Darjeeling Toy Train Resumes Services Between Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling After 17 Months | Watch

The regular DHR toy train service was put to a halt due to the onset of an unprecedented pandemic--C0VID-19. 

Siliguri: The heritage toy train services of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway(DHR) which runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal have resumed on Wednesday after a gap of 17 months, as said by the official. The regular toy train service was presumed on the tracks between Darjeeling and Ghum on August 16. The regular DHR toy train service was put to a halt due to the onset of an unprecedented pandemic–C0VID-19.

Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) spokesperson Guneet Kaur said that at present, one train will run daily in each direction between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, 88 km apart. It is believed that the resumption of toy train services will benefit and boost the tourism and hospitality sectors. The toy train on this route was declared a UNESCO ‘World Heritage Site’ in 1999.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) resumed its toy train regular services for New Jalpaiguri station to Darjeeling from today after a gap of one and a half years. pic.twitter.com/HttO3DN8LC

— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2021

Both heritage steam locos built between 1889 and 1927 as well as modern diesel engines are used to pull the toy trains that are widely popular among foreign tourists and domestic travellers. It is currently running 11 round trips between Darjeeling and Ghum using both vista dome and first-class coaches, Kaur added.

The train ascends from about 100 metres above mean sea level at New Jalpaiguri to about 2,200 metres at Darjeeling. The toy train services were suspended in March 2020 as a measure to follow the imposition of COVID-19 restrictions. The joy rides between Darjeeling and nearby Ghum were resumed from Christmas but got suspended again a few months later due to the second wave of the pandemic.(With Inputs from PTI)