The Railways came to India almost 150 years ago and yet the romance of Railways still remains intact, more so, the undying charm of the hill railways. Today, when high speed travel has become the norm for business travellers, people still take time off to chug away on serpentine hill tracks. While travelling on hill railways, the holiday begins even before you reach the destination.

1.

Kalka-Shimla - The former 'Summer Capital' of the Raj, Shimla is an important destination for holiday makers. Come summer or snow, tourists rush to Shimla either to beat the heat or to catch snow flakes drifting down. Four premium services for travellers on the Kalka-Shimla section are available :

The deluxe Rail Motor Car

The Shivalik Deluxe Express

The Shivalik Palace (Tourist Coach) and

The Shivalik Queen Tourist Coach.

The Deluxe Rail Motor Car is a visual delight as it resembles a bus of the Second World War vintage. Carrying 14 passengers at a time, it reaches its destination in 4.25 hrs. The car is fitted with a transparent fibre-glass roof, for a clear view of the sky and if one is lucky, one can look up at the rain or snow without getting soaked. Digital time-cum-temperature display unit, altimeter and route indication board gives valuable information while travelling.

The Shivalik Deluxe Express is a connecting service to Howrah-Kalka Mail for Shimla. It accommodates 120 passengers and reaches its destination in 4.45 hrs. The coaches are equipped with wall-to-wall carpeting, wide glass windows and reversible cushioned chairs. Improved lighting and a music system creates a pleasant atmosphere.

The fare for both Deluxe Rail Motor Car and Shivalik Deluxe Express is Rs. 340/- with a complimentary meal at the pictureseque Railway Station Barog.

The Shivalik Palace Tourist Coach provides a luxurious ambience for a dream holiday. It can accommodate a part of six persons and is equipped with folding cushioned bed, refrigerator, on-board-kitchen and dining table with cushioned chairs. Booked for a tariff of Rs. 4790/- in the up and Rs. 3495/- in the down direction, fare includes complimentary accommodation of two luxurious retiring rooms at Shimla for the day and free meals enroute.

A comparatively late entrant on the Kalka-Shimla section is the Shivalik Queen, which is a luxury coach. It is divided into two portions consisting of two coupes each. The coach is equipped with ultramodern facilities and fittings like wall-to-wall carpets, altimeter, fancy lights, chrome plated luggage rack.

2.

Kangra Valley Railway Pathankot - Joginder Nagar - The other hill section of the North is the Pathankot-Joginder Nagar section which is the rail approach to the beautiful Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh. Kangra Valley draws not only tourists and nature lovers, it also has a special attraction for the religiously inclined, as it is the earthy abode of several gods and goddesses. Keeping the travelling comfort of its passengers in mind, a new luxury narrow gauge train 'Kangra Queen' has been introduced on this section. This train covers the 128 kms. Distance in approximately 4 hours 25 minutes with two stoppages enroute at Jwalamukhi Road and kangra. It consists of 4 coaches; one first class, two chair cars and one second class coach, with a total seating capacity of 92 passengers. The first class/chair cars are furnished with comfortable sofa sets/chairs and have wide glass windows. Facilities such as newspapers, mineral water, tea, snacks, food etc. are being provided on board, on the pattern of Shatabdi trains. Public address system has also been provided in all the coaches for playing music and giving information about historical places in the valley. The fares are all-inclusive and most competitive.