Matheran Hill Railway Toy Train Travel Guide

The Matheran Hill Railway is a toy train that covers 20 kilometer distance. It runs between Matheran which is located in the Western Ghats and Neral. This is located at a height of about 2,635 feet. It is a very small hill station that is quite offbeat and is located in the Sahyadri hills range in the Western Ghats.

This is one of the most popular places for weekend trips for people staying in and around Mumbai and Pune. It has already been proposed to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is however, not yet listed.

Matheran Toy Train Fast Facts

• Toy Train Started : 15th April 1907.
• Achievements : Listed in UNESCO’s Heritage in 2005.
• Distance Between Neral and Matheran : 21 Km
• Station Between : Neral - Waterpoint - Aman Lodge - Matheran
• Time Taken : 2 Hours Approximate
• Passenger Capacity : 100

History of the Matheran Hill Railway

This toy train is considered to be one of the most historic mountain railways and was founded by Abdul Hussain Peerbhoy. The founder is an entrepreneur based in Mumbai. This train had its first run in the year 1907. This happened after almost 3 years after the railway lines were constructed. Though the founder is Abdur Peerbhoy, however, this was financed by his father, Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy.

Interesting Facts

• The most interesting fact about the Matheran Hill Railway Toy train is that all the stations have solar power. There are also LED lights and fans along with energy plants and winds. The LED lights and fans help you to save a lot of energy.
• Matheran, unlike the other hill stations do not have a large mountain range. It is in fact the smallest hill station of the country and covers an area of 7 kms. The total population of this hill station is barely 6000.
• Matheran, unlike the other hill stations do not have a large mountain range. It is in fact the smallest hill station of the country and covers an area of 7 kms. The total population of this hill station is barely 6000.
• This is the only place in Maharashtra where you to get toy trains.
• The literacy rate of this place is 75% which is actually higher than the literacy rate of India.
• This is a place where there is very heavy rainfall and the average temperature of this place ranges between 32 degree centigrade and 16 degree centigrade.

Train Services

This toy train is quite small and has a passenger carrying capacity of just about 100. There is a first class carriage along with another three second class carriages. The first class carriage is for people who want to enjoy a relaxing as well as a comfortable journey. The seats in this particular carriage are quite cozy and also padded. There are also shuttle train services that operate between Aman Lodge which is situated just next to the car park in Dasturi and Matheran.

Check out Luxury Train Facility

• Maharajas' Express Facility
• Deccan Odyssey Facility
• Palace on Wheels Facility
• Golden Chariot Facility

If you are interested in knowing some details about the train number, the train route, timetable, then you can go through the points mentioned below:

• Train no. 52101 - This is starts from Neral at 7:50 am and reaches its destination at Matheran at 9:50 am.
• Train no. 52103 - This train departs from the Neral station at 9:10 am and reaches Matheran at 11:20 am.
• Train no. 52102 - The departure for this train from Matheran is at 7:20 am and the train reaches Neral at 8:55 am.
• Train no. 52104 - This train starts from Matheran at 9:55 am and reaches Neral station at 11:40 am.

The shuttle that runs between Man Lodge and Matheran is quite frequent and takes around 18 minutes. There are a total of 10 - 12 departures in a day and in order to know more about the details, you can go through the following mentioned points:

• The trains between Aman Lodge and Marethan at 8.40 am, 9.55 am, 10.45 am, 11.55 am, 12.45 pm, 2 pm, 3.05 pm, 4.25 pm, 5.15 pm, and 6.05 pm.
• The trains between Matheran to Aman Lodge are at 8.15 am, 9.30 am, 9.55 am, 10.20 am, 11.10 am, 12.20 pm, 1.35 pm, 2.40 pm, 4 pm, 4.50 pm, and 5.40 pm.

The toy trains are suspended during the monsoons (between June 15th and October 15th), however, the shuttle services between Matheran and Aman Lodge continue their operation even during the monsoons.

The train moves in a zigzag and the total mileage of 20 kilometers. It moves up the hill starting from Neral and finally reaches its destination which is at Matheran. The slope is quite steep and it is for this reason that it takes around 2 hours to complete the entire journey. At the initial stage you will find grassy slopes but as the train progresses you will come across hills covered by shady trees.

As the train moves, there would be food vendors who would get into the train. There are as many as three stations where the train will stop. These are Jummapatti, Waterpipe and also Aman Lodge. While moving the train also has to pass through a tunnel that is called " One kiss tunnel".

Ticket Fare

A one way trip starting from Neral to Matheran in the first class is priced at Rs.300 for the adults and Rs.180 for the children. If you travel in the second class then the price is much less. For the adults the price is Rs.75 and for children, the price is Rs.45.

On the other hand, the shuttle services cost Rs.45 for adults and Rs.30 for children.

Between Aman Lodge and Matheran Ticket Fare

Between Neral and Matheran Ticket Fare

Check out Luxury Train Fare

• Maharajas' Express Train Fare
• Deccan Odyssey Train Fare
• Palace on Wheels Train Fare
• Golden Chariot Train Fare

How You Book Tickets

You can purchase tickets from the ticket counter. For the shuttle. You will be able to get tickets from the counters in Aman Lodge and Neral. The ticket counter at Neral will open 45 minutes prior to the departure. It is important that you get the tickets early because there is a very high demand for these tickets.

You can also book tickets online by visiting the Indian Railways website or the computer reservation counters of the Indian railways. The code for Neral station is NRL.

Also Read :

• How to Book Deccan Odyssey Train?
• How to Book Golden Chariot Train?

This is a beautiful place which is surrounded by forests. It is one of the best places to travel if you are looking to spend some time in a pollution free environment.