Darjeeling Toy Train Ride

What to Expect

Planning a ride on a Toy Train in Darjeeling? Why not? After all it remains as one of the top attractions of Darjeeling. The Toy Train is one of the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about Darjeeling. Do you know why? Because Darjeeling Toy Train is an iconic heritage of India and has been accorded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is an engineering marvel, a feat that was achieved during the colonial days of 1880s to provide an important transport link between the lower plains of Siliguri and Darjeeling Town. Those days the coaches were hauled only by steam locos. Although the steam engines are still in service, most toy trains are hauled by diesel engines these days.

Darjeeling Toy Train service is officially known as Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (or DHR in short). In 1958, DHR became part of the North-East Frontier Zone of Indian Railways. And in December 1999, it has been accorded the UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Go through The Saga of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway to know why DHR Toy Train received the World Heritage status and remains so close to the heart of the Indians.

But, that's not the only reason why you should ride the toy train. The ride also offers a wonderful way of soaking in the picturesque Himalayan views as you traverse through the mountains.

DHR Toy Train between Rangtong and Tindharia

Where else can you find a small engine pulling mini coaches up the steep mountains through breathtaking landscapes and overcoming almost impossible curves and gradients using sheer engineering ingenuity and creative skills?

You will pass by lush tea gardens, villages and local shops on the way with children on the street waving at you as you take this relaxed and charming journey through the hills.

A Short Video of Toy Train Journey in Darjeeling

Why is it named the Toy Train?

Do you know why the Toy Train of Darjeeling is so called? Because it runs on a narrow gauge track which is only 2 feet wide. The engines and the coaches had to be made much smaller than usual to run on such a track. And therefore, it is fondly known as Toy Train.

Unlike usual trains, the toy train in Darjeeling moves very slowly. Just to give you an idea, for the upper stretch of the journey (between Kurseong and Darjeeling town), it has an average speed of about 11.26 kms per hour.

Originally only steam engines were used to pull the coaches. Subsequently, diesel engines were also introduced to speedup the journey a little and also to negotiate the steep gradients and curves of the hills better.

The steam loco hauled trains sometimes tend to skid in steep gradients. You can often see an attendant standing in front of the engine and sprinkling sand on the track to overcome such difficulties, particularly in monsoon time.

Ways to Ride the Toy Train

There are several ways you can ride the Toy Train in Darjeeling. However, note that there is only a single track of 88kms length which has been laid from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) all the way up to Darjeeling (DJ). There are no other tracks for the toy train of Darjeeling.

So, you have the option to embark on a journey traversing the entire track, or one of the designated sections of the track. Several toy trains run on this track or designated sections of the track during the day. Being a single track, two trains coming from opposite directions can not cross each other along the way, other than at the stations.

If you want to traverse the entire toy train route and experience the original journey undertaken by passengers during the British colonial days, you can board the regular passenger train from NJP or Siliguri Junction and travel all the way up to Darjeeling. For details of this train and booking process, go through NJP to Darjeeling Toy Train Service.

Although this train was earlier pulled by a steam engine and took over 10 hours for the one-way journey, now it is pulled by a diesel engine, shortening the duration to around 7 and half hours.

If that's too long a journey for you, you can also board this train from Kurseong (KGN). A slip coach gets added to this train carrying passengers from Kurseong. The one-way journey from Kurseong to Darjeeling takes around 2 hours 45 minutes.

But, among the general tourists, the most popular is the Toy Train Joyrides that operate from Darjeeling Station, go up to Ghum (the highest station in Darjeeling Hills), and return to Darjeeling. It's around a 2-hour round trip from Darjeeling.

Steam Engine hauled Toy Train at Batasia Loop, Darjeeling

And in joyrides, you have the option of riding either a heritage steam engine pulled toy train or a diesel engine hauled one. Several such joyrides operate during the day, and the number of such joyrides depends on the tourist season and demand.

In each of the above toy train rides, you also get the option of choosing a class of travel. There are usually 2 to 3 coaches attached to the engine depending on the type of ride.

