A trip on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is already one of the most unforgettable ways to experience the hills of West Bengal. During this Durga Puja season, tourists will have even more opportunities to board the UNESCO World Heritage railway, thanks to the introduction of additional joyride services on October 1, 2026. The festival timetable features four one-way services operating between Darjeeling and Ghum, and two round-trip services running between Kurseong and Mahanadi. The trains are powered by diesel and steam, with the lowest fare being INR 800.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Special Joyrides
The additional services are being launched before Durga Puja so that visitors will have more chances to experience the heritage railway and the landscapes of the Darjeeling hills. The four Darjeeling-Ghum joyrides will operate as single-trip diesel services, the proposed fare for each passenger being INR 800.
Heading to the Velankanni Festival? Southern Railway will operate special trains to help passengers travel during the busy festive period.
Darjeeling To Ghum Timings:
- 9:20 AM
- 11:25 AM
Ghum To Darjeeling Timings:
- 10:25 AM
- 12:30 PM
Kurseong-Mahanadi Red Panda Joyride
One of the two round-trip services that run between Kurseong and Mahanadi is the Red Panda. The train is pulled by a steam engine, giving passengers a classic heritage railway experience. The fare for this journey is 1,530 rupees per passenger.
Timings:
- Departs Kurseong: 9:00 AM
- Departs Mahanadi: 10:00 AM
Travelling to Kerala for Onam? Indian Railways will operate 112 special train trips to handle the festive-season rush in 2026.
Mukta Dhara Joyride
The second Kurseong-Mahanadi round-trip route is called Mukta Dhara, a reference to Rabindranath Tagore. The playwright’s 1922 work, Mukta Dhara, is associated with the scenic beauty of the Paglajhora stream in the area. The Mukta Dhara service is a diesel train and is expected to charge each passenger INR 1,030.
Timings:
- Departs Kurseong: 3:15 PM
- Departs Mahanadi: 4:00 PM
A special service of the Mukta Dhara is also expected to take place at the Mahanadi Railway Station at the end of September as part of the events leading up to the Station Mahotsav.
Going home for Ganesh Chaturthi? Central Railway will operate 246 Ganpati special train trips, with ticket bookings opening from August 1.
Summing Up
For the upcoming Durga Puja festival season, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is launching extra services. The key point is that these special joyrides will provide tourists with more opportunities to experience the historic railway, its steam heritage, and the scenic views of the Darjeeling hills during one of the region’s busiest travel periods.
This season, the special joyrides provide visitors with another festive way of traveling, offering short routes, multiple departure times, and the option of choosing between steam and diesel services. During Durga Puja, they give travelers more opportunities to experience the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
