To boldly go where countless men have already gone before but to do so in a way that can only be described as adventurous. Mountain trains in India take you on such a journey through the hill stations and towns in the Himalayan belt that would otherwise be a challenge to reach.
Kalka - Shimla Railway
Kalka – Shimla Railway offers a porthole back in time when Shimla was a newly found summer resort for the British officers and their families. These tracks are over a century old but they still ply through the beautiful landscape untouched by greed or lust. The Deodar trees rise on one side and the ridge drops to a pleasant valley floor on the other.
Famous for its u-turns taking you from one hill to another, the 102 tunnels (some 3 minutes long) and the 887 colonial styled bridges are worth every penny spent. With two scenic stopovers, this six-hour journey at a neck-breaking pace of 25 km / hour (that’s right, your granny moves faster than that!) is a study in the long forgotten art of leisure. You can choose between the Passenger Trains and mail coaches, or travel in style and old-fashioned luxury on the Himalayan Queen and the Shivalik Deluxe Express.
Route: Shimla – Barog – Solan – Shimla
Departures: Daily
Matheran Light Railway
Set on the Mumbai – Pune rail route, Matheran is a hill resort in Maharashtra that can only be reached by pedestrians. Being one of its sorts in the Asian continent, Matheran is also a favorite for the treks, horse rides and cart rides that are the usual means of reaching the summit.
These modes of travel to one of the most untainted hill destinations in the world are adventures in themselves, albeit a bit on the slower side. The Neral – Matheran toy train on the other hand takes you through the same picturesque landscapes on its 21 km route in under 2 hours. The ride is still quiet slow for the number of zigzags, u-turns and twists that run around the Matheran Hill, leaving you breathless as each turn reveals a treasure trove of sceneries.