Best Train Routes in India: Most Beautiful Railway Rides

There are always a few things in our lives that we enjoy, all through our childhood to way later. For most Indians, and people who have lived and grown up in India, it is train journeys. The Indian Railways reaches out to 30 million people across all nooks and corners of the culturally and topographically diverse subcontinent.

Here is a list of most beautiful rail routes in India:

1. Himalayan Queen (Kalka to Shimla )

For those of you who enjoy movies and feeling ‘filmy’ when you travel, this rail journey by the “toy train” is a must. The trains that run on this route resemble toy trains that awaken the inner child in you. 96 km long, this route was started way back in 1903 and it passes through 102 tunnels and 82 bridges and has been awarded a world record by the Guinness book of world records for the steepest rise in altitude in the span of 96 km. For 5 hours that you will travel on this pretty little train, you will pass through scenic beauty that will amaze you. Everything from pine trees, oak, valleys, Deodar, Rhodendron forests and a route that moves upwards till it reaches Shimla will keep you gaping at its beauty. All this and more awaits you on this ride that is now a UNESCO world heritage site since 2008. Toy Train in this route offered by Indian Railways is a treat to the eyes. It might be a relatively slower way to reach Shimla from Kalka, but the rail route is possibly more picturesque than the destinations themselves.

2. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway  (Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling)

Another impressive toy train journey is the one that runs from Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. Breathtaking, quite literally when the route takes you on a series of landscapes, altitudes and climate changes; Jalpaiguri being a plain and Darjeeling, the hill station that serves the best tea in all of India. Prepare yourself for a trip hooded by the Himalayas, through tea gardens and forests and if you’re lucky and the skies are clear, you can spot the magnificent Kanchenjunga. The journey takes you as close as possible to the tea gardens where you can experience the mesmerizing smell of tea. An interesting thing to note about this train is that it runs on metre gauge and is also a proud UNESCO world heritage site since 1999.

3. Mumbai to Goa

People are always talking about these two places! One for its glamorous and busy life and the other for the vacation mood it sets you in!

The train that connects you to both these special places is one that gives an equally stunning experience running between the Sahyadri hills on one side and the Arabian sea on the other. Cruising through 92 tunnels and on 2000 bridges, this route gives you postcard-worthy moments every five seconds with endless stretches of water, paddy hues and villages under shades of coconut trees.

4. The Indian Maharaja- Deccan Odyssey

One of India’s few luxury trains, this 10 night route offers its travellers everything from a library, an Ayurvedic massage centre, a beauty parlour, steam baths, a gymnasium, a business centre, conference rooms, air conditioned coaches and luxury suites on its journey from Pune to Delhi and back. It stops at the main tourist destinations, right from the Ajanta Ellora caves in Maharashtra to the Taj Mahal in Agra. The Deccan Odyssey’s luxury is a sight to behold. Everything about the train, and its service reflects royalty and the word ‘Maharaja’, and that is what makes this journey one worth having.

5. Chilka Route (Bhubaneshwar to Brahmapur)

A morning ride from Bhubhaneshwar to Brahmapur is more than sufficient for Orissa to prove its grandeur. Nestled between the Eastern Ghats and the Chilka lake, this train route makes sure you see it all. Interesting to note that Chilika is the second largest  lagoon for migratory birds and this place is a treat for bird watchers all around.

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