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If you have
some time to spare, take a slow toy train up
to the hill resort of Shimla, Ooty (Udhagamandalam),
Darjeeling or Matheran. There is nothing to
match the experience of chugging up the hills,
past little hamlets and terraced fields, making
your way through tunnels and over breathtaking
bridges. Its leisurely pace offer you a panoramic
view of changing vistas . The invigorating air
and the delights of scenic hill resort provide
a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle
of the city. So folks! Are you ready to start
an out-of-the-ordinary journey up to the hills?
Shimla:
Toy train journey from Kalka to Shimla is
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entertaining with
107 tunnels and lofty arched bridges. The dazzling view
and the stops at the picturesque stations along the
way - Dharmpore, Taksal, Gamma and Solan all add up
to an exhilarating experience.
Access to Shimla:
Shimla is connected by a broad gauge line up to Kalka.
'The Toy Train' covers the distance of 96 km between
the two stations within six hours.
Ooty (Udhagamandalam)
:
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway starts from the town of
Mettupalayam and thus begins a journey full of twists
and turns as this narrow gauge train ascends 46 km,
on its way to the hill resort at Ooty. At a maximum
speed of 33 km per hour this 'toy train' treks across
plains, plantations and forest clad hills. The 16 tunnels
and tall bridges on the way along with the breathtaking
view make this toy train journey to Ooty an extraordinary
experience!
Access to
Ooty:
Ooty is connected by a narrow gauge line from Mettupalayam,
which serves as the railhead for mainline trains.
Major Trains
to Mettupalayam :
The Nilgiri Express conncets Mettupalayam with Chennai
daily. Coimbatore, the nearest city is 90 kms away and
linked to all the major cities by rail . Mettupalayam
is easily accessible from Coimbatore by frequent bus
or train services.
Darjeeling
:
The most famous of the little trains , is the one linking
the town of New Jalpaiguri the plains to the lovely
hill station of Darjeeling .
With a 2 ft gauge, the Darjeeling Hill Railway is indeed
a 'toy train' being the narrowest of the regular narrow
gauges. The tiny century -old engine is connoisseur's
delight. The 86 km Darjeeling line has no tunnels ,
thus allowing the traveller an uninterrupted view of
the breathtaking scenery of the Himlayas. The 7 1/2
hour ride up, is a journey especially for rail buffs.
Access to
Darjeeling :
New Jalpaiguri , the starting point of the hill train
to Darjeeling, has direct connections to Calcutta, Delhi,
Guwahati and other places in India.
Book a Train
Tour to Darjeeling Matheran :
The 77 year old line, connecting Neral (on main line
of Central Railway) to Matheran , is the main way to
reach the tiny hill resort, close to Mumbai. As the
little train wheezes up into the clear mountain air
one can view the scenic vista of hills and plains below.
The lack of vehicular traffic at Matheran makes it an
unusual and peaceful retreat.
Access to
Matheran :
The toy train to Matheran commence
from Neral (Mumbai- Pune line), which is connected from
Mumbai by local train . The journey up to Matheran from
Neral takes about 1 1/2 hours. The toy train runs between
sunrise and sunset. |
