Matheran Guide
The Matheran Toy Train
A two-foot gauge line that has been climbing this hill since 1907, and is still the best way to arrive.
- Route
- Neral → Matheran
- Gauge
- Narrow, 2 ft
- Running since
- 1907
- Distance
- ~21 km
- Climb
- Sea level to ~800 m
- Journey
- Slow, by design
A railway built for a place with no roads
The Neral - Matheran line was opened since1907 laid on two foot narrow gauge because nothing wider could take the curves of this hill. Book a Matheran train ticket in advance has no motor vehicles so the train has no people but it is still running and moving quickly. It is the modern world how the place works.
It is slow because the climb covers roughly 21 km and 800 m of height. The valley opens on one side through the forest wind. It is an entire experience not the disadvantages in the service. People who take a taxi to Dasturi Naka can save an hour.
If you take children together, plan the day around the train rather than timepass with them. Children from every viewpoint in matheran hill station toy trains when you take them together.
Before you plan around it
We do not publish timings, and here is why
Toy train schedules change by season, service on Matheran toy trains is commonly bad during the effects of heavy monsoon. A timetable printed on the Western Hotel Matheran website is wrong and the people hurt it and it is one who drove to Neral at six in the morning trusting it.
So: check the correct timing of the Indian Railway inquiry travel before you come here. Message us with your date and we will tell you the actual timing of the train on that week, that is.
The journey
What the ride is actually like
Neral
The start
A working junction on the Mumbai-Karjat line where you step off the normal train and onto something noticeably smaller. The Coaches are small and the entire platform gets busy on weekends, so reach as early as you think you need it.
The climb
Forest and curves
The train keeps turning as it slowly goes higher,open the windows. Forests are very close and the valleys appear and disappear as the train turns. Monkeys are common there, so keep your food in a bag and then enjoy the matheran by train.
Aman Lodge
Near Dasturi Naka
The stop closest to the roadhead. If you have no time to travel from Neral. So you can take a short train trip and enjoy the journey.
Matheran station
Arrival
When you get off the train, you enter the town where vehicles are not allowed. The market is nearby, you enter the town where vehicles are not allowed, while the hotel are short walk, horse road, rickshaw far away so book matheran train ticket is a short walk from the station on the R.C. Church Road.
Planning
How to actually get on it
If the toy train is not running
You will still reach the Western Hotel in Matheran. Take a taxi or the Matheran toy train to reach Neral, then take a shared taxi to reach Dasturi Naka, covering the last route on foot, on horse, on rickshaw, as everyone does. You still enjoy the Matheran place, in a different way.
Direct booking
Planning around the toy train?
Send your dates — we will tell you what is running and hold a room to match.
Questions
About the toy train
It is a narrow gauge railway running from Neral to Matheran, It has served since 1907.The line climbs 800 m across about 21 km of curves and forest. Most visitors visit Matheran hill station to enjoy the toy train drive.
Timing is changed by the services and affected during the monsoon, so we would not publish schedules of matheran toy trains that were wrong for your date.Check current timing on the Indian Railway inquiry system or message us and we will tell you what train is running that week.
Tickets can be booked through the Indian Railway reservation system, there is also a booking counter to the station. Seats are limited because trains are small so weekends and holidays fill up. The toy train is important to your trip so book matheran toy train early.
Services on the matheran hill station train are commonly affected by the heavy monsoon and there has been a season when full Neral matheran will be suspended for a time. Do not build a monsoon trip in a toy train without confirming.
Considerably longer than a taxi to Dasturi Naka. It slowly climbs through the forest and different stops. If you are short of time, take a taxi up and take the matheran toy train on the way down and take a short ride to Aman Lodge.
It is usually something that they remember. Small train, open window, monkeys and forest all things they see up. This is a memorable trip for a child that they will never forget.