Introduction
The toy train of Darjeeling in West Bengal runs under the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR). UNESCO accorded the status of World Heritage Site to DHR in 1999. The route is not only scenic but also an engineering marvel.
The picturesque view of the nature and the view of the local Darjeeling city can be experienced by riding the toy train. The tourists get a delightful experience riding the toy train.
Best time to ride Darjeeling toy train
The best time to visit Darjeeling is between April and June. The temperatures between 20C (68F) and 25C (77F) in these months. From October to December there will be less mist.
How to get to Darjeeling train station
The best way to reach Darjeeling toy train station is by taxi. Shared taxis are cheaper than private taxis. You can get the taxis near Chowk Bazaar, Gandhi Road and other places. You can get buses near Chowk Bazaar. Based on budget one can plan their mode of transport.
Darjeeling station platform
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
Open timings and Tickets
The number of trains run and the timings change based on the season. The tickets can be bought from IRCTC.co.in website. The diesel engine ride from Darjeeling to Ghum train station costs about Rs.1000 ($12) and the steam engine ride about Rs.1500 ($18). The price from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling is around Rs.1500. For the Darjeeling to Ghum round-trip ride, the originating station is Darjeeling (DJ) and the destination station is Darjeeling (DJRZ).
Darjeeling toy train timetable
Time Required for toy train ride
About 2 to 3 hours
Things to do in toy train short trip
Visit war memorial at Batasia loop that was built in honor of Gorkha regiment
Check out the railway engine and photos of DHR in Ghum museum
Capture photos of videos of the surroundings
Toy train ride between Darjeeling and Ghum
There are two types of toy trains. One is diesel engine train and the other is the steam engine train. The distance between Darjeeling and Ghum is about 14 km. The toy train passes through Batasia loop. The Batasia loop is about 5 km (3.1 miles) from Darjeeling. There is a Gorkha war memorial at Batasia loop. The round-trip ride takes about 1 hour 45 minutes. The train stops for 10 minutes at Batasia loop and for 30 minutes at Ghum train station.
Steam engine
Batasia loop
Toy train ride between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling
The 610 mm (2ft) gauge railway line running between New Jalpaiguri (NJP) and Darjeeling, mostly aligns with the Hill cart road (NH110). The distance is about 88 km (55 miles). The journey takes about 7 hours and 30 minutes. There are 5 reverse loops and 3 loops in between. The famous loop is the Batasia loop. This loop is between the Ghum station and the Darjeeling station. There are also many bridges and unmanned level crossings on the route.
The New Jalpaiguri station is on the main line connecting the Siliguri area to the rest of the country. The next station is Siliguri junction which is the only station in India with all the 3-gauge railway lines.
After that it is Sukna that has museum and wild life sanctuary. The ascend starts here and the gradient changes to reach the next station Rangtong. There is a complicated loop here to reach the next station Tindharia that has DHR workshop.
To reach the next station Gayabari, the train has to manoeuvre a zigzag and the complicated loop ‘The Agony Point’.
Mahanadi is the next station and the train has to pass through a zigzag to arrive here. There is a waterfall here.
Passing through a mountain, the train reaches the station Kurseong. There are white orchids in this area. After 7 kms, the train arrives at the Tung station.
Sonada is the next station. After Sonada, it is Ghum station and then the Darjeeling station. The Ghum station is the highest station in India.
The route has been built with the help of loops and zig-zags.
Diesel engine
Bollywood films that show Darjeeling toy train
Aradhana (1969)
Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman (1992)
Parineeta (2005)
Barfi (2012)
History
In late 1800s many British tourists used to visit Darjeeling. The journey from Kolkata to Darjeeling used to be very tedious involving steam engine train journey, crossing the river Ganges and travelling by carts or horses. It used to take about 2 weeks to complete the journey. In later developments the time to reach Siliguri has been significantly reduced.
Darjeeling Steam Tramway Company was formed in 1879 to run steam engine trains to Darjeeling. The name of the company was later changed to Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR). Later diesel engines also started running. There are 10 stations between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling stations.
Franklin Prestage proposed tramway to Darjeeling from Siliguri. The work started in 1879. The work completed in 1881. The viceroy Lord Lytton was the first to ride the train. Loops were built to overcome the steep gradients along the toy train route. The famous one is the Batasia loop. The Batasia loop work completed in 1919.
The Government of India purchased DHR from Assam Railway. It is absorbed into Northeast Frontier Railway Zone around 1958. The railway line was extended from Siliguri to New Jalpaiguri in 1962.
The day-to-day maintenance is taken care by the Northeastern Frontier Railway. The Ministry of Railways takes care of the other areas. The owner is the Government of India. It comes under the Indian Railway Act of 1989.
Facilities at Darjeeling train station
Tourist Assistance Booth
Restrooms
Waiting Hall
Seating arrangement
Public Address System
Facilities at Darjeeling train station
Tourist attractions in and around Darjeeling
Tiger Hill
Toy train ride
Batasia loop
Observatory hillview point
Darjeeling ropeway
Tenzing and Gombu rocks
Rageet Valley Tea Garden
Happy Valley Tea Garden
Gopaldhara Tea Garden
Observatory
Mirik lake and garden
Pashupati market in Nepal
Mahakal Temple
Pineview point
Simanaview point
Ghum Monastery
Darjeeling Zoo and Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
Japanese Temple and Peace Pagoda
Dali Monastery