Chugging Up: 7 Mesmerising Mountain Train Rides In India

Here is the oldest mountain train track operating since 1881, although it was initially planned as a steam tramway. Get on board this iconic Toy Train and the sweeping views of lush green tea gardens, dark woods, quaint settlements and snow-capped peaks will soothe your senses as never before. But here is a temporary roadblock. Since the landslide in June 2010, the train operates only in parts – from Siligudi to Tindharia and Kurseong to Darjeeling. The route criss-crosses the main road running alongside while the steep ascent – from 480 ft at NJP to Ghoom Station at 7,407 ft (the 2nd highest railway station in India) and then a descent to Darjeeling at about 6,812 ft – has been eased through loops and zig zags. The 88 km trip will take around 8 hours, but one must not miss the stoppage at Batasia Loop that offers a stunning view of Darjeeling town and the magnificent Mt Kanchenjunga.

Type: Narrow gauge

Heritage status: DHR was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999.

Image: Wikipedia

Take a journey back in time, to the erstwhile Summer Capital of the Raj, which started in 1903. This track in the north-west has a host of luxury locomotives running including a glass-top Deluxe Rail Motor Car that resembles a World War II bus. The line has been built over viaducts that look like the arched galleries of ancient Rome and one can soak in the rain, shine and snow during the 96 km sojourn through hills, valleys and verdant forests. The ride takes around 5-6 hours and the scenic Shivalik Hills keep one enthralled as the loco passes through 102 tunnels and 864 arched bridges.

Type: Bosnian gauge

Heritage status: Kalka-Shimla Railway was granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 2008.

Image: Wikipedia

Another beautiful ride, not exactly up the mountains, but through golden valleys, green fields, pictorial villages and mesmerising foothills. So it is not surprising that you come across only two tunnels and the rest is all open nature – an uninterrupted and splendid view. Started in 1929, it’s a long stretch of 164 km and can take around 10 hours or more to cover the distance. But the train will take you pretty close to the magnificent Ban Ganga gorge, the Kangra chasm, the Bhir gorge and the snow-clad Dhauladhar ranges, standing as tall as 15,000-16,000 ft.

Type: Narrow gauge

Image: Wikipedia

Nestled in the Western Ghats, this train ride from Neral (87 km from Mumbai) to Matheran is the gateway to a pristine eco-destination. The railway started operating in 1907 and covers a stretch of 20 km in about 2 hours and a half. The track zig-zags up the mountainside, crossing over 121 bridges (mostly short ones) and offering a spectacular view of jutting rocks, thickly wooded ridges and beautiful valleys. There is a steep ascent just before Mount Barry and then one short tunnel before reaching Matheran, a hill station at 2,625 ft. Although MLR failed to find a place in the World Heritage Site list in 2009, fresh attempts are now on to gain the coveted status.

Type: Narrow gauge

Image: Wikipedia

Welcome to the Chaiyya Chaiyya ride – this popular number from Shah Rukh-Manisha-starrer Dil Se was shot on the train top here. But Bollywood fame apart, nothing can beat the scenic journey on the cream-and-blue train – the steepest ride in Asia that will take you up to 7,228 ft from a height of 1,069 ft. It has been running for 105 years (since 1908) and uses a unique rack-and-pinion rail system, as well as four-cylinder locomotives and intricate breaks. The 46 km ride takes 4-5 hours – a breathtaking trip through sprawling plantations, emerald-green hills, deep tunnels, tall bridges and occasional wildlife sightings.

Type: Metre gauge

Heritage status: In 2005, UNESCO added NMR as an extension to the World Heritage Site of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Nestled in the Eastern Ghats, this hill station near Odisha-Andhra border is rich in primitive tribal culture and boasts a rare broad gauge track that connects Araku Valley to the port city of Vishakhapatnam or Vizag. At Kottavalasa (2 stations after Vizag), the train leaves the main line and takes the Kottavalasa-Kirandul line (KK line) of the East Coast Railway. Located at 2,989 ft, Araku is about 120 km from Vizag and the journey takes you through a charming landscape full of thick forests, gushing rivulets, cascading waterfalls and expansive coffee plantations. There are 58 tunnels and more than 84 bridges on the way to Araku and the ride will take around 4 hours. Just before Borra Guhalu station, the train passes above the pre-historic Borra caves (full of stalactites and stalagmites) while Shimliguda is a must-stop, as this is the 2nd highest broad gauge railway station in the country after Udhampur near Jammu.

Type: Broad gauge

Image: Wikipedia

Soak in the serene beauty of this journey into the heartland of the North-East. The 110-year-old rail route runs through the Borail Hill Range between Lumding and Badarpur in Assam and connects the verdant valleys of the Brahmaputra plain and the Barak region. It covers a stretch of 185 km, running over 73 major bridges and viaducts and negotiating 37 tunnels. A leisurely sojourn to Haflong (1,683 ft), the only hill station in Assam, brings you closest to the bamboo country and tribal settlements. But the highest station on this track is the tranquil yet mysterious Jatinga (2,157 ft), most famous for the ‘flight of death’ as flying birds get attracted to lights after sunset and come crashing to the ground. The route ambles along the River Jatinga and then heads towards the tea plantations of Barak valley. The hill part of the journey takes around 10 hours after which the track goes south to Agartala, the capital of Tripura.

Type: Metre gauge

Image: Wikipedia