The only rail link between the hill town of Shimla and the rest of India, the impressive Kalka-Shimla Railway has been operating for over 110 years. Initially conceived during the mid-19^th century, it took another fifty years for construction to begin and a further five years for it to be completed. By that time the town of Shimla had become crucially important to the British Raj – not only was it the headquarters of the British Army but it was also the summer capital of British India – so it was imperative for the town to be connected to the rest of the country. The completion of the railway line was a major engineering feat – the narrow gauge track follows a spectacular winding route traversing 919 curves, 103 tunnels and 864 bridges and takes around 5½ hours to complete. UNESCO protected, a connecting service continues on to the Indian capital Delhi.

 

Below are two of our tailor-made itineraries that include the Kalka-Shimla Railway