Matheran Toy Train

Matheran Train

Welcome to the Virgin Hill Station of Raigad District in Matheran Toy Train!!!

Update: Central Railways has decided to increase the Neral to Matheran toy train services from November 2020

What a marvelous sight to watch as the Matheran toy train slowly chugs its way through the verdant mountain landscapes of the Raigad district in Maharashtra. The journey begins from Neral Ghats, taking 281 thrilling turns to Matheran cliff tops.

The Neral to Matheran is a small gauge line of 2 feet that was constructed in the beginning of the 19th century, i.e., in 1907 under the leadership of Lord Elphinstone, the erstwhile Governor of Mumbai during the British Raj. Today, Matheran Train is a UNESCO World Heritage site and ardently visited by Indians and foreigners in large numbers, each year.

Matheran hill station at an altitude of 800 meters is a landscape of verdant valleys, cliffs, and waterfalls. The pleasant temperature adds to the romance of the surroundings. This magnificent hill station lies 110 km away from Mumbai on the Mumbai-Pune rail route. The narrow gauge Matheran toy train from Neral meanders into the mountains, treating the tourists to a spectacular view. This mode of transport is the only way to reach the plateau top of Matheran, no wonder this transport is popularly referred to as “PhulRani”.

The Matheran train travel through the Western Ghats and it takes around two hours to reach Matheran from Neral through mountains. The train services gets suspend during every mansoon from June to October.Central Railway is planning to strengthen the railway track which will help to speeden the train. Now it takes around 2 hours to travel between Neral and Matheran but after this work it can bring down to 1.30 or 1.45 hours.

Matheran Toy Train Booking

The Matheran train ticket booking will be issued from the Neeral Railway Station counter 45 minutes prior to departure. Each passenger can carry 5 kg luggage in a second class compartment and 7.5 kg luggage in the first class compartment with them. A maximum of 4 Matheran toy train tickets are issued per person from the station’s counter. The Matheran toy train tickets can be booked from Mumbai or Pune too. However, we recommend to book the train tickets in advance in high season

Matheran train will bring to you 38 designated look-out points that offer a 360° panoramic view of the surrounding landscapes including the Neral town. The Panorama Point offers magnificent views of the sunrise and sunset. The Louisa Point offers a clear view of the Prabal Fort. Other points of sightseeing on Matheran toy train include Porcupine Point, Monkey Point, One Tree Hill Point, Rambgh Point and Hart Point. So, when will you plan Matheran train booking to enjoy this virgin hill station?

Matheran Train Ticket Booking Online

Matheran train online ticket booking is not available now.

Matheran Toy Train Timings

From the Neeral Ghats to Matheran cliffs is a 2.5 hour journey with stop overs. You can avail any Matheran toy train timings plying between 6:40 AM and 6:30 PM, daily. The ordinary class fare ranges between Rs. 50 ad Rs. 160, while the Luxury class fare is worth Rs. 1352.

If you are planning your vacation to Matheran you can refer below Matheran Train Timings and schedule and plan your trip accordingly:

Neral to Matheran Train Timings

Train Number New Number Neral Matheran Details
601 52001 7:30 9:30 Regular
603 52003 9:00 11:10 Regular
605 52005 10:35 12:30 Regular
607 52007 11:40 13:34 Regular
609 52009 12:50 15:05 New Pair of Train Introduced
611 52011 17:05 19:00 Regular

Matheran to Neral Train Timings

Train Number New Number Neral Matheran Details
602 52002 7:00 8:35 Regular
604 52004 9:50 11:35 Regular
606 52006 12:35 14:00 New Pair of Train Introduced
608 52008 13:50 15:25 Regular
610 52010 15:15 16:50 Regular
612 52012 16:30 18:10 Regular

History of Matheran Train

Mr. Hugh Poyntz Malet, the erstwhile Collector of Thane, discovered Matheran in May 1850. Lord Elphinstone, the erstwhile Governor of Mumbai soon laid the foundation of this “Forest on the Top” location. Construction began and a 20 km long small gauge line was laid down, connecting Neeral to this hill station. In 1907 this 2-foot narrow gauge hill railways was opened to public.

Thanks to the efforts of Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy, who took the responsibility of creating a Matheran Railway passage to this Forest Top. He created a limited company with a seed capital of Rupees 10 Lakhs worth 2000 shares. With a a ruling gradient of 1 in 20, a 20 km gauge line was laid down. There are four pairs of railway lines that run around these mountains carrying hundreds of passengers in each trip. However, during the monsoons (June to September), only a single pair of Matheran train is operational.