The Toy Train Joyride

The joyrides start from Darjeeling Railway Station. It's roughly a 2-hour round trip from Darjeeling up to Ghum and back via Batasia Loop covering a total distance of 14kms.

There are several such round trips during the day starting in the morning. Number of rides per day depends on the demand during the season. In high seasons such as summers, several trains operate on a daily basis and there could be 18-20 rides a day.

Ghum Railway Station

Photo: Pinakpani, cc by-sa

Ghum is the highest altitude station on the Darjeeling Himalayan Rail track. Altitude of Ghum is 2225.7 meters (7407 ft). Here the toy train stops for 30 minutes for a visit to Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Museum or the DHR Museum. The ticket fare includes the entry fee to the DHR Museum at Ghum. You will only need to show the train ticket.

The DHR Museum is located at the station premises. The highlight here is the oldest toy train engine which is showcased outside - The Baby Sivok.

Baby Sivok, the oldest Toy Train Engine of DHR

The train stops for 10 minutes at the Batasia Loop on its return. At Batasia the train makes a loop around a wonderful manicured garden. The view of Darjeeling town and the snow peaks of Kanchenjunga on a clear day from here is unparalleled.

The War Memorial built in honor of the Gorkha soldiers who sacrificed their lives is located at the center of the Garden.

Batasia Loop Darjeeling

Photo: Ankur P, cc by 2.0

While Batasia Loop and Ghum DHR Museum are the two main attractions of this ride, the journey itself will remind you of the old transportation that has been in use since the British colonial period. During most part of the journey, the road runs parallel to the railway track.

You can see shops, stalls and houses lined up along the track sometimes giving you a feel that they are too close to the track to be safe. You can see locals and children going through their daily routines and some of them even waving at you.

Engines & Coaches for Joyrides

In Joyrides, you can either go for a Steam Engine pulled train or a Diesel Engine hauled one. The Steam Engines are 'B' Class Steam Locomotives and resemble the original ones used during the British days. They are operated by charging coal. They release steam intermittently and you can hear the old yet familiar whistles when they move.

While you get authentic experience of the heritage train when you ride a steam engine hauled toy train, a downside is, it emits a lot of coal dust, and if you keep your windows open, there is a chance that they settle on your clothes and body.

The Diesel engine trains normally use NDM6 Type Diesel Locomotives. While they too whistle, you won't see the steam release. They are smoother and do not have the problems of coal dust, but, you won't be actually riding a heritage train.

In Joyrides, there are usually two first class coaches provided in a steam engine train, and two or three first class coaches in diesel engine toy train. A First Class coach has individual reclining seats and can accommodate up to 17 persons. They are not air-conditioned.

A few joyride trains have a Vistadome coach which have large window panes, glass roofs and chairs that allow rotation for better viewing. However, Vistadome coaches are also not air-conditioned.

Note that the coaches of Joyride Toy Trains do not have toilets. There is no food or drinking water available onboard the trains, so carry your own.

Joyride Fares

(Fare updated: July 2024)

Diesel Engine Rides: Rs. 1000/-. All first class seats.

Steam Engine Rides: Rs. 1,500/-. All first class seats including ones with vistadome coaches.

The fares of Steam Engine pulled trains are higher because they represent the original heritage trains and their maintenance cost is higher. Fares for both Diesel and Steam trains include admission to the DHR Ghum Museum.

NOTE:

Joyrides are round-trips and you can not book a one-way ticket.

Children of age 5 or above, as well as senior citizens need to pay full adult fare.

No tickets required for children below 5 years.

Best time to ride a DHR Toy Train

When you ride the toy train in Darjeeling, the first objective would be to get great views around, particularly that of the mountain landscapes, villages and even that of Kanchenjunga snow peaks. And for that, you should choose the right season and timing.

The spring and the summer time, that is March to May, and then Autumn and the beginning of winter, that is October to December, are the best time to take a ride on the DHR Toy Train. This is when the weather usually remains clear and the views are the best.

