Tour guide for your heritage Kalka Shimla railway journey

Kalka is a small town on the foothills of Shivalik. The sleepy town must have been lost in obscurity if not for the heritage mountain railway that proceeds from here. Book international flight tickets online with Flyopedia now before proceeding further for lightning deals for India travel. The railway line from Kalka to Shimla(the erstwhile summer capital of India) was a dream project of the Britishers and work began in 1898. Only in five years, they completed the structure in 1903 when the maiden journey from Kalka to Shimla was taken.

Since then the trains have run non-stop on the track. The train is called a toy train, and for a good reason too—the railway track is a narrow gauge, and the train seldom reaches a speed beyond 20 kmph. This narrow gauge journey from Kalka to shimla spans 96 kilometers and over 102 tunnels. The railway track also spans over 800 bridges. You should book international flight tickets online at the earliest to avoid the last-minute hassle for your India journey.

The journey offers some majestic and unique views across the length. The journey from Kalka to shimla by train is one of the rarest and most unique journeys in the world. Seldom a traveler comes across such beautiful creation of man. Flyopedia offers affordable flight tickets to India to let you soothe to the fullest this beautiful creation of man.

And for a very good reason, the Kalka shimla railway has been accorded UNESCO world heritage status in 2008 under the head “mountain railway”. The rail network also holds Guinness world book records for the steepest rise from mere 600 meters to 2100 meters in a 96 km span. The rail begins its climb just after departing Kalka station. The train whistles through the deodars, pine, ficus, and maple trees of the Shivalik hills enchanting and enthralling the passengers at every turn. The journey also encapsulates gothic-style bridges and a remarkable change of vegetation along with the nice smell of fresh earthly air, chirping of birds, and grazing of cattle.

Here is a general overview of the number of trains running and things to consider before you plan a journey from Kalka to Shimla.

Trains and their timings

There are a total of five trains running in a day. Apart from two passenger trains, there are three luxury trains that run on the line.

Shivalik deluxe express

This one is a premium train with a carpeted floor with colour red. The train also has wide window frames, cushioned seats, and a beautiful sound system for music. Toilets too are fully upgraded for the comfort of the travelers. The total capacity of the train is 120 people. There is a pantry and food is part of the package. The stoppage of the train is only at Barog, one of the iconic stations on the railway line. There is a 1 km long tunnel just before the station. Sit back and relax and immerse yourself in the deep interplays of nature while aboard the Shivalik deluxe express. For luxury travel before you land in India check cheap business class flights from Flyopedia.

Himalayan queen

The Himalayan Queen is a standard train for low-budget travelers that has coaches of first and second-class for travelers. The train stops at every station between Kalka and shimla. There are a total of 19 stations in between. The food option is not available but you can buy food items at the station. The stoppages are often five to ten minutes long giving passengers the time to engross the railway station scene fully.

Rail motor car

The rail motor car is a unique aspect of the Kalka shimla railway. The rail motor car is truly a memory from old times as the design of the car is akin to buses from the world war 2 era. The rooftop is made of glass to immerse you completely in nature and enhance your scenery for a true delight. The rail car has a limited capacity of only 14 persons at a time. The entire rail car can be booked if it is present at the station at any point in time. There is no fixed time of departure time for the rail motor car. The food option is available in-house.

Timings and fares of trains

Kalka shimla NG passenger– the train departs from Kalka at 3.30 A.M and reaches shimla by 9 A.M. it has a total of 18 stoppages on the way. The fare for the adults is 270 rupees for the first class and 25 rupees for the second class.

Shivalik deluxe express- the train departs from Kalka at 5.45 AM and reaches shimla at 10.30 AM. The fare for the train is 450 rupees per person. Please book in advance as there is a paucity of tickets at the last moment.

Himalayan queen- the train departs from Kalka at 12.10 PM and arrives in shimla at 5.30 PM. the fare for the train is 300 rupees. The train is for the passengers who reach Kalka late and is a connecting train from the one coming from Delhi to Kalka.

Rail motor car- it usually leaves Kalka at 5.25 AM and arrives in shimla at 9.25 AM but there is no fixed and usual time for the rail motor car. If stationed at the Kalka railway station with available staff, the rail car can be booked on the spot, as only fourteen tickets need to be reserved for this. The fare for the rail car is 350 rupees.

Conclusion

So, these were the important things about Kalka shimla railway that you should keep in mind before making any plans for the journey. Book international flight tickets online at the earliest now if you feel spellbound by the mere hint of the iconic mountainous railway.

The Kalka shimla railway journey is an iconic thing to be experienced actually and not to be talked about only. It tells us about the tale of the Himalayas.

The majestic Himalayas has a lot to offer and you should grab it by taking some out and grabbing it with both hands.