Darjeeling Toy Train Guide

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway also is known as the Darjeeling Toy Train is not a journey but a blend of myriad emotions. Every person who plans to visit North Bengal should experience the Darjeeling Toy Train journey once in his lifetime. This Darjeeling Himalayan railway journey is nothing like other train journeys you would have taken.
Its a romance with Darjeeling.

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Darjeeling Toy Train or Darjeeling Himalayan Railway journey is a journey of a lifetime. The journey is like a romance of the early 19th Century. You get to hear the sweet sound "Chuk chuk" of the toy train while you play with the whiff of the cold air of Darjeeling.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway runs on the highest elevated tracks in the world and riding this Darjeeling Toy Train is an experience you will never forget. It gives you a glimpse of the life in Darjeeling while it weaves its way through the steep edges of the Himalayan range. It zooms past the houses and shops and you can see local people doing their daily chores. It is also possible to get down from the train and run and again get in the train due to the slow running of the train on the tracks.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is extremely cute looking and as we call it these days Instagrammable. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway hence is also commonly called the Darjeeling Toy Train as the train is extremely small and it runs on narrow gauge tracks.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is the best example of the Himalayan railways in the world. It was opened in 1881 and it implemented an ingenious solution of engineering to build the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway track.

Kolkata was the capital of India and Darjeeling was become a favorite place of the Britishers. The Britishers wanted an easier and more luxurious way to travel to Darjeeling & during the same time, Rowland Macdonald Stephenson was trying to extend the railways network in India In 1849 he got the approval from the British Government and created East India Railway Company. You will be able to see the coaches of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or the Darjeeling Toy Train made by this company.

The agent of east Bengal railway Franklin Prestage was mesmerized by the views of Kanchenjunga which he could see from Darjeeling. Franklin Prestage wanted to go for a 2ft. rail gauge which later was called as Narrow gauge and he later established the company called Darjeeling Steam Tramway Company. This Darjeeling Steam tramway company was changed to Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Company on September 15, 1881. This company was managed by Gillanders Arbuthnot & Company whose office still exists in Kolkata. You should go toe Gillander's house to see the office

The official opening dates of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or the Darjeeling toy train are :

Siliguri to Kurseong - 23-08-1880

Kurseong to Sonada -  01-08-1881

Sonada to Jorebunglow - 05-04-1881

Jorebunglow to Darjeeling 04-07-1881

Darjeeling to Darjeeling Bazar - 16-06-1886. 

The Ghoom station is the second highest railway at the height of 7,407ft.

One of the interesting things about the Darjeeling Railway or the DarjeelingToy Trains is its loops.Loops help the train to gain height along the mountain keeping the curve as minimum as possible so that the Darjeeling Toy Train doesn't overturn. The most beautiful loop is the Batasia loop which is also the last loop.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway used to run on the steam engines hence these used to make a chuk chuk sound which you will mind in many toy trains. However, most of the steam engines have been replaced by diesel engines these days. 

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or the Darjeeling Toy Train has been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site on 2nd December 1999.

Don't reach Darjeeling Toy Train station on Time, however, reach at least 30 mins before the scheduled departure time. The way the steam engines and the train are prepared for your joy ride of Darjeeling Toy Train is worth watching. Don't forget to go to the loco shed where the engines of the Toy Trains are kept and maintained. It's extremely near to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway station. Its approximately 3 mins walking.  The steam engines were mostly manufactured by the North British Locomotive Company Limited in Glasgow.

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Your toy train will be waiting at the station while the employees of the railway will be working on the steam engines to make it ready for the joy toy train ride. Ensure you watch how the coal is loaded in the steam engine and how the same is burnt to create enough water vapor for the toy train engine to start.







Once the steam engine of the Darjeeling Toy Train is ready, the toy train will start with a hoot hoot sound. Within few minutes the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway toy train will meader through the hills of Darjeeling.



On the way, while the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway toy train runs on the narrow gauge you will get to see houses, the way people live, from where people shop and basically you will get a glimpse of how people live in Darjeeling.

At few places, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway toy train will go slow, and here you can get down from the train walk along the train and again get on the train. Along with the travel, the train will stop at few places to refill water for the steam engine. The way the water is filled is worth watching.




Before reaching the world's second-highest station Ghum the train will halt for approximately 10 minutes at Batasia Loop. The view of the Darjeeling Himalayan toy train is mesmerizing. You have to get down and take a few photographs and selfies for the memories.



After some time the toy train will leave the Batasia loop and head to the world's second-highest railway station Ghum. Here the toy train will halt for approximately 30 minutes. Head to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Museum near to Ghum station. This Darjeeling Himalayan Railway museum will give you a glimpse of how the Toy train was made and small snippets on the history of the railways. The museum houses few original photographs of the construction. Don't miss this Darjeeling Toy Train Museum.




Once the toy train is ready to leave the Ghum station it will make a hoot hoot sound again. While returning the train will again go to the Batasia loop but now it will not stop at the Batasia Loop.

Within a few minutes after leaving Ghum station you will suddenly see that the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway toy train journey has got over. However, this Darjeeling toy train journey will remain etched in your memories forever.

Darjeeling Train from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling Station

Darjeeling to Kurseong Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Darjeeling Toy Train Joy Ride

Have you taken a joy ride on the Darjeeling Toy Train yet? Let us know in the comments what you liked about the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Also if you want me to include any else in this blog post kindly let me know in the comment section below.

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