12,000 passengers in 21 days! Darjeeling's tiny toy train has a ₹1.41 crore surprise

Mountain rush

Imagine riding a century-old toy train through misty hills, winding tracks and breathtaking mountain scenery! Darjeeling's iconic heritage railway is witnessing a tourist rush. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) carried around 12,000 passengers on its famous joyrides between October 1 and 21, 2026. The growing demand highlights the enduring appeal of one of India's most celebrated mountain train experiences.

Crore surprise

A tiny train making crores? Darjeeling's famous toy train has turned its heritage charm into impressive tourism revenue! According to a railway official, the UNESCO World Heritage railway earned ₹1.41 crore between October 1 and 21. With around 12,000 passengers taking joyrides in just three weeks, this historic railway is proving that slow journeys can still attract serious tourist spending.

Hidden routes

Planning a Darjeeling holiday? There's more than one way to experience its famous toy train! To accommodate the tourist rush, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has introduced special joyrides between Darjeeling and Ghum, along with two round-trip services between Kurseong and Mahanadi. These shorter journeys give visitors a chance to explore the scenic hills without committing to a longer train trip.

Steam nostalgia

Ever dreamed of travelling through the mountains behind an old-fashioned steam engine? The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is offering that experience on one of its special Kurseong-Mahanadi round trips. Another service on the same route uses a diesel locomotive. For visitors, it's a chance to experience two different kinds of heritage train journeys while exploring the hills of Darjeeling, popularly known as the Queen of the Hills.