Nilgiri Mountain Rail TOY TRAIN OOTY History,Timing,Address,Contact Number,images,Best time to visit
Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Ooty Overview :
Nilgiri Mountain Railway commonly known as Toy train or Nilgiri passenger travels between Mettupalayam to Ooty daily .
Toy Train is one of the key attractions of the popular hill station Ooty. Such is the train's popularity and history that it was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005.
The Toy Train covers a distance of total 46 km passes through 208 curves, 16 tunnels and 250 bridges,It almost takes around 4 to 5 hours to reach Ooty from Mettupalayam via toy train.
Ooty toy train was built by the British in late 19th century in 1908, and was initially operated by the Madras Railway Company.
The Nilgiri tiy train if renowned
among tourist and it will be a great to travel in Ooty train.
The entire Nilgiri Mountain can be viewed which gives a delight to your eyes truly spectacular journey filled with picturesque views en route.
The Toy train is by far one of the biggest attractions in Ooty ,The slow sound of train, old fashioned interiors and a ride amidst the jungle - surely transported me in time as to how it must have been 50 years back!
The wooden chairs with frail cushion seats in first class, oil painted walls with a mesh above to rest the luggage. Rattling windows whose glass pane had to be lifted strategically to be closed.
Read More on Nilgiri Mountain Railway :
The train starts from Mettupalayam railway station Weaving amidst the forests, dark snaking tunnels, sharp bends and amid the mist and fog, the Nilgiri Mountain Train will take you on a spectacular trip up and down the green and verdant slopes.
It summarizes the essence of
Nilgiris – lush green tea estates, towering Nilgiri/Eucalyptus trees, beautiful
bridges on which the train chugs, countless tunnels where darkness consumes the
space and leads to light at the end.
These and many memories which make
this a very special journey. It’s not just the scenery that soothe the eye -
the smell of fresh Eucalyptus, the sound of train chugging slowly along the
track, cool breeze that hits your face and send the hair flying back –
everything makes this a special ride.
The train passes through Hillgrove railway station, Coonoor railway station, Wellington railway station, Aruvankadu railway station, Ketti railway station, Lovedale railway station, and finally reaches Ooty also know as Udhagamandalam railway station.
As the train passes through the stunning gorges, the dancing sunlight above and dream-like drizzling makes it the experience of a lifetime.
Apart from offering a beautiful journey, the uniqueness of the trip lies in the fact that the rail system is the steepest in Asia and worth a visit. If you want to reach Ooty quickly, then the best way to travel is by car.
The road journey by car from
Mettupalayam to Ooty takes around only 2 hours. Avail Mettupalayam to ooty cabs
at low-fare.
Mettupalayam Railway Station -
The Starting Point –
The Mettupalayam Railway Station, located near Coimbatore, is a junction between the broad gauge and the toy train. This platform is crossed by the passengers to board the Toy Train.
Nilgiri Express train from arrives in Mettupalayam at 6:15 AM from Chennai and connects with the toy train's departure. You can also board the Nilgiri Express train from Coimbatore at 5:00 AM.
Another option is a cab that costs INR 1200 and local buses that run frequently between Coimbatore and Mettupalayam.
Information about Ooty toy train:
The old world feel of the toy train has been preserved and the do not expect the coaches to be ultra modern. Though they are not broken and shattered – coaches are in good condition and safe enough to travel.
The train runs in a very slow pace. It is nice in the beginning, but later you might get impatient. Don’t worry, just look out of the window. Varying landscapes and changing scenery will keep you occupied and after a while, you will get settled and miss the ride once its over.
It might be sunny and warm before alighting the train, but I warn you! Carry something warm – you shall be passing in the middle of forest, overlooking tea gardens, moving past small creeks and waterfalls and the temperatures are going to drop down for sure.
Different Classes of The Train :
There is a classification between first class, second sitting, and an unreserved category.
The first class seats are limited to just 16 and are hard to get, and the others are expanded to 160 seats.
It is highly recommended to choose the first class seats for the experience in that coach is priceless!
Time Required : 5-6 hours
Entry Fee : First Class: INR 205
Second Class: INR 30
Unreserved Category: INR 15
Timings of Nilgiri Mountain Railway : The schedule for the Toy
Train is as shown below:
56136/Mettupalayam-Ooty MG
Passenger
Departure: 7:10 AM
Arrival: 12:00 PM
56137 / Ooty-Mettupalayam MG
Passenger
Departure: 14:00 PM
Arrival: 17:35 PM
You can make the bookings on the IRCTC
Website.
How To Reach Mettupalayam Railway Station :
Coimbatore is the closest city to Mettupalayam. It's located about an hour south and has an airport that receives flights from all over India.
The daily Nilagiri (Blue Mountain) Express train from Chennai arrives in Mettupalayam at 6.15 a.m. and connects with the toy train's morning departure.
(It also connects with the toy train's evening arrival in Mettupalayam on the return journey).
The Nilagiri Express stops in Coimbatore at 5 a.m. on the way, so it's possible to take this train from there to Mettupalayam.
Frequent buses run from Coimbatore
to Mettupalayam, starting from 5 a.m. There are also regular passenger trains
between the two places during the day.
You'll find a few decent budget
hotels in Mettupalayam if you want to stay there overnight to catch the toy
train the next morning.
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