General

Connecting Siliguri and Darjeeling in India, the train ran by a steam engine preserves the old age charm of fashionable traveling. This is a elegant and comfortable approach of the Himalayas, so you can imagine the view is absolutely spectacular.

The construction of the rail officially began in 1897 at the initiative of Franklin Prestage, an agent of the East Bengal Railway Company, and was inaugurated in 1881. The route was used during the Second World War, serving the British army by transporting various supplies and personnel to the camps in the area. The train is still pulled by a steam locomotive, although recently a diesel engine has been included for mail delivery.

It will take you six to seven hours to complete the journey, so dress well since you are traveling throught the foothills of the Himalayas and the weather gets much more colder.

The DHR (Darjeeling Himalayan Railway) has been declared World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1999. It's destination, Darjeeling, is one of the most touristic attractions in India. You can now understand a little more from India's pluralistic culture that established to preserve traditions while absorbing new cultures.