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A blue Darjeeling Himalayan Railway train with blue carriages running beside a road between green forest and a stone drain
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Photo: Paramanu Sarkar · CC BY-SA 4.0
monument4 min from Darjeeling

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway — the toy train and its loops

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the UNESCO-listed toy train of 1881: how a 610 mm line climbs from the plains, the Batasia Loop and the ride to Ghum.

What it is

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the DHR or "toy train", is a narrow-gauge line between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling. Wikipedia describes a gauge of 610 mm and a length of about 88 km, built between 1879 and 1881, and says it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 5 December 1999.

Photos: Syed Sajidul Islam (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

The climb

The line gains height from about 100 m at New Jalpaiguri up to about 2,200 m at Darjeeling by using six zig zags and three loops, where the train reverses or circles over its own track. Wikipedia says the route follows the Hill Cart Road, so the rails run beside the road for long stretches and cross it at places, with the engines sounding loud horns to warn pedestrians. The Batasia Loop, of 1919, is the best-known spiral, and Ghum is India's highest railway station.

Riding it

Wikipedia says tourist trains run daily between Darjeeling and Ghum and a steam-powered service named Red Panda on to Kurseong, with extra steam trips for enthusiasts, and that diesel locomotives handle most scheduled services. We have no verified timetable, fares or booking rule, so ask at the station. Wikipedia gives speeds of 20 to 25 km an hour, so think of it as a slow ride, not a transfer.

Getting there

Darjeeling station is in the town centre; see the quick facts for our measured road time. For the monastery at Ghum and the loop see the Yiga Choeling Monastery.

Combine it with

The two-day plan uses the train for the second morning, and the one-day plan passes the loop by road. Read things to do in Darjeeling and how to reach Darjeeling.

Plans that include this

All 1 plans that stop here →
A blue Darjeeling Himalayan Railway train with blue carriages running beside a road between green forest and a stone drain
Two days in Darjeeling — the old town, the tea estate and the toy train
1 night · 2 days · First visit · Temples & heritage
A two-day Darjeeling plan: Chowrasta, the Mahakal temple, St Andrew's Church, the botanical garden and tea, then the toy train to Ghum, the loop and pagoda.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

Nearby places

All of Darjeeling →
Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
area · 23 m away
Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling — the Shiva shrine on Observatory Hill
Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling — the Shiva shrine on Observatory Hill
temple · 316 m away
St Andrew's Church, Darjeeling — the town's oldest church
St Andrew's Church, Darjeeling — the town's oldest church
monument · 321 m away
Lloyd's Botanical Garden, Darjeeling — the Himalayan plants below the town
Lloyd's Botanical Garden, Darjeeling — the Himalayan plants below the town
monument · 430 m away
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling — the high-altitude zoo
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling — the high-altitude zoo
park · 2.0 km away
Peace Pagoda, Darjeeling — the white Japanese stupa on Jalapahar
Peace Pagoda, Darjeeling — the white Japanese stupa on Jalapahar
temple · 2.0 km away
Batasia Loop, Darjeeling — the spiral of the toy train and the Gorkha memorial
Batasia Loop, Darjeeling — the spiral of the toy train and the Gorkha memorial
monument · 3.7 km away
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum — the Old Ghoom Monastery and its Maitreya statue
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum — the Old Ghoom Monastery and its Maitreya statue
temple · 4.1 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
Pastel-coloured buildings of Gangtok climbing a steep, forested hillside, seen from a viewpoint across the valley
Gangtok
47 km away · 4 itineraries · 11 places
A wide view over the houses of Shillong spread across forested hills under a sky of towering white clouds
Shillong
395 km away · 3 itineraries · 6 places
A deep, steep-sided green valley filled with low grey cloud seen from the Mawkdok Dympep viewpoint near Cherrapunji
Cherrapunji
397 km away · 1 itineraries · 2 places
The town of Almora spread across a terraced ridge under a blue sky with clouds
Almora
890 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
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Questions people ask

What is the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway?

A narrow-gauge line of 610 mm, about 88 km long, between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, built between 1879 and 1881 and known as the toy train. Wikipedia says UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site on 5 December 1999. It rises from near the plains, about 100 m above sea level, up to about 2,200 m at Darjeeling.

Can you ride the toy train in Darjeeling?

Wikipedia says tourist trains run daily between Darjeeling and Ghum, the highest railway station in the country, and that a steam-powered service named Red Panda goes on to Kurseong, with extra steam trips for enthusiasts. We have no verified timetable, fares or booking route, so ask at Darjeeling station for what runs on your day.

How fast does the Darjeeling toy train go?

Slowly. Wikipedia says that the trains move at between 20 and 25 km an hour, and that the line follows the Hill Cart Road, so its rails look like tram tracks through the town. Because of the steep terrain it uses six zig zags and three loops to gain height, including the Batasia Loop of 1919.