We often heard that journey is better than the destination. Thus, Here we are talking about enjoying the journey rather than the destination. Looks strange?? But it is true. Here we are going to talk about some best railway routes in India where you can enjoy the journey while reaching your destination. Let’s discuss this in detail.
India has the fourth-largest rail network in the world and the train routes in the country pass through some of the most scenic views one has ever come across. It is one of the busiest networks in the world that transports 8.439 billion passengers annually. In India, you can witness some beautiful train routes that pass across mountains, valleys, rivers, plains, deserts, etc.
There are also two UNESCO’s world heritage sites on Indian Railways and that are the Mountain Railways of India and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. You can find various train routes that run for tourists like The Palace on Wheels, The Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, The Golden Chariot, The Deccan Odyssey, etc. Here, we have mentioned some of the most beautiful train routes in India that will leave you awestruck.
Beautiful Railway Routes in India
Below are some amazing railway routes in India that might make your journey more memorable than the destination.
1) Kalka to Shimla Train
In the year 2008, UNESCO added the Kalka Shimla railway to the mountain railway of India’s world heritage site. It is one of the most beautiful train journeys in India that passes through scenic Himalayan ranges. The track was established in the year 1903 and it has 20 beautiful stations, 969 bridges, and 103 tunnels. With a toy train, you can thoroughly enjoy foggy meadows and astonishing views on this route. The average journey time from Kalka to Shimla is around 5 hours.
2) Mumbai to Goa
The Mumbai to Goa train route has beautiful landscapes and it runs between Sahyadri hills on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other. The train passes through 92 tunnels and over 2000 bridges and you can enjoy some majestic views every now and then. On this train route, you will witness lush greenery and numerous small rivers which will make your journey more exciting. The total journey time from Mumbai to Goa is approximately 12 hours.
3) Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling
The Darjeeling Himalayan railway is a beautiful toy train journey between Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling. It is a 78 km long journey, and the train passes through various stations like Siliguri town, Sukna, Rangtong, Kurseong, Sonada, Rongbul, Batasia loop, etc. UNESCO declared the Darjeeling Himalayan railway a world heritage site in the year 1999.
4) Vasco Da Gama to Londa
It is a train route in Karnataka where you can enjoy some breathtaking views. It is a beautiful route, and you will continuously come across lush greenery, mountains, and waterfalls. The best time to go on this journey is during the Monsoon season. During monsoon season you can enjoy majestic views along with beautiful weather. The time taken to travel from Vasco Da Gama to Londa is around 3 to 4 hours.
5) Kanyakumari to Trivandrum
Kanyakumari to Trivandrum is a small train journey where you will come across some beautiful views of coconut trees and amazing Tamil and Kerala architecture. In this journey, you will see some of the most beautiful views of South India. It takes around 2 to 3 hours to travel from Kanyakumari to Trivandrum.
6) Dooars Voyage
The Dooars is basically the alluvial floodplains in the eastern and north-eastern region of India. It is arguably one of the best railway routes in India that pass through Mahananda wildlife sanctuary, Chapramari forest, Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary, Buxa Tiger reserve, and various streams.
7) Mandapam – Pamban – Rameswaram
It is one of the most thrilling railway routes as the train passes through Pamban bridge which connects the Mandapam town with Pamban Island and Rameswaram. The length of the Pamban bridge is around 2.345 kilometers. The views are astonishing as the train passes through this beautiful bridge.
8) The Indian Maharaja – Deccan Odyssey Train Route
It is one of the luxurious trains in India and its purpose is to boost tourism on the Maharashtra route. The train passes through the western Ghats, Deccan plateau, Konkan regions, Nashik, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, and Goa. The train offers everything to its travelers like an ayurvedic massage center, beauty parlor, steam baths, conference rooms, gymnasium, library, etc. Overall, it is a beautiful experience that every tourist should have.
