Go for a virtual ride on the Neral-Matheran heritage toy train next year

The aim is to attract more tourists to these places and get them to ride on the heritage trains

If you have never hopped onto the heritage toy train to visit Matheran, one of the most popular hill stations near Mumbai, you will soon be able to experience the journey by taking a virtual tour.

The 21-km stretch between Neral and Matheran has four stations: Matheran, Aman Lodge, Waterpoint and Neral. (HT File Photo)

The Indian Railways, along with Google, is working on capturing details of the hill station and the toy train that takes tourists from Neral to Matheran. The virtual tour will be available early next year.

Before that, you can take a virtual tour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), the National Rail Museum in New Delhi and the Kalka-Shimla route on the toy train.

The railways also plan to launch a mobile application through which people can take these virtual tours.

“A virtual tour of the Neral-Matheran toy train and the hill station will be done in the second phase. People will be able to enjoy the beauty of the place and understand its historical significance,” said Subrata Nath, executive director, heritage, Indian Railways.

The idea is to attract more tourists to these places and get them to ride on the heritage trains.