The Darjeeling Toy Train is now back to enchant passengers travelling between the hill town of Darjeeling from New Jalpaiguri (NJP). The train ride returned on August 25 after not moving for about 17 months. The Darjeeling-Ghoom-Darjeeling train route too returned to provide passengers with joy rides August 16 onwards.
The much coveted toy train service was suspended after the COVID 19 pandemic took hold of the world last year in the month of March.
Guneet Kaur, CPRO, NF Railway said in a statement, “As we all try to come out of this pandemic and return to normalcy, NF Railways is happy to announce that they are resuming their toy train services on Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. These services were stopped on March 22, 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and now we are ready to again gear up and start the services from August 25, 2021. We request you all to maintain Covid-19 protocols during your travel and stay safe.”
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is also going to go through a transition like never before as it is on its way to get privatised in accordance with the National Monetisation Pipeline. But this is not the only heritage railway to go through such a change, as the Kalka Shimla Railway, Matheran Railway, and the Nilgiri Mountain Railways will also be meeting the same fate.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the finest heritage train rides in the country. If you want to experience slow travel, then this is the best option. You will get properly acquainted with the Eastern Himalayas.