9) Desert Queen
The Desert Queen runs between Jaisalmer and Jodhpur and the travel time is around 6 hours. A lot of people expect it to be a boring journey, but it is completely the opposite. On this journey, tourists will see enthralling views of the desert, grazing camels, and colorful mud huts. The most beautiful things one can enjoy in the desert are the sunset and sunrise and this journey will give you an opportunity to enjoy the feel of desert safari. The Desert Queen takes around 6 hours to reach the destination.
10) Chilka Train Route
The Bhubaneshwar to Brahmapur is one of the most refreshing train journey experience one could ever have. The train passes through lush greenery on one side and Chilka lake on the other. Chilka lake is the largest coastal lagoon in India where you can find over 160 species of migratory birds. It is one of the perfect railway routes for nature lovers and bird watchers. The train journey time from Bhubaneshwar to Brahmapur is around 3 hours.
11) Mumbai to Pune Railway Route
From Mumbai, it is a short three-hour journey to Pune. During the journey, you will pass through beautiful and mesmerizing hill stations like Khandala, Lonavala, etc. It is a fun ride, and you will see some beautiful landscapes and waterfalls throughout the journey.
12) Kashmir Valley Railway Route
It is a 356-kilometer railway track that connects Jammu and Baramulla. The whole route is full of beautiful and majestic views of the mountains. The Kashmir valley railway is also one of the most challenging projects as it is in the high earthquake intensity zone and high altitude.
13) Konkan Railway Route
The Konkan railway is full of fascinating views of nature. You will not get bored throughout the journey as you will witness majestic Sahyadri mountain ranges, waterfalls, and lakes. The train goes through dense forests, tunnels, western ghats, etc. and all these things adds to the beauty of the Konkan railway.
14) Aroma of Assam
The journey from Guwahati to Silchar is extremely beautiful as the train passes through lush greenery, tea gardens, and river valleys of Assam. The total train journey from Guwahati to Silchar is around 10 hours and it will keep you occupied with the scenic views of Assam.
15) Pathankot – Jogindernagar (Kangra Valley Railways)
The Kangra valley railway runs from Pathankot to Jogindernagar. The distance of this route is around 164 kilometers and throughout the journey, you will enjoy scenic views and river bridges. The highest point of this journey is Ahju station, which is at an elevation of 1290 meters. The train travel time from Pathankot to Jogindernagar is approximately 8 to 9 hours.
16) Karjat to Lonavala
From Kharjat to Lonavala train journey you will pass through Thakur wadi, Monkey hills, and Khandala. The train moves through the western ghats and you can see some fascinating views of nature because the train connects hill stations. The best season to travel from Karjat to Lonavala is monsoon. It is a short journey that takes around 1 hour to reach the destination.
17) Nilgiri Mountain Railway
The Niligiri mountain railway was built in the year 1908. In the year 2005 UNESCO added it as a world heritage site and it was then known as Mountain Railways of India. It is a 5-hour journey through the beautiful forests, curves, and tunnels. The train passes through stations like Kallar, Adderly, Kateri, Aravankadu, Ketti, Lovedale, etc.
18) Visakhapatnam – Araku Valley
The journey from Vishakhapatnam to Araku valley is of three hours. In the three hours journey, the train passes through numerous tunnels and beautiful views. Earlier this route was used for transporting iron ore and various minerals from Vishakhapatnam to Chhattisgarh. The total journey time from Vishakhapatnam to Araku valley is 3 hours.
19) Hassan – Mangalore
The journey from Hassan to Mangalore is quite scenic and amazing. Throughout the whole journey, you will see breathtaking views of waterfalls, rice meadows, palm trees, and mountains. The railway voyage moves through the Malnad region stretch and it is a refreshing route for travelers. It takes around 5 to 6 hours to travel from Hassan to Mangalore.
These are some of the best train routes in India. Every route has something different to offer and as someone said, ‘It is the journey matters, not the destination. Some routes will take you through the green meadows and forests, whereas some will show you the beauty of deserts.