The hill stations of India are some of the best known tourist spots of the country. Darjeeling, Mussourie, Nainital, Gangtok, Matheran and Ooty, are very popular tourist spots and are very important for the growth of tourism in India. Some of these hill stations have a network of railways which have become important aspects of the tourism of these places. The Hill trains of India cover picturesque routes and halt at some of the highest railway stations in the country. Some of these hill trains and the adjoining areas have been given World Heritage status by UNESCO.

At present 5 hill trains of India are being run by Indian Railways.These are – the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Kalka Shimla, Pathankot to Kangra, Mettupalayam to Ooty, and Neral to Matheran. The following is a brief description of these rail routes.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway:
This is a world famous railway that has been given World Heritage Site status by the UNESCO. The route was inaugurated in 1881, and has been a tourist attraction ever since. Currently 17 locomotives carry the coaches over three routes. Of these 13 are steam locomotives belonging to the early 20th century. The trains cover three routes, namely, New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling, New Jalpaiguri to Kurseong, and Kurseong to Darjeeling. Besides the regular services, the DHR also offer special holiday trips and chartered services. The Ghum railway station in this route is the highest railway station in Asia.

Kalka Shimla Railway ( Shivalik Deluxe Express ):
Started in 1903, this railway connects Kalka, near Chandigarh in Punjab, with Shimla, one of the best known hill stations of India. Initially the route served as means of transport for the high officials, as Shimla was the summer capital of British India. The journey from Kalka to Shimla takes around four and a half hours to complete. Enroute, 103 tunnels, 969 bridges, 919 curves and twenty railway stations are crossed by the train. Presently the route is one of the tourist attractions of the state, and probably the best way to experience the amazing natural beautiful of the region.

Kangra Toy Train:
This train connects Pathankot with Joginder Nagar in Kangra , Himachal Pradesh. It is also known as the Kangra Toy Train. The route was inaugurated in 1929. Although not as popular as its Darjeeling counterpart, the Kangra toy train is a wonderful ride, offering splendid scenic views of the surroundings as the train meanders its way through the breathtaking landscape. The train passes numerous bridges built over gushing streams, as the peaks of the Dhauladhar mountain range look on. The ruins of the Kangra Fort can also be seen from this train.

Mettupalayam to Ooty:
Also known as the Nilgiri Mountain Rail, this train covers a distance of 46 kilometers in about 5 hours and connects Mettupalayam and Ooty. The route is the steepest in Asia, and a system known as the rack and pinion system is used to counter the slope. The engine pushes the train upward from below in this system as opposed to drawing the coaches from the front. The scenic route offers excellent vies of the Nilgiri forests and covers a distance of 116 kilometers, crossing 250 bridges and 16 tunnels.

Neral – Matheran Toy Train:
Matherna is a beautiful hill station located about 108 kilometers from Mumbai. The Neral Matheran Toy Train travels on a 2 feet gauge and covers the distance in about 90 minutes. The breathtaking scenery is the chief attraction of the route, which is famous for the horseshoe embankment, where the train bends dramatically. The route was started in 1907 and originates from Neral, a small station on the Mumbai – Pune route.

The number of hill trains of India should increase in the coming years. The response from tourists has been encouraging enough to start plans about more such trains in the lesser known hill stations of the country.

Touristplacesinindia.com offers all inclusive information about the Hill Trains of India.