Fresh snowfall in Shimla and the heavy rush of tourists have prompted the Indian Railways to start a holiday special toy train to this popular tourist destination.
On Saturday, the train arrived packed with tourists at the dainty Shimla railway station. The train leaves Kalka at 12. 45 p.m. and arrives in Shimla at 6.30 p.m.
Even though the train takes almost three times longer than by road many tourists still prefer travelling by this slow train to enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery.
Officials at the Kalka railway station said the holiday special will continue to ply until the tourist rush continues to Shimla. There are several other regular trains and even a rare rail-car which plies on the 96-km long Kalka-Shimla narrow railway track .
In 2008, UNESCO gave world heritage status to this over-a-century-old railway track. The track rises from 650 metres in Kalka to almost 2,100 metres above sea level in Shimla. It passes through 103 tunnels, 969 bridges, 919 curves and 18 railway stations.