Batasia Loop Darjeeling
If you take a toy train ride in Darjeeling, you will pass by this amazing loop where the DHR Toy Train traverses a circular track in a magnificent setting. Batasia Loop is located on Hill Cart Road (i.e. National Highway-110) and takes around 20 minutes to reach by taxi from Darjeeling town. It's only about 5kms from Darjeeling Town and 3kms below Ghum.
Photo: Deb Anutosh, cc by 2.0
What you get to experience
There is no better place to get a 360 degree view of Darjeeling's landscape including the hill town and the snow covered peaks of the Eastern Himalayas with the majestic Kanchenjunga on one side. And all this from the middle of a lovely flowering garden around which the toy train track is laid.
Batasia means airy space. From the garden you can see the toy train making a complete loop while hooting its whistle along the way and trying to negotiate the spiral track with a double loop, it's a fabulous experience.
There are seating areas as well to enjoy the views. The entire area along with the gardens and an approach bridge that leads to the garden is about 50,000 square feet. It has been covered with grass and beautified with both seasonal and perennial flowers and shrubs.
A section of the track in Batasia Loop, Darjeeling
You can walk along the track and complete the loop yourself. Or take the many pathways in the garden and walk around, enjoy the numerous flowering plantations and the surroundings... I do it every time I come to this place.
There is also an Eco Garden in Batasia. It provides a lot of information about organic farming and plantations in Darjeeling. Here you will find many rare species of plants like the Gingko biloba. And there are Rhododendrons, Silver Firs and even tea plants.
Photo: Shahnoor HM, cc by 3.0
At the center of the Batasia Loop is the
War Memorial. This was opened in 1995 to commemorate the Gorkha soldiers of the Darjeeling Hills who sacrificed their lives in various wars after India's independence. At an elevated platform there is a Cenotaph and a statue of a soldier paying homage. Visit
War Memorial at Batasia for details.
War memorial at Batasia, Darjeeling
A Short Video of Batasia Loop
Significance of Batasia Loop
Batasia Loop was commissioned in 1919 because it was an engineering requirement for the toy train to be able to handle a steep gradient. Soon after Ghum (which is the highest railway station) there is a sharp fall as the toy train moves towards Darjeeling.
There was no way the toy train could negotiate such a drastic fall of about 140ft unless there was a way to somehow reduce the gradient of the slope.
Batasia Loop was created by the British as workaround to negotiate the descend. You won't even realize how the toy train actually descends by about 140ft as it completes a large circular loop and on a gentle slope. It then crosses its own track near the beginning of the loop through a tunnel below.
This loop is again used by the toy train on its return to overcome the steep uphill gradient at this point. It is considered as one of the greatest engineering feats.
Nearby Attractions
If you take the exit and come out of Batasia Loop, you will see a small market area which is known as the Batasia Market. If you arrive early in the morning, you can find temporary stands put up here where the locals sell snack items like the hot samosas or singaras (fried vegetable stuffed pastries).
The market is a good place for buying curios, bags, hats, and other decorative items. There are shops on the opposite side of the road as well selling cups, flasks etc. But watch out for the price.
Batasia Market, Darjeeling
On the opposite side of the road and a little further down there are few nice restaurants and some of them have great views of the mountain range. In fact you will get almost the same views of the peaks and landscape from there as from the Batasia loop. Santa Banta Dhaba close to Batasia is a popular restaurant.
So if you plan to take breakfast or even lunch here, you have a nice option. They serve North & South Indian dishes and additionally Chinese items during lunch. But importantly, there are washrooms and toilets in some of these restaurants.
On your way back to Darjeeling, you can also visit the well-known
Dali Monastery which can be seen on one side of the road and perched on a cliff with a huge front facade.
Open Hours, Entry Fee & Facilities
Daily 5am to 8pm. There is an entry fee of Rs. 20/- per person.
There are pay & use toilets for ladies and gents located inside at one end.
How to visit Batasia Loop
It's 5km (3.1 miles) from Darjeeling Town and located just below Ghum station. If you take a car or a taxi, it takes around 20 minutes from Darjeeling town to reach the Batasia Loop (along Hill Cart Road) under normal traffic conditions.
The taxi will drop you or wait below at the parking by the roadside. Once you buy the tickets at the ticket counter (that is when you arrive by road), you will need to cross over a small footbridge and a walkway to enter the Batasia Loop. This is also the exit route, and outside the exit is the Batasia Market.
The
Toy Train Joy Ride that operates from Darjeeling for a round trip to Ghum, has a 10 minute stoppage at Batasia Loop. There is a small train shade here where the trains stops. This allows the tourists to stroll around and enjoy Batasia Loop and the views around.
Batasia Loop along with several other popular attractions in Darjeeling are also covered by the standard
local sightseeing tours such as the 3-Point Tour offered by taxi drivers and tour operators.
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Visitors' Reviews/Comments
Sanjoy Roy (June 2018)
Can I go to batasia loop by car instead of toy train ...? if I go by car will I be able to go that point where the toy train halts for 10 min. for taking pictures and enjoying the scenic beauty.
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) June 2018
Yes you can go by car... park your car at the parking at the road level, walk up to the ticket counter to purchase entry ticket and then enter into the loop premises.
Tanmoy Samanta (September 2016)
Hi Raj, I must appreciate for your splendid reviews. I am a frequent traveler but hardly I can find such types of dedicated reviews. If you can clarify my below questions, that would be great.
1. Suppose if I book 2nd class train ticket from Darjeeling to Ghoom, then how do I reach to Batasia loop from Ghoom station. Is it a walking distance? 2. Do you any difference between Joyride train & 2nd class train to reach Batasia/Ghoom?
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) September 2016
Hi, all toy trains from Darjeeling to Ghum pass through Batasia, however the Joyrides stop at Batasia for few minutes, other trains won't. You can walk back to Batasia from Ghum. The route up to Ghum is same for all toy trains, in fact there is only a single narrow gauge track all the way from Darjeeling to NJP. The the route is the same for return. The difference between Joyride and other trains is mainly that several runs of the joyrides are hauled by heritage steam engine while the other trains run on diesel engine. Several regular toytrains trains also have First Class coaches other than 2nd class.
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