There are multiple DHR joyrides that operate daily during the high season (i.e. during spring, summer and autumn). As a rule of thumb, the mountain views are best seen during the early mornings. So, try to take a ride on the first morning train.

Try to avoid the monsoon time for taking the ride, that is from mid-June to mid-September. Not only that it often rains incessantly, the sky almost always remains cloudy and the views of the snow peaks are quite rare.

Also, the monsoon time is prone to landslides that sometimes causes track damages. It is quite common that DHR toy train rides getting cancelled during the monsoon due to such track damages. Operations resume once the tracks get repaired and that can take days.

One more point to keep in mind... the type of coach you choose (that is the class of travel). Vistadome coaches offer the best viewing experience. They have large windows for better viewing, rotating seats and even glass roof. Although all toy trains do not have Vistadome coaches, some services do have such coaches.

How to book DHR Toy Train Joyrides?

The toy train in Darjeeling is like any other normal train in Indian Railways and the process of booking seats is similar. You can book the joyride either online through the Indian Railway's website (IRCTC.CO.IN) or at any computerized reservation counter in India.

But, there is a catch. The joyride is a roundtrip from Darjeeling. So, while booking online, the source and destination stations will be the same. But unfortunately, the Indian Railways' Online Reservation System does not accept the same station for both Source and Destination.

There are other intriguing factors as well that you are likely to encounter while booking a toy train ticket online, such as, how to identify a steam engine train or a diesel engine train? How to book a seat on a Vistadome coach? And so on... So, what do you do?

Go through How to book Toy Train Rides where I have discussed in detail about how to book the tickets online as well as offline for all types of toy train rides including joyrides.

TIPS:

During the high seasons, there is a lot of rush for the joyrides and you should try to book tickets well in advance. Don't plan to buy the joyride tickets after you reach Darjeeling because you won't likely get them.

Just in case you don't get the joyride tickets, an alternative plan is to buy a ticket on the morning passenger toy train operating between Darjeeling and Kurseong, which too goes via Batasia and Ghum. This is a diesel engine hauled train.

Get off at Ghum and take a shared or reserved taxi back to Darjeeling. You can get almost a similar experience as the joy ride. The only difference is, this train won't stop at Batasia Loop. And once in Ghum, you will need to purchase the entry ticket if you want to visit the DHR Museum.

1) Check out DHR Toy Train Story to know about the complete story of the toy train including its history and how it was introduced as one of the highest mountain railways by the British.

2) DHR Toy Trains Charters: Get details about how to privately charter a toy train and know about all the possible routes and compositions for chartered trains, fares, and how to book the charter trains and coaches.

3) Check out Darjeeling Tours & Sightseeing for many other great tours and rides in Darjeeling.

Visitors' Reviews/Comments

Ranganathan (September 2024)

I am planning a trip to Darjeeling in December. I will have 2 pieces of luggage (26" and 22"). Is it possible to accommodate these in the train? Please let me know. If not possible, I have to try some other means of reaching Darjeeling.

Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) September 2024

NJP to Darjeeling toy train usually has a separate luggage van for storing luggage. You can not accommodate large bags in the coach... there is hardly any space.

Ranganathan (September 2024)

Sir: Then is it possible for us to put our luggage in the luggage van? This van, is this attached to the train? Or is it a regular van that goes on the road? If so, where does the luggage get delivered? Is there a separate payment for this? Lastly, can we at least carry a 22 inch suitcase in the train with us? Thanks,

Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) September 2024

The luggage van is attached to the train. No separate payment is required to store your luggage in the van. Inside the passenger coaches, the only storage space you get is your seat's leg-space, and that's quite small.

You can keep a small soft bag there or under the seat. If you keep a suitcase there (even if it's a cabin-size hard bag of 22 inch), you may not be able to sit comfortably... it's a 7 and a half hour journey and often takes longer.

If a seat is going vacant, then you can keep your bag on that if it doesn't disturb any other passengers. There is also a small space behind the last row of seats... but that is often the first space to get used up. In any case, one is not supposed to get into a toy train's passenger coach with luggage that can cause inconvenience to others.

