Indien: Steam Freights in Nilgiri & Darjeeling  
22. March - 4. April 2026

My umpteenth train tour to Darjeeling and for the third time I'm going to Nilgiri with its wonderful meter gauge steam locomotives - I'm delighted to be able to travel on two of the most spectacular narrow gauge steam railways in India again! I've completely revised the programs for the DHR (Darjeeling Himalayan Railway) and the NMR (Nilgiri Mountain Railway) compared to the previous tours and we'll now spend even more time with charter trains on both railways.

Both railways are becoming increasingly "modern" in their management, which is good for us on the one hand, if the unfortunate British traditions finally disappear, but on the other hand, it's bad for us, because the possibilities of steam locomotive charter trains are now determined by a caste of new managers who are unfamiliar with steam operations. And their ideas rarely align with ours. The program in Nilgiri has been extended by one day so that we can better cope with the unpredictability of the train-schedule (details in the travel program).

I also spent a lot of money on professional filming permits to be able to book a flexible timetable. A "normal" charter train only runs from A to B and only stops for operational reasons...

The tour itinerary is split into 2 parts and as usual, you can join at any time according to your own schedule.

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TOUR ITINERARY

Part 1 (Nilgiri): 

Day 1
22. March 2026:
The official itinerary starts at Coimbatore Airport upon arrival of the Air India flight from Mumbai (currently scheduled for 8:25 a.m.). From Coimbatore Airport, a several-hour car transfer to the Nilgiri Mountain Railway to Coonoor commences. Depending on the progress of the journey, there may be some time to visit the meter-gauge railway station and the depot at Coonoor, managed by the Southern Railway. In any case, we can photograph the regular steam-hauled passenger train from Coonoor to Mettupalayam during the first few kilometers before it disappears into the inaccessible mountain jungle. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel in Coonoor, breakfast and dinner.

Arrival information: Flights to Coimbatore are not included in the tour price; I am happy to book a flight ticket from your preferred departure airport at current fares. Thanks to the new contracts I have access to, I might be able to offer you preferential rates even from airports outside Germany!

Day 2
23. March 2026:
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway connects the town of Mettupalayam in the low-lands with the town of Coonoor and the hill station of Udagamandalam (Ooty) in the Nilgiri Mountains in South India. The line is 46 km long and leads through 16 tunnels and over more than 250 bridges, some with gradients of 120 per thousand. It is the only Indian rack railway and uses rack rails based on the Abt system. Today, the railway is one of only a few railways in India still operated by steam locomotives on a daily baisis. In the early 2000s, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway was considered for electrification due to the high operating losses associated with steam locomotive operation. However, UNESCO added the Nilgiri Mountain Railway to the World Heritage List in 2005, and modernization plans were abandoned.

But a different approach was taken to reduce steam locomotive operating costs from 2011 to 2021: a total of six old steam locomotives built by SLM in Winterthur were converted to oil-fired operation at the Golden Rock Workshops of Indian Railways, which are now used on the lower section between Mettupalayam and Coonoor. Two of the old coal-fired steam locomotives were retained and kept as backups for years. However, since more Class X oil-fired locomotives were available than necessary for the only steam-powered passenger pair of trains per day, and since firemen had also refused to be trained on the coal-fired locomotives, those two coal-burners were finally retired and placed on display, one greetings passengers outside Coonoor Station now. 

The upper section of the line does not need rack rails and can therefore be operated by diesel locomotives. Large sections of the railway run through the jungle, and chasing the trains by car is possible to a limited extent only; some stations in the mountains have no road access at all!

Today´s itinerary starts with a visit to the railway depot and the picturesque station in Coonoor with its semaphore signals and impressive signal box. In the afternoon, we'll return to the section between Coonoor and Runneymede, where the railway winds its way through the tea fields. The steam-hauled regular pair of trains runs uphill in the morning and downhill in the afternoon. If the steam traction runs on time, we'll spend the rest of the day photographing scheduled diesel service on the upper section of the line between Coonoor and Udagamandalam (Ooty). Overnight in Coonoor, breakfast, and dinner.

Day 3
24. March 2026:
We have booked a photo freight on the entire rack-section of the line from Coonoor to Mettupalayam, hauled by one of thew X-class steam locomotives today. The train will likely consist of four brown freight cars, with the photographers riding on the train. Along the way, we'll cross the scheduled uphill train and will enjoy a full day on the 27 km of track, descending over 1.300 meters in hight. We'll recreate typical station scenes and arrange complete crossings in both directions on the very photogenic viaducts! In the late afternoon, we'll have to move aside again to give way to the returning passenger train. There'll be a night photo session in the evening. Overnight stay in a 3* hotel near Mettupalayam, breakfast, and dinner.

