Darjeeling toy train
There are three ways to ride Darjeeling's toy train, and they suit different people. Here is what each one is, how long it takes, and who we would put on it.
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Option 1
It runs from Darjeeling to Ghum and back, with ten minutes at Batasia and thirty at Ghum, behind steam or diesel; the steam ride costs more. Children aged five and over pay the full fare.
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The catch
Seats go fast, above all in the Durga Puja weeks of October. We book first class on the steam ride the day the railway releases seats, and pick a morning departure, when the ridge is usually clearest.
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Option 2
Train 52587 climbs 29 km in 2 hours 35 minutes: Tung at 07:03, Sonada at 07:46, Ghum at 08:30, Darjeeling at 09:05. It is usually diesel, and local passengers get on and off at every halt.
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Tickets
First-class seats are issued in each traveler's name and cannot be transferred, so we need full names, ages and ID numbers when you book. Carry the same ID on board.
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Option 3
On written application, the railway charters a B-class steam engine with two first-class coaches of about 30 seats each. Approval depends on the engines free that week, so we apply as soon as your dates are firm.
Photo: kabita Darlami
What it costs
Our three-night journey rides the Kurseong train, then a private steam charter round Batasia. It starts at ₹85,000 per person when four guests share the charter, or ₹1,20,000 per person for two.
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Choosing
For most families we suggest the Kurseong train; railway lovers add the charter. Our car follows on Hill Cart Road, so anyone who has had enough can step off at Tung, Sonada or Ghum and ride on by road.
Photo: Boudhayan Bardhan / Unsplash