10-Year Anniversary of the Rail Line with the Straightest Tunnel in the World

This year marks the 10th anniversary UNESCO added the Kalka–Shimla railway to the mountain railways of India World Heritage Site

In this anniversary year, the narrow-gauge railway located in North India which traverses a mostly mountainous route from Kalka to the former British Raj hill station of Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), is in the spotlight as one of the worlds’ ‘must travel aboard’ heritage lines.

Throughout the 1900’s Shimla, former headquarters for the British Army, established itself as the popular summer capital for English gentry escaping the hot weather of the plains. The journey along the 59-mile railroad, completed in 1903, is as spectacular to travel today as it was in the early years.

With 107 tunnels, 864 bridges and 919 curves the journey begins at 656m climbing to peak elevation of 2,076m at a gradient of 1:33 (3%). Emerging from the longest tunnel on the line, the Barog Tunnel (no.33) at 1,144m, Shimla-bound adventurers are treated to the magnificent views of the Himalayan mountains. The tunnel is also acclaimed to the be the straightest in the world.

A journey aboard the Kalka-Shimla toy train is one of the highlights of a trip to India and one of the iconic rail journeys.

For more information check out Great Rail Journeys.

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