Darjeeling Himalayan Railway introduces Special Joyrides for Durga Puja Season

GUWAHATI: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site under Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), will introduce special additional joyride services from October 1, 2026, for the Durga Puja festival season.

DHR will operate four single-trip joyrides between Darjeeling and Ghum. Services from Darjeeling will depart at 9.20 am and 11.25 am, while services from Ghum will depart at 10.25 am and 12.30 pm. The diesel-hauled services will have a proposed fare of Rs 800 per journey.

Two special round-trip joyrides will also operate between Kurseong and Mahanadi. The steam-hauled “Red Panda” will depart Kurseong at 9 am and return from Mahanadi at 10 am, with a proposed fare of Rs 1,530.

The diesel-hauled “Mukta Dhara” will depart Kurseong at 3.15 pm and return from Mahanadi at 4 pm, with a proposed fare of Rs 1,030. The service was named after Rabindranath Tagore’s poem Mukta Dhara, associated with the natural beauty of Paglajhora.

A special run of “Mukta Dhara” will also be organised at Mahanadi Railway Station towards the end of September ahead of its regular operation.

The special services will provide tourists and local visitors with additional opportunities to experience the heritage railway, mountain landscapes and cultural heritage of the Darjeeling hills, a press release said.

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