Part 2 (Darjeeling):

Day 1
29. March 2026:
The official itinerary starts at Bagdogra Airport at 1 p.m. (13:00 hrs). From Bagdogra Airport, a 2-hour car transfer to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway at Siliguri follows. Night photography in the small depot in Siliguri. Overnight stay in a 4* hotel in Siliguri, breakfast (for participants from Part 1) and dinner.

Information regarding the arrival at Bagdogra: Flights to Bagdogra are only included in the tour price for participants arrving from part 1 of our Indian extravaganza. Otherwise I will be happy to book a flight ticket from your preferred departure airport at current daily rates. Thanks to the new contracts I have access to, I might be able to offer you preferential rates even from airports outside Germany! 

Day 2
30. March 2026:
Our first steam charter departs today from Siliguri. We start with a false departure from Siliguri Junction station, followed by a photo of the diamond crossing between broad and narrow gauge. This is followed by about 8 km of rather boring, straight track before we reach Sukna station. Here we have to take on water for the first time. Beyond Sukna, we find the first hairpin bends and the real mountain section!

Anyone who has traveled with me on the DHR before will know that in recent years I've always had the incentive to travel the entire route with a freight consist. Unfortunately, the freight cars didn't find this amusing at all and derailed several times. The fundamental problem is that the wheelbase of the freight cars doesn't always match the sometimes irregular track geometry of the line. When poorly laid rails are combined with a tight curve radius, derailments are inevitable. On the last tour, I started with four freight wagons and gradually had to say goodbye to three wagons that the DHR absolutely refused to move... In addition to the effort required to re-rail the car(s), this also led to disruptions to scheduled services, sometimes resulting in delays lasting several hours. "Unfortunately," the costs of a freight train are significantly lower than those of a passenger train, so there will be both passenger and extensive freight train operations.

Our train in the lower section today will consist of older passenger cars and run all the way to Tindharia! Scheduled service in this area is limited to a single passenger train pair between Siliguri and Darjeeling, which will depart ahead of our charter in the morning. The downhill working will have absolute priority over our steam train around midday. Today's 20 km route includes the first three hairpin bends and the loop near Chunbhati. Overnight stay in a 3* hotel in Tindharia, breakfast and dinner.

Day 3
31. March 2026:
In the morning, we visit the DHR repair shop in Tindharia. This shop was rebuilt several years ago after a landslide swept half of the old shop down into the depths. Around midday, we take our freight train downhill, running tender-first, to Rangtong, where I want to take some photos of our train and the classic station architecture, although the timetable details won't be available until shortly before our departure. Night shots. Overnight stay in Tindharia, breakfast, and dinner.

Day 4
1. April 2026:
After we (had to) let the morning scheduled train to Darjeeling pass, we follow the diesel locomotive with our steam-hauled freight  train via Gayabari and Mahanadi to Kurseong. Here, away from the tourist hustle and bustle of Darjeeling, we find a bit of authentic India, which we can capture on our cameras as we travel through several small towns. In the evening, there will be a night photo session in Kurseong. Overnight stay in a 4* hotel in Darjeeling, including breakfast and dinner.

Day 5
2. April 2026:
Today we run our freight train from Kurseong to Ghum and then on to the end of the 86 km long route to Darjeeling. The railway world is still in order until Ghum station, after which the tourist hell begins. I write this somewhat disrespectfully, but anyone who has experienced the crazy traffic and the reckless behavior of tourists between Ghum and Darjeeling will long for the tranquility of the lower sections of the line. "Unfortunately," however, there are also some beautiful photo spots in the section between Ghum and Darjeeling that we absolutely cannot miss: the street running at Kurseong, Tung, Sonada, and Ghum, for example; the double loop in Batasia, the Ghum Monastery, and of course, Darjeeling Station itself. Between Darjeeling and Ghum, the DHR runs everything it has available to meet the demand for seats. The timetable is flexible and based on demand. The DHR is one of the most profitable sectors of the Indian State Railways on this section, although not all trains are steam-hauled. Night shots. Overnight stay in Darjeeling, breakfast, and dinner.

