Chasing the monsoon: 5 epic Indian train journeys through the rain-kissed countryside

From tea-soaked views to lush ghats, these monsoon train journeys across India turn travel into an unforgettable, rain-washed holiday.

Published on: Sep 2, 2025, 13:58:38 IST

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Train journeys can feel long, but pick the right one and they become the best part of your trip. Sometimes the holiday begins the moment you settle into your seat, not when you reach your destination. With the monsoon here, it’s the perfect time to book a train and soak up the season in style. Vistadome coaches add to the magic, but even the humble sleeper class can be delightful for short rides. Nothing quite matches the charm of open windows, the earthy smell after rain, and a steaming cup of train waali adrak ki chai.

Green hills, misty valleys and rain-drenched tracks make Indian monsoon train journeys an unmatched experience for slow, scenic travel lovers.

By Neha Ravi Khandelwal

Neha Khandelwal
Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist
With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow.

Career Journey & Experience
Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences.

A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism.

Subject Expertise
Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces.

Education & Professional Background
Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces.

Editorial Philosophy
"As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."

Mumbai to Goa on the Konkan railway: Waterfalls, tunnels and endless green

The superstar of monsoon train journeys. This stretch through the Western Ghats is a moving painting of waterfalls, valleys, and thick forests. More than 2,000 bridges and 90 tunnels keep things exciting, as you plunge into the dark and re-emerge to misty cliffs and roaring rivers. The Mandovi Express and Jan Shatabdi are favourites. Get a Vistadome ticket and enjoy the monsoon pouring over the glass ceiling as lush hills and fields drift past your window.

Nilgiri toy train to Ooty: A climb into misty hills and green plantations

A UNESCO World Heritage toy train that feels frozen in time. The climb from Mettupalayam to Ooty takes you past tea-scented hillsides and Shola forests gleaming after the rain. The steam engine still runs on the Mettupalayam–Coonoor stretch, puffing through tunnels and over bridges built more than a century ago. The monsoon adds mist, glistening leaves, and the smell of wet tea estates, turning the slow ride into something magical.

Darjeeling toy train: Clouds, loops and tea estates

This one is less about mountain peaks and more about life in the hills. The train rattles past homes, tea gardens, and hill stations while locals wave from the roadside. The track climbs the slopes with sharp loops and zigzag turns, including the iconic Batasia Loop. On a clear day, you might catch Kanchenjunga, but in the monsoon, the mist and rain make the journey itself the show.

Kalka to Shimla: Endless tunnels, forest trails, deep valleys and more

This UNESCO-listed train winds along a narrow-gauge route, passing through Himachal’s pine forests shrouded in mist. With over a hundred tunnels, including the long Barog stretch, the ride feels like a hillside film playing in slow motion. With more than 800 bridges and heritage stations along the way, this is less about getting to Shimla and more about enjoying the crisp monsoon air as the toy-like coaches inch upward.

Goa to Karnataka: Waterfalls, forests and a dash of drama

If you want drama, this is your route. The train runs straight past Dudhsagar Falls, a four-tiered cascade that roars to life during the rains. Passengers rush to the windows, phones out, as spray from the waterfall soaks the air. The route also offers quieter moments. Villages, forests, and a gradual climb into Karnataka’s hills keep you glued to the view long after the falls fade behind.

Handy monsoon travel tips

Carry a light jacket since the chill sneaks in with the rain.
Keep snacks on hand, though pakoras and chai at stations are a treat.
Expect delays. Monsoon showers tend to slow things down.
Day journeys are best for scenic routes. Sleeping through them is a waste.

Travelling by train during the monsoon is not just about reaching your destination but savouring every moment of the journey. It’s about slowing down, watching the rain wash the countryside clean, and letting Indian Railways show you views flights will never give. This season is the time to swap airports for platforms and book yourself one of these rain-kissed rides.