Darjeeling, Aug. 25 -- The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), a UNESCO World Heritage site, celebrated its Foundation Day with the announcement of three new train services aimed at giving tourists and locals fresh ways to experience the romance of the hills.
Marking 145 years on Saturday, since the first whistle of the iconic toy train echoed through the Himalayas on August 23, 1880 as the train made its way on the Kurseong-Siliguri route, DHR used the occasion to blend nostalgia with new opportunities. The spotlight was on the launch of additional services for the upcoming festive season.
The Tea and Timber Special, to run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, will depart Siliguri at noon and reach Rongtong by 1:30 pm. A four-hour layover will allow passengers to explore tea estates, enjoy factory tours, join plucking sessions and taste organic local lunches before returning. Officials said the service will particularly help travellers landing at Bagdogra Airport by offering them a seamless first taste of the toy train.
The Darjeeling-Kurseong Steam Special will operate on Saturdays, with the return journey on Sundays. The premium steam-hauled train will stop at major tourist viewpoints, offering travellers a mix of vintage charm and panoramic hill vistas. The third addition is the Kurseong-Mahanadi Sunrise Special, a Sunday morning service leaving Kurseong at 7:15 am and returning by 10 am, designed for those eager to soak in the breathtaking Himalayan sunrise. Rishav Choudhary, Director of DHR, said: "The 23rd of August is etched in history as the day the first whistle of the Darjeeling Toy Train was heard. Today, we celebrate not just our heritage but also the joy it continues to bring to people across generations. By offering these new services for the festive season, we are creating fresh opportunities for travellers to experience the romance of the hills while also strengthening the bond between DHR and the local communities." To mark the occasion, DHR partnered with the Yashashree Foundation to organise the steam joy ride from Darjeeling to Ghoom and back for elderly women from a local old age home.
"I never thought I would sit in this train at this age. Today, I felt like a child again," said 78-year-old Purnima Rai. Others echoed similar sentiments with sheer joy visible on their faces. In 1879, work had first started on the DHR, then called the Darjeeling Steam Tramways. The name of the rail company was then changed to Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Company in 1881 on completion of the section from Darjeeling to Siliguri. The DHR was inscribed a world heritage by UNESCO on December 2, 1999.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.