Day 6
3. April 2026:
The famous Batasia Loop is the best example of excessive tourism nowadays: 20 years ago, it was just two lonely loops in the middle of nowhere; now, a soldier's memorial has been erected in the middle of the loops, and stalls selling cheap trinkets line the unofficial stop for all uphill trains. Why I still like going there: you get a beautiful view of the snow-capped peaks of Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world! With a steam locomotive and freight train in the foreground... We want to recreate this scene today. 

There will be free time for our own activities before and after our freight train. The train schedule between Darjeeling and Ghum is quite simple: there is a pair of trains running from Darjeeling to Siliguri, and, depending on capacity, there may also be a Kurseong service. Both pairs of trains run on diesel. In addition, there are usually three to four pairs of trains between Darjeeling and Ghum in the morning and afternoon, with mixed traction. The steam shed in Darjeeling, located directly opposite the station, is rarely quiet and offers countless beautiful photo opportunities of people and machinery! Overnight stay in Darjeeling, breakfast and dinner.

Day 7
4. April 2026:
Depending on the flight schedule, there may be some free time before our transfer to Bagdogra Airport. This is where the itinerary ends. Return flight via Delhi or Mumbai (flights are not included in the tour price). Arrival in Europe on the afternoon of the following day (5. April 2026). You are welcome to extend your stay in Darjeeling; please contact me so I can work with the agency to arrange  your desired itinerary.

TOUR PRICES
NILGIRI
4.590 Euro per person sharing a room (no flights included)
   360 Euro single room supplement
Minimum number of participants needed: 15, maximum number permitted: 25. Booking deadline 15. January 2026, after that on request. 

DARJEELING
2.980 Euro per person sharing a room (no flights included)
   250 Euro single room supplement
Minimum number of participants needed: 15, maximum number permitted: 25. Booking deadline 15. January 2026, after that on request.

ENTIRE TOUR
7.490 Euro per person sharing a room (no flights included)
   610 Euro single room supplement
Minimum number of participants needed: 15, maximum number permitted: 25. Booking deadline 15. January 2026, after that on request.

If you book the Entire Tour before 10 October 2025, you will benefit from a 150 € Early Bird discount!

GOOD TO KNOW
In order to enter India, you need a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon entry and a visa that can be applied for online and is not included in the tour price. Participants of other nationalities than German should inquire about the entry regulations that apply to them.

The steam locomotives on the railways visited are in regular operation and are serviced daily, but breakdowns or technical problems cannot be ruled out. Derailments can also occur. I cannot guarantee the use of a specific locomotive or a photo stop at a specific location. On the Nilgiri Railway we cross the mountain jungle with wild animals such as big cats and elephants. Photo stops can be made dependent on the presence of large game. The DHR in particular is often hit by the summer monsoon and sections of the line are washed away by the torrent floods. Frequent interruptions of the train services occur due to weather issues or social unrest. No refunds will be given in cases of force majeure. You take part in this tour at your own risk.

India is a country of contrasts: it is often only a few steps from "very poor" to "unbelievably rich" and the unfiltered Indian reality is sometimes difficult to bear. People's everyday lives are often still shaped by caste and religion. Unfortunately, some of the bad British traditions have also survived, for example extreme bureaucracy and an addiction to paper and stamps. Many offices in the railway administrations could have existed just as well during the time of British colonial rule, if you ignore the current office holders. Nothing happens on the railway without authorization from the person higher up in the hierarchy. The administration is made up of career officials who are rotated every 4-6 years - if things go well, up the career ladder. This means that not every official wants to ruin the career with unusual topics such as a photo charter. A "wrong" decision that someone in the higher levels of the administration doesn't like can cost the next promotion. Therefore, it is better to do nothing or to reject a request straight away. My partner agency in India is very experienced in dealing with such challenges and a lot is possible, although there are always surprises, even those at extremely short notice. For these reasons too, the program can change at any time without entitlement to reimbursement.

I expect pleasant daytime temperatures and cool nights - with higher temperatures around 20°C during the day in Nilgiri. In Darjeeling it can get quite cold at night. The chances of rain are low. There is a small risk of malaria in Nilgiri.
Please remember to arrange your travel insurance: no one is immune to unpleasant health surprises or life events that make a trip impossible. Budget air fares are often not refundable except for a few pittances from the airline and hospital and doctor visits abroad can quickly reach very unpleasant heights. 

This trip is not suitable for people with limited mobility. Please note that our railfan tour includes getting in and out on uneven ground, in high-entry vehicles or in environments that do not meet German standards. If you are unsure whether this trip is suitable for you, please contact me.
A very nice video of my 2018 trip to Darjeeling can be found on Youtube, made by Froschfilm!