Kalka-Shimla rail

The Kalka-Shimla rail route in the Himachal Pradesh is a century old mountain railway. It offers the charming views of lofty pines and lush green, misty mountains. Laid out as a 96 km long narrow gauge track that passes through 103 tunnels and across more than 800 bridges and viaducts, it is one of the most beautiful hill railways in India.

Started in November 1903 during the reign of Viceroy Lord Curzon, this rail route was entered in the Guinness Book of World Records for offering the steepest rise in altitude within a distance of 96 kilometers. More than two-thirds of the track is curved, sometimes at angles as sharp as 48 degrees. It was considered the ‘crown jewel’ among the Indian railways during the British Raj.

Recently the Kalka-Shimla railway line was dedicated to the nation as a world heritage track after being declared by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.