Stations along the Kalka-Shimla railway line

(Strictly for the detail-minded!)
Kalka
Taksal
Gumman
Koti
Jabli
Sonwara
Kasauli Road
Dharaampur
Kumarhatti
Barog
Solan
Kandaghat
Kanoh
Kaithleeghat
Shoghi
Taradevi
Jatogh
Summer Hill
Shimla.

Waxing lyrical is all very well...

But how do I reach Shimla?

My favourite: by train. You have to head for Kalka first & then catch another train or a cab to Shimla.

Trains between Delhi & Kalka:

• 2005 Kalka Shatabdi. Leaves New Delhi at 17:15. Arrives in Kalka at 21:15. Runs on all days of the week.

• 2011 Kalka Shatabdi. Leaves New Delhi at 07:40. Arrives in Kalka at 12:00. Runs on all days of the week.

• 4095 Himalayan Queen. Leaves Hazrat Nizamuddin Station at 05:05. Arrives in Kalka at 11:20. Runs on all days of the week.

• 2925 Paschim Express (This train runs between Bombay's Bandra Terminus & Kalka). Leaves Hazrat Nizamuddin Station at 10:08 Arrives in Kalka at 16:05. Runs on all days of the week.

My absolute special favourite:

• 2311 Howrah-Delhi Kalka Mail. Leaves old Delhi station at 2140 Arrives in Kalka at 04:40. Runs on all days of the week.

Fares:
1. First class air-conditioned (AC) on Shatabdi: Rs. 880.
2. First class air-conditioned (AC) on Howrah-Delhi Kalka Mail: Rs. 995.
3. AC chair car: Rs. 445.
4. Second seating: Rs. 97.
5. Second AC: Rs. 580.
6. Third AC: Rs. 411.
7. Second sleeper: Rs. 177.
8. Second seating: Rs. 96.

Note:
Options no. 5, 6, 7 & 8 are available only Howrah-Delhi Kalka Mail.
Options no. 6 & 7 on are available only on Pashim Express.

Trains between Kalka & Shimla:
Or, the fun bit.

• 1KS Kalka Simla Passenger Train. Leaves Kalka at 04:00. Arrives in Simla at 09:20. Runs on all days of the week.

• 241 Shivalik Deluxe Express. Leaves Kalka at 05:30. Arrives in Simla at 10:15. Runs on all days of the week. (Fare includes tea & breakfast charges). This is a great option if you have time on your hands and would like a nice slow journey.
  

• 251 Kalka Simla Express. Leaves Kalka at 06:00. Arrives in Simla at 11:00. Runs on all days of the week.

• 255 Himalayan Queen. Leaves Kalka at 12:10. Arrives in Simla at 17:20. Runs on all days of the week.

Fares:
1. First class (only available on 1KS Kalka Simla Pasenger): Rs. 189.
2. AC chair car (only available on Shivalik Deluxe Express): Rs. 280.
3. First class (only available on 251 Kalka Simla Express): Rs. 228.
4. Second seating only available on 251 Kalka Simla Express): Rs. 51.
5. Ac chair car (only available on 255 Himalayan Queen): Rs. 167.

You can post further queries on this blog. I shall atempt to answer them as best as I can.
IRCTC allows you to book tickets on-line.
Cleartrip offers very user-friendly options for booking train tickets.

A view on the way up

Railcar

This diesel-powered contraption may look a little unprepossesing, but it's possibly the nicest way to travel up to Shimla. About 14 years ago, we were a group of around 20 people all going up, so we bought tickets on the railcar. We also stocked up on potato chips, cookies, water, a guitar & a small tambourine.
What a lovely journey it turned out to be...

ZDM-3

This little fellow pulls you up into the hills from Kalka. Small, but tough :)

The half-hidden sign at Barog

says: "The train stops for ten minutes at this station. You can take eatables from here."

More on Barog

It's really quite a tiny place located 1680m above the sea level and is best known for its railway restaurant. Sadly, the quality of food has diminished speedily. The restaurant had a 30s ambience not so long ago. But that's nearabout gone too.

Mid-way between Kalka & Shimla...

lies Barog. This picture shows its tiny signalling tower.

The Shivaliks

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my
help.
Hebrew Psalm CXXI (l. CXXI, 1).

Trains?

Trains are for meditation, for playing out long thought-processes, over and over; we trust them, perhaps because they have no choice but to go where they are going.