Darjeeling, 25th August: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) is set to increase its special ‘Joy Ride’ services for tourists from October 1 ahead of the Durga Puja festive season. The initiative will offer tourists more opportunities to experience the iconic toy train while enjoying the scenic beauty of the Darjeeling hills.
According to DHR, four single-trip joyrides will operate on the Darjeeling-Ghum route, while two round-trip special joyrides will run on the Kurseong-Mahanadi route.
The diesel-powered joyride on the Darjeeling-Ghum route will be priced at ₹800. On the Kurseong-Mahanadi route, the special steam-powered toy train joyride has been named ‘Red Panda’, with a fare of ₹1,530.
The second diesel-powered joyride on the Kurseong-Mahanadi route has been named ‘Muktadhara’ and will have a fare of ₹1,030. According to DHR, the name ‘Muktadhara’ has been chosen as a tribute to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
The name also reflects the blend of the natural beauty of Paglajhora near Mahanadi with the literary and cultural heritage of the region.
DHR expects the special services during the Puja holidays to provide tourists with a memorable experience of the heritage toy train, steam-powered railway journey and the scenic beauty of the Darjeeling hills.