The Darjeeling toy train joy ride is a two hour round trip from Darjeeling station to Ghum and back, with a stop at the Batasia Loop on the way. Steam rides cost INR 1,310 and diesel rides INR 800 per person, according to a June 2026 report quoting the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR). The first diesel joy ride leaves at 7:40 am and the last listed one at 4:20 pm. In peak season the seats go weeks ahead, so book on IRCTC as soon as your dates are fixed. Below are the departure times, fares, booking steps and what you see along the 2 ft gauge line.
Know before you go
- Route: Darjeeling to Ghum and back, about 2 hours.
- Fares: INR 1,310 steam, INR 800 diesel (ETV Bharat, June 2026).
- Departures: first 7:40 am (diesel), last listed 4:20 pm (diesel).
- Booking: IRCTC website or app, and the counter at Darjeeling station.
- Stops: Batasia Loop and Ghum station, home of the DHR museum.
- Altitude at Ghum: 7,407 ft, the highest point on the line.
- Last checked: 5 November 2026.
In this guide
Joy ride timings
The Indian Railways tourist train list shows these joy ride departures from Darjeeling. Each one returns to Darjeeling, so you never have to arrange onward transport from Ghum.
| Train no. | Traction | Leaves Darjeeling | Back in Darjeeling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52591 | Diesel | 7:40 am | 9:25 am |
| 52592 | Steam | 9:30 am | 11:35 am |
| 52593 | Steam | 9:40 am | 11:40 am |
| 52594 | Steam | 10:00 am | 12:00 pm |
| 52595 | Steam | 12:10 pm | 2:10 pm |
| 52596 | Steam | 12:20 pm | 2:20 pm |
| 52597 | Diesel | 12:45 pm | 2:30 pm |
| 52598 | Steam | 4:05 pm | 6:05 pm |
| 52599 | Diesel | 4:20 pm | 6:20 pm |
The list is undated, and the railway adds or drops runs with the season. In June 2026 the DHR said 13 joy rides were running each day and that two evening rides, leaving around 5:45 pm and returning by 7 pm, would start after 21 June. Check the train numbers on IRCTC for your date before you plan the rest of the day around them.
Ticket prices: steam or diesel
| Joy ride | Fare per person |
|---|---|
| Steam engine | INR 1,310 |
| Diesel engine | INR 800 |
These are the fares reported by ETV Bharat in June 2026. The fare page on the DHR website is older and still shows lower figures, so treat the IRCTC price at booking as final. The steam ride costs more because the engines are the original B class locomotives, coal fired and slow, and many people book the joy ride for exactly that. Diesel rides cover the same route and stops in a little less time.
How to book the Darjeeling toy train
- Open the IRCTC website or the IRCTC Rail Connect app and sign in.
- Search from Darjeeling (DJ) to Darjeeling, or search for the joy ride train number from the table above.
- Pick the date and the train, then check whether it is steam or diesel.
- Add passenger details and pay. Your e-ticket shows the coach and seat.
- Reach Darjeeling station at least 20 minutes before departure with an ID that matches the booking.
The station counter also sells tickets when seats are left, but in May, June and the October to November holidays that is rare. The DHR director told ETV Bharat in 2026 that some visitors were booking almost two months ahead. Off season, a few days ahead is usually enough.
What you see on the ride
The line leaves Darjeeling and climbs alongside the Hill Cart Road, past shops, homes and taxi stands that sit inches from the track.
Batasia Loop
About halfway to Ghum, the track makes a full spiral in a landscaped garden so the train can gain height in a small space. The joy ride stops here for roughly ten minutes. The garden has the Gorkha war memorial, and on a clear morning you can see Kanchenjunga from the terrace.
Ghum station and the DHR museum
Ghum, at 7,407 ft, is the highest station on the DHR. The joy ride halts here long enough to walk into the small railway museum in the station building. It keeps old rolling stock, photographs and tools from the line’s early years. Whether entry is included in your ticket can vary, so keep a little cash.
Best time of day and season
Early departures give the best chance of clear views of Kanchenjunga, because clouds usually build by midday. The 7:40 am diesel and the first steam rides from 9:30 am are good choices for photographs. The steam rides at midday are the easiest to fit in if you arrive in Darjeeling the same morning.
October, November and March to May tend to have clearer skies. The monsoon from June to September brings rain and fog, though the rides still run. Winter mornings are cold but often the clearest of the year.
Tips for the joy ride
Smoke and soot from the steam engine drift back into the coaches, so do not wear your favourite white jacket. Carry water and a light sweater, because Ghum is colder than Darjeeling.
The coaches are small, with a narrow aisle and steps up from the platform, so a folding pram is easier than a large one and very young children will need a hand getting in.
How to reach Darjeeling
Darjeeling is about 75 km from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) and Bagdogra airport by road. Shared jeeps and taxis do the trip in roughly three to four hours. The DHR also runs a long passenger train from NJP to Darjeeling, train 52541, which leaves at 8:30 am and arrives at 3:35 pm. It is slow but makes a full day of the railway.
Coming from Kolkata, overnight trains reach NJP from Howrah and Sealdah. If you have a day in Kolkata before or after the hills, our guide to places to visit in Kolkata has the main sights, and you can walk across the Howrah Bridge on the way to your train.
Nearby places in Darjeeling
The joy ride takes half a day at most. Tiger Hill for sunrise, the Peace Pagoda, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and the zoo next door, the tea estates on the slopes below town and the Mall Road with Chowrasta square are the usual additions. Kolkata’s grand old museum is the other half of a West Bengal trip for many people; our Indian Museum Kolkata guide has its timings.
FAQ
How do I book the Darjeeling toy train?
Book on the IRCTC website or app by searching Darjeeling to Darjeeling or the joy ride train number. Seats left over are sold at the Darjeeling station counter.
What is the Darjeeling toy train ticket price?
As of June 2026, the joy ride costs INR 1,310 per person with a steam engine and INR 800 with a diesel engine. Confirm the fare on IRCTC when you book.
What is the Darjeeling toy train route?
The joy ride runs from Darjeeling to Ghum and back, stopping at the Batasia Loop. The full line runs from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling.
What are the Darjeeling toy train timings?
Listed joy rides leave Darjeeling between 7:40 am and 4:20 pm and take about two hours. Evening rides around 5:45 pm were announced for summer 2026.
Which station does the Darjeeling toy train leave from?
All joy rides start and end at Darjeeling station on the Hill Cart Road.
Official resources: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway; Indian Railways tourist train timetable; IRCTC; UNESCO: Mountain Railways of India
Photo credits
Featured image: Ankur P from Pune, India / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0; Joy ride timings: Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; How to book the Darjeeling toy train: Syed Sajidul Islam / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Batasia Loop: Pinakpani / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Batasia Loop: ANKAN / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Ghum station and the DHR museum: Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Ghum station and the DHR museum: Amitabha Gupta / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0; Best time of day and season: Subhrajyoti07 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; How to reach Darjeeling: Nasrin Mondal / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
