Location: The railway route crisscrosses the beautiful Nilgiri Hills extension of the Western Ghats, the journey flagging off from Mettupalayam to Ooty (Udagamandalam). The 46 km long track passes through Coonoor, Kellar, Wellington, Lovedale, and Ootacamund. Steep slopes rise and fall along the tracks, deep ravines are crossed, verdant forested stretches open up before us here and there, and neatly terraced slopes of tea plantation can be found all along. There also are 250 bridges and 16 tunnels through which the tracks pass
Timings: There are two daily trains plying on this line, they are scheduled as below:
- 56136 - Mettupalayam-Ooty MG Passenger
Departure- 7:10 AM
Arrival- 12:00 PM
- 56137- Ooty-Mettupalayam MG Passenger
Departure- 14:00 PM
Arrival- 17:35 PM
Ticket Price
There are classes for traveling on Nilgiri Mountain Railway. The prices for First Class and Second Class travel are listed below:
1. First Class- Rs. 1100 for adults and Rs. 650 for kids, from Mettupalayam to Coonoor. (same charged from Coonoor to Mettupalayam)
2. Second Class- Rs. 800 for adults and Rs. 500 for kids, from Mettupalayam to Coonoor. (same charges from Coonoor to Mettupalayam
Number of Stations- The number of stations at present on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway are 4, namely-- Kallar, Lovingdale, Wellington, and Coonoor.
A few years back, the station Fernhill was closed down.
History of Nilgiri Mountain Railway
It was in the pipelines to establish a mountain railway extending from Mettupalayam to the Nilgiri Hills as of the year 1854, however, it took until 1907 to complete the entire line and the Madras Railway Company was initially assigned the duty of its management.
The newly innovated ‘rack and pinion’ system was introduced for the first time in India on this railway and it is effectively functional to date. In 1907, Double Fairlie locomotives were introduced to the line, built by the illustrious Avonside Engine Company and these continued to be in use until 1914. While initially, Coonoor was the last station on this line, it was extended to Fernhill by September 1908 and by October of the same year, Ooty or Udagamandalam was also added on the line.
Travelers’ Tip Before Visiting Nilgiri Mountain Railway
1. Book online in advance to avoid the rush, as the touring by the Nilgiri Mountain Railways is popular with tourists throughout all seasons
2. Come winter-ready, with something to cover your head and neck since the mountain wind blows strongly inside the coaches.
3. Avoid the monsoons, for the rain covered windows will make it hard for you to see anything outside.
4. Take the whole tour, from Mettupalayam to Coonoor for a complete experience.
.jpg?w=1536&q=75&format=webp)