Yusuf (July 2024)

Hi Raj, Would like to know if we book a joy ride to Kurseong from Darjeeling and back on the same day, would it be beneficial as we get a 2:30 mins ride. Also are there any tourist spots near Kurseong station which we can cover in couple of hours. The fair would be pp 1500 Darjeeling- Kurseong - Darjeeling and same for roundtrip to Ghoom and back (steam). How would be the scenery on the way to Kurseong and would you suggest this trip ? Thank you

Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) July 2024

Hi, the toy train ride from Darjeeling to Kurseong is a nice idea if you want a longer ride. Actually, there are not much views between Darjeeling and Ghum other than in Batasia Loop. The ride beyond Ghum towards Kurseong is scenic at several places... but, it's mostly the same as what you see when you approach Darjeeling by car... the toy train track runs mostly parallel to the road on this stretch.

Once you reach Kurseong, you can get back to Darjeeling by a shared or reserved cab as and when you want... the taxi stand is located next to the station area. Unless you get stuck in a traffic jam between Ghum and Darjeeling, this could be faster and more economical, plus you have the time flexibility. (Note: You may not always get shared taxis after 3pm).

There are no sightseeing spots near the Kurseong station area... you need to take a cab. All cab drivers there offer local sightseeing tours. Alternatively, you can spend some time checking out the stores in Kurseong market which starts from the station area and stretches along the Hill Cart Road (NH-110)... there are a few basic roadside stores and bakeries. By the way, bakeries in Kurseong are quite well known.

There are a few nice cafes here as well. The cafe 33 Dreams is located across the road and right opposite the station entrance... go to the top-floor terrace and you can get nice views of Kurseong town, the mountains and even Eagle Craig (a viewpoint).

There is another great cafe (Kurseong Diaries), a 2-minute walk from the station and on top of Hotel Amarjeet (4th floor)... take a window-side table for a view of Hill Cart Road below or the mountains. Good luck!

Sankar Haldar (August 2023)

Three questions :

1. Can I book a toy train joyride, pay for round trip, but board at Ghoom station and end journey at Darjeeling?

2. can I carry one backpack and one small suitcase in toy train ? Is it allowed ?

3. I believe, there will be toilet in the train, since journey from NJP to Darjeeling is about 8 hours. Thanks in advance.

Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) August 2023

Hello, Below is my response to your questions...

1. Earlier, there was a provision to specify a separate boarding station while booking a train ticket, but that has been eliminated by the railways. So, the Ticket Checker can now release the seat if it goes empty.

However, since there is no other stoppage between Darjeeling and Ghum station, it is likely that the seat will remain unused and you can board at Ghum if you have paid the full round trip fare.

But, you must time it right and board the same train and the coach where your seat was allocated. Not sure though, why you want to get into such complications.

2. If you carry any luggage of any form, you need to manage it within the small leg space you get in front of your seat.

However, the NJP - Darjeeling passenger toy train usually has a luggage van attached to the end where you can keep your suitcases.

3. The coaches of passenger toy trains between NJP and Darjeeling usually have toilets at one end (mostly in AC Chair Car coaches, but may not be available in all non-AC coaches). The joyride toy trains between Darjeeling and Ghum, do not have toilets.

Hope this helps!

David McGill (July 2023)

Hi, do you have any information regarding when steam hauled trains are operated on the line in September and October please. Thanks for your help,

Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) July 2023

Hi, you will need to check out the IRCTC website and see the schedule of the DHR trains... the name of the train indicates if it's a steam engine hauled one or not.

Renuka (June 2023)

The experience was very bad. The train gets delayed often and goes through Darjeeling city which is extremely dirty. There is nothing exciting about the ride. Wouldn't recommend this to any of the tourists.

Balaji Ramachandran (May 2023)

Travelled in April 23. Experience was very average. Small seats. Also cityscape was anything but beautiful. Worth only Rs. 500 per person. Sorry to say not recommended for the price and experience.

Kamal (March 2023)

Dear sir, I understand from your review that Steam is costlier than diesel because of the heritage and high maintenance but can you please let me know if the Vistadome is there in both diesel and steam train.

