No. 272 Mountaineer narrow gauge steam locomotive in engine shed at Darjeeling Railway Station.

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Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

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The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, known affectionately as the toy train, made its first journey along its precipice-topping, 2ft-wide tracks in 1881 and is one of the few hill railways still operating in India. It has had Unesco World Heritage listing since 1999. Two-hour 'joy rides' from Darjeeling to Ghum and back satisfy most people's toy-train urges. There are normally around six of these pulled by antique steam locomotives daily, and three or so with diesel engines.

Just one (diesel-powered) train in each direction daily makes the whole 88km (seven-hour!) trip between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling; another runs just from Kurseong to Darjeeling and back.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Women plucking tea at Makaibari tea plantation, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India, Asia

    Makaibari

    12.29 MILES

    If you like tea, you should visit this celebrated organic and biodynamic Darjeeling tea estate. Walk-in visits to the processing factory, with huge…

  • Singalila National Park

    Singalila National Park

    16.76 MILES

    Singalila National Park covers the Indian side of the scenic Singalila Ridge, the Darjeeling region's finest trekking area, along the India–Nepal border…

  • Resum Gompa

    Resum Gompa

    13.15 MILES

    This wobbly old temple is a peaceful, half-forgotten delight with appealingly naive paintings and an incredible 360-degree mountain panorama. There's no…

  • Norbugang Park

    Norbugang Park

    23.04 MILES

    All aflutter with prayer flags, the Norbugang 'coronation park' is a historic woodland garden containing a small temple, a huge prayer wheel, a chorten…

  • Samdruptse

    Samdruptse

    12.13 MILES

    Visible for miles, this 45m-high statue of Padmasambhava (Guru Rimpoche) is painted in shimmering copper and gilt and sits on a lotus plinth high above…

  • Buddha Park

    Buddha Park

    20.01 MILES

    With a breathtaking backdrop of Himalayan peaks, the gigantic, 41m-tall Buddha statue is one of Sikkim's most iconic sights. Finished in 2013, it's…

  • Namgyal Institute of Tibetology

    Namgyal Institute of Tibetology

    28.45 MILES

    The NIT's 1958 core building feels like a Tibetan fantasy palace, with corner towers, colourful mural frontage and a forest-glade setting. The main hall…

  • Char Dham

    Char Dham

    9.26 MILES

    This unmissable feast of colour is a remarkable Hindu religious theme park crowning Solophuk hilltop, 5km southwest of Namchi. It brings together replicas…

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Nearby Darjeeling attractions

1. Dhirdham Mandir

0.07 MILES

Darjeeling's most conspicuous Hindu temple is a replica of the famous Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu. It’s easy to find – just below Darjeeling train…

2. Himalayan Tibet Museum

0.21 MILES

This well-thought-out museum (one large room) is a good, colourful introduction to Tibet and its culture. The attractive displays introduce the Dalai Lama…

4. Lloyd Botanic Garden

0.49 MILES

These half-hidden gardens contain an impressive collection of Himalayan plants, most famously orchids and rhododendrons. Follow the signs down Loch Nagar…

5. Observatory Hill

0.74 MILES

The hill rising above Chowrasta is home to several much-visited temples, approached through a flurry of colourful prayer flags and hanging bells. The main…

6. Japanese Peace Pagoda

0.75 MILES

Perched on a hillside 2km south of the town centre, the gleaming white, 28m-high Peace Pagoda is one of more than 70 pagodas built around the world by the…

7. Mak Dhog Gompa

0.92 MILES

This century-old Nyingma-school monastery is run by people from Yolmo in Langtang, Nepal, who emigrated here 150 years ago. The atmospheric upper-floor…

8. Happy Valley Tea Estate

0.94 MILES

This 1854 estate on the northwest edge of town is a good place to learn about tea, especially when plucking and processing are in progress (March to…

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