We travel on the narrow gauge Toy Train between Kalka and Shimla and on some tours we travel in the exclusive Shivalik and Heritage carriages. The 60-mile (96.5km) line was opened in 1903 to connect Shimla with the rest of the Indian rail network and it has been carrying passengers ever since on the wonderful journey up into the mountains.
Awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2008, the railway itself is a marvel of engineering, travelling from the Shivalik foothills through 102 tunnels, over 864 bridges and around 919 curves. During the climb up to Shimla on a gradient of 1 in 33, we have time to soak up the awe-inspiring, panoramic views of the Himalayas, making stops at stations such as Dharampur, Kandaghat and Summerhill on the way.