I would like to go with Rs 1000 per head ticket vs Rs 1500 for steam if diesel also has vistadome options. Please mention the train number if diesel has vistadome.

Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) March 2023

You will need to check IRCTC site for the list of toy trains that are available on your date... the trains will bear 'Vista' as part of their names if they have a Vistadome coach. Usually, a Vistadome coach is attached to steam engines.

Priya (January 2023)

Hi ... we are planning to visit Darjeeling in March 2023. I just want to know, if we want to go from Bijanbari to Darjeeling then which station is preferable to board on a toy train ? Guide me please.

Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) January 2023

Hi, there is no toy train station on the usual route between Bijanbari and Darjeeling unless you take a detour and come via Mariabong and Ghum... there is a toy train station at Ghum but this detour doesn't make sense and a toy train ride from Ghum may not work out for several reasons. It's better to come directly to Darjeeling and take a 2-hour round-trip toy train joy ride from Darjeeling station... usually, there are several joy rides daily.

Mrs B Banerjee (November 2022)

We have a plan for Kurseong from 13th December to 15th December '22 and like to return to NJP on 16th December '22 by toy train. 16th December is a Friday. Can we avail toy train for returning from Kurseong to NJP that day ? One more question-- is there any toilet facility with the coach ? As both of us (me and my husband) are seniors, it is necessary to know about toilet. What is the train no of the train (Kurseong to NJP) and what is the procedure for advance booking ? Advance thanks for your valuable answers. Waiting for your answers.

Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) November 2022

Presently there is no provision to book the toy train from Kurseong to NJP... the only option is to book from Darjeeling to NJP by paying the full fare and you can board at Kurseong. However, it is possible to book from Kurseong to Darjeeling and return... they add a slip coach at Kurseong to the train that comes from NJP where you can book seats. You can book online using the railway's website IRCTC.CO.IN. Coaches of the passenger trains operating between NJP and Darjeeling usually have a toilet each.

Zuber Bhatuk (October 2022)

Hello Sir, We visited Darjeeling between 22nd to 25th October. Everything was good but the toy train experience was the WORST. We paid ticket of Rs 1500 per person (total 9000 for 6 persons) and very disappointed with the services. We did toy train on 23rd Oct, timing 1:50PM. Few problems we faced as below.

1. It was sunny day and sun was coming to our face directly, no curtain in the train.

2. The window frame was full of coal sand, and If we open window, that coal sand comes inside train.

3. The toy train timing was 1:50PM to 3:45PM, and it covers a distance of 14KM. But still our train was late by 40 minutes. It reached by 4:25PM.

4. The engine failed 3 times during the journey, and train was standing on the roadside with full sunny rays on our faces. Our cab driver was saying, these are usual things with these trains, they don't do any maintenance of the trains and just robbing the people.

We had lots of expectation of this world heritage site seeing, but unfortunately we were very very disappointed with Toy Train.

Radhika VN (October 2022)

For toy train ride from NJP to Darjeeling, FC and AC coaches are there. Can you advice which one is preferred to have better view and enjoyment.

Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) October 2022

If you get a vistadome coach, the views will be much better, otherwise, it won't make much difference in views. The recently introduced train NJP DJ AC PASS (52539) has an AC vistadome coach, but it runs only 3 days a week.

Dr Farheen Khan (May 2022)

Hello, I want to know that whether I can carry my luggage in the Darjeeling toy train from NJP station to Darjeeling. Can you please tell me that is there a separate compartment for luggage or we have to carry the luggage with us... Please help.

Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) May 2022

The NJP-Darjeeling toy train has a luggage van at the end where you need to keep your luggage. You can not carry your suitcases in the passenger coaches.

Heiko Scharnberg, Germany (April 2022)

Hello Mr. Raj, first let me thank you for doing a excellent job on this website! It is very helpful! I was wondering whether it is possible to take a longer break (90-120min) in Ghum on the Joyride Trip (DJ-DJRZ), because it would be great to go the Monastery, when in Ghum. Thanks!