Chugging into the snow: Holiday special toy train begins scenic run to Shimla

The special service will operate daily through the peak of the winter season till February 28. Designed to offer a nostalgic journey through the frosted Shivalik ranges, the train features seven coaches: four general seating, a first-class composite, a tourist car (first-class), and a seating-cum-luggage rake.

As the mountains prepare for their first major winter coat, Northern Railways has launched a special holiday toy train on the UNESCO World Heritage Kalka-Shimla track. Starting this Sunday, the service is timed perfectly for the New Year rush, especially as the India meteorological department (IMD) predicts light snowfall and rain across the high hills between December 31 and January 2.

As the mountains prepare for their first major winter coat, Northern Railways has launched a special holiday toy train on the UNESCO World Heritage Kalka-Shimla track. (HT Photo)

The special service will operate daily through the peak of the winter season till February 28. Designed to offer a nostalgic journey through the frosted Shivalik ranges, the train features seven coaches: four general seating, a first-class composite, a tourist car (first-class), and a seating-cum-luggage rake.

According to the Ambala division notification, the train departs Kalka at 12:30 pm, reaching the “Queen of Hills” by 6:20 pm—just as the evening mist settles over The Ridge. The return journey leaves Shimla at 8:20 pm, arriving back in Kalka at 1:10 am.

To ensure travellers can soak in the colonial charm of the route, the train includes strategic stoppages at Dharampur, Barog, Solan, and Kandaghat. With hotel occupancy in Shimla surging for the year-end celebrations, this holiday special provides a crucial and scenic lifeline for tourists chasing the magic of a Himalayan winter.