JoyRide Toytrain

navroz

Someone..
Please help.
We will be in Darjeeling Christmas day.
We dont want to miss the Toy Train Experience.
Can someone in the USA advise on how to book the train from USA ?

Bhaswaran

The train that goes up from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling is 1D. There is First class and second class. However, this is pulled by a Diesel locomotive. If you want that beautiful steam ride, there are two options. There is a Joy ride between Darjeeling and Ghoom and the regular service between Darjeeling and Kurseong. These tickets can be taken from Darjeeling Railway Station. However, the joy ride runs only if there are adequate passengers. Other services are regular.

I advise you to take 1D while going up and while coming down, take the passenger service to Kurseong, stay for a day or two at Kurseong, then come down by car.

But keep yourself informed about the political situation in the hills before planning. Tickets of 1D are given three months in advance (90 days excluding the date of journey).

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BertilR

Apart from checking the situation as mentioned above, you normally have to book very early to ascertain seats. Just checked on Indian Railways, there are seats available in 2nd class but 1st class sold out.

trailblazer

Hello,
Does the toy train ride from Darjeeling to ghoom also have to be booked well in advance to avoid disappointmet or a day or two notice from the darjeeling station sufficent?I plan to only do the short 2 hour ride and will use shared jeeps as my primary transport.

willj

Hello Trailblazer,
Was in Darjeeling over Xmas 2007 and had no trouble whatever when just turning up at the station for the local steam train trip to Ghoom, although the train only goes if there are sufficient passengers. Also stops at the loop and gives passengers plenty of time for photos etc.
Well worth the trip.

trailblazer

Thank you that does it a return from dar to ghoom or even a one way and walk back if the day is fine.

willj

The trip from Darjeeling is a return taking altogether just over two hours.
First stop, ten minutes, is the Batasia Loop, where the track passes under itself to gain/loose height. Good views on a clear day of the snow covered mountains. This is also a memorial garden to the Gurkhas with a statue in rememberance. The next stop for 30 mins is at Ghoom. The train fare, cannot remember how much, but not much, also includes the ticket to the railway museum at Ghoom. They always try to have these tourist train hauled by steam. I think there are three trains a day, when we went I doubt if ours was half full. I think the minimum no of passengers is 15, otherwise they cancel the trip.

Re the above.
Should reiterate I am talking only about the tourist 2hr return train from Darjeeling to Ghoom, not the full service to NJP. Never fancied eight/nine hours for the full journey, used 4x4 instead for both journeys.

BertilR

Please be aware about the current political situation in the hills. See attached link: http://beacononline.wordpress.com/20...er-gjm-diktat/

stake501

Went to darjeeling station last week and got my ticket there and then for the toy train to ghoom and back

Re: the political situation, the only issue we had was the GLA or whoever, making the driver put a new numberplate over the old WB one. Everything else seemed OK for tourists

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Bhaswaran

No need for any advance booking for the Toytrain Joyride to Ghoom and back. The fare is approximately Rs. 250. I do not know if there are any extra charges for any foreign tourists. Just go to the station at around 9 a.m. and get the ticket. There is no much rush for this train and it does not run if there is not sufficient passengers. The first train departs from Darjeeling at around 10 a.m. and comes back at around 12 noon. The second train starts at approximately 1 p.m.

mark88

I took the one o clock train to Ghoom only about 12-15 tourists on it,great little trip Rs200-300.I did have to wait for about 3 days due to unpredictable strikes which meant going down there every day to see what was happening as the tourist office was also on strike-which took time out of each day,boring.