5 hill stations in India where you can still experience toy train

These hill stations still echo with the charming clack and whistle of toy trains—each one like a rolling postcard from colonial times.

Matheran, Maharashtra
- The Neral–Matheran toy train winds its way up the Western Ghats.
- Unique for being Asia’s only hill station to ban motor vehicles, giving the town a peaceful, timeless feel.

Darjeeling, West Bengal
- The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (nicknamed the "Toy Train") is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- It famously zigzags and loops through misty tea gardens and steep mountainsides.

Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
- The Kalka–Shimla railway offers stunning views and 102 tunnels to pass through.
- Built in 1903, it’s one of India’s most beloved heritage railways.

Ooty (Udhagamandalam), Tamil Nadu
- The Nilgiri Mountain Railway climbs from Mettupalayam to Ooty through dense forests and sharp inclines.
- It’s South India’s only rack-and-pinion railway, a rare engineering gem.

Kurseong, West Bengal
- Another charming stop along the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
- Often overlooked, Kurseong is quieter but just as scenic, and the toy train makes regular halts here.

These trains aren’t just rides—they’re living history, wrapped in steam and stories.