Darjeeling’s toy train to run at night during Ghoom winter festival | Kolkata - Hindustan Times
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Darjeeling’s toy train to run at night during Ghoom winter festival

Nov 09, 2022 03:24 PM IST

A three week-long ‘Ghoom Festival’ will kick off at Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site with festivities from Nov 12 to Dec 4

Darjeeling’s iconic toy train will now also steam off in the night undertaking a 1.5-hour joy ride, starting this weekend (Nov 12), director of Darjeeling Himalayan Railways Priyanshu said.

The toy train offers passenger service from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling and joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom (HT Photo)
The toy train offers passenger service from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling and joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom (HT Photo)

“As of now, the joy rides are only available during the day. This is the first time that we are planning the 1.5-hour joy ride between Darjeeling and Ghoom even at night. This would be a part of the Ghoom winter festival, which kicks off on Saturday,” said Priyanshu.

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Giving further details, he said, “The night joy ride would be available only on Saturday and Sunday (from November 12 to December 4). The train would leave Darjeeling around 6 pm and halt for 15 minutes at Batasia Loop. Once the train reaches its destination (Ghoom station), it will stop for 25 minutes before returning to Darjeeling.”

Authorities said that even though it is being launched only for the festival season, they are planning to continue the service if it is attracting tourists.

“During the winter festival, tourists can have food and enjoy the cultural festival at Ghoom station. There would be live concerts, food stalls and talent hunts among others. This is the second year of the festival,” said Priyanshu.

The iconic Darjeeling toy train attracts thousands of tourists every year offering breathtaking views of Mt Kanchenjunga and other beauty of the queen of hills. Sequences of many Bollywood films have also been shot on the toy train, including the song ‘Mere Sapno ki Rani’. Films like ‘Parineeta’ and ‘Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman’ have also toy train sequences.

The toy train offers passenger service from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling and joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom.

The fare for a ride on a diesel train is 1,000 per person and that of a steam engine is 1,500 per person.

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