Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

4. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway:Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), affectionately known as the toy train, was started in 1881, in order to make the transport of rice and other commodities easier and more cost-efficient. Now, it has become a focal point of Darjeeling's tourism industry, and is still one of the most outstanding examples of engineering in a challenging terrain. The track on which the train runs is only 600 mm wide!Chugging up to the small hamlet of Ghum, the train covers a vast distance at an unhurried pace, allowing you to really soak in the beauty of the state. Lean out of the window and let the fresh mountain air drive away your fatigue, as you take in the resplendent view of vibrant valleys, with tall mountains rising dramatically behind them.

This 83 km. long section connecting Darjeeling with the rail head at Siliguri is of great importance and has been bestowed World Heritage Site status. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is the first, and still the most outstanding example of a hill passenger Railway. Darjeeling Mountain Railway has Ghum railway station, India’s highest railway station at an altitude of 2,257 meters. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is one of the most fascinating and captivating train journey. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is one of the places no one affords to miss in their life time. Toy Train from the Siliguri, in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, to the hill station of Darjeeling offers views of Himalayan peaks as high as 7,400 feet. You’ll traverse through dense jungle, verdant valleys, tea gardens, and forests of maple, chestnut, pear, cherry, and cardamom trees on this two-foot wide, narrow-gauge line.