Matheran train

It's up & running. Today's Mumbai Mirror contains a photo feature of it's first journey after a long time.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/
Select Mumbai Mirror & It's on page 8 (Issue dt. 7.3.2007)

Ronak.

I'm thinking of going to Matheran this weekend. Will I be alright if I just turn up and buy tickets on the day; or should I book ahead?

You'll be fine buying tickets on reaching Neral. The train does not get too crowded usually.

One piece of advice, once you reach Neral station from Bombay, kind of run and get in queue for Matheran tickets. Ignore taxi touts.

Has there been any change in the train timings on the Neral-Matheran route?

When does the first train from Neral leave and when does the last train from Matheran leave?

The train schedule from Neral-Matheran

601 +NRL/MATHERANPAS #NERAL 07:30 MATHERAN 09:30
603 NRL MAE PASS #NERAL 08:50 MATHERAN 11:10
605 NRL MAE PASS #NERAL 10:15 MATHERAN 12:10
609 NRL MAE PASS #NERAL 17:05 MATHERAN 19:00
611 NRL MAE PASS #NERAL 14:10 MATHERAN 16:05

And The train schedule from Matheran-Neral

602 +MAE NRL PAS #MATHERAN 07:00 NERAL 08:40
604 +MAE NRL PAS #MATHERAN 09:45 NERAL 11:25
606 MAE NRL PAS #MATHERAN 13:40 NERAL 15:20
610 MAE NRL PAS #MATHERAN 16:25 NERAL 18:10
612 MAE NRL PAS #MATHERAN 17:40 NERAL 19:20

all ye of little faith...this is the new india...things will get done.....brave and well done

Great news! I'm also going to Matheran this weekend. Last year when we went, missed this train badly.

You'll need to check this, but as I posted in another thread (just after in re-opened), It seems to be only running twice a day in each direction at the moment (0850 and 1135 going up; return trains start at 1435 and 1610). This was probably because it had only just re-opened - they will probably offer the full timetable again soon.

I also read the same in newspaper that to start with they will have only two trains. But with tourist season picking up they might start more trains.

Ronak.

Just came back from matheran and lords was awesome.
The trains are frequent saw 4 a day.
Here is the notice board at matheran station

Lords organized a sumo from mumbai to matheran 1500/- . I walked up .And walked down along the railway lines .If you find it hard to walk up take the hand pulled rickshaw 160/- or the horse 100-120/-.I couldn't be bothered waiting for the train.

Here is a video of the train

I'm guessing 'Up' means down(hill) on the notice board.
(meaning, I think those may be the times for the trains from Matheran to Neral)

'Up' trains are normally trains heading in the direction of the railway company's headquarters, in this case Mumbai, and 'down' trains are those heading away from Mumbai, but the 'up' & 'down' train thing is something I've never completely understood.

Yup You are right steven. Looking at the board even confused me for a while with no other info at the station.

Just about the words notice board. They have scrawled with chalk the word "matheran se neral in hindi"

The state of the tracks and the trees uprooted along the track indicate the rain would wash away the track or make the track unusable. I was really flustered as there was not soil conservation or re planting of trees to stop the soil erosion.

I've been to matheran couple of dayz ago.

Here's the Train timings (with new train no's)


And here's the newly started State Buses timetable.

vic86m, Thanks for the update.

Ronak.