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Darjeeling toy trains now take you to hilltops in evenings
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newsbyte on 08 June, 2008 02:14:44
 
Tourists to Darjeeling, the 'Queen of the Hills', can now have a thrilling ride
to the hilltops on a century-old toy train in the evenings.
Keeping in mind the huge popularity of the World Heritage Toy Train, the
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) has introduced 'Evening Delight', a
three-and-a-half hour journey covering a distance of 20 km from Siliguri to
Sukna and back.
"The two 'Evening Delight' services -one at 3 pm and the second at 5.30 pm -
have started from May 23, 2008 and is a hit," Subrato Nath, Director of DHR,
told PTI.
The operation of the Evening Delights have been leased to a Siliguri-based KBS
Tours and Travels for a period of five years and tickets could be obtained
through tour operators, who are providing snacks and soft drinks.
These two services are apart from the regular 10:40 am and 1:20 pm, he said
noting that the tickets of which are available through railway computerised
reservation system.
However, the evening rides are expensive compared to the day time safaris.
While the daytime joy ride costs Rs 240 for a single person, the 3 pm safari
costs a passenger Rs 400 and the 5:30 pm ride Rs 550.
"The 5:30 pm service has on-board attendants and folk songs playing in the
coaches and passengers are served chocolates, sandwiches, tea, coffee, chowmein
and momos as soon as the ride starts," Sanjay Goswami, Managing Director of KBS
Tours and Travels, said.