My TripAdvisor Review No.657: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, West Bengal.

Iconic Attraction Of Darjeeling.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) is one of the iconic attractions which draws many tourists to the hill town of Darjeeling in West Bengal. This 2 ft narrow gauge train hauls passengers and goods from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling, a winding and uphill track covering a distance of 88 km. It is one of the three railways designated by the UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name of ‘Mountain Railways of India’.

If you are a lover of trains and locomotives then a ride on the DHR is a must do. However, if like us, you want to get to the top in a hurry then it is better to do the journey from Siliguri or Bagdogra by car or van. A road journey takes only 3 hours whereas the rail trip will take all of 7 hours or more if there are any delays. The train, pulled by a diesel locomotive, travels at a much slower pace and you have ample time to enjoy the views of the tea gardens and the mountain-scape along the way, taking photos from your carriage window. The sights, sounds and smells from a toy train, sitting with your kids is an experience in itself. The train also does some amazing loops and reversals of tracks to negotiate the bends.

There is another option too, if you want to enjoy a shorter ride. You can book a two hour joy ride from Darjeeling to Ghum, which is the highest railway station in India at 7407 feet. This train includes the to-and-fro fare and a 30 minute halt at Ghum where you can visit the DHR Museum. The joy ride has the option to select the steam locomotive or the diesel, which is cheaper. However, most of this two hour trip is through the congested hill town itself, passing very close to the houses and the town traffic. There is also one steam train which has only ordinary compartments, travelling from Kurseong to Darjeeling.

Another, but not so romantic way, is to just visit the train stations, or the loco sheds and see the DHR heritage trains from close quarters, taking snaps and waving out to the passing passengers.

Date of experience: March 2020

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My TripAdvisor Review No.656: Darjeeling Toy Train.

Heritage Train.

The Darjeeling Toy Train has been one of the iconic attractions drawing tourists to this hill town in the Himalayas. It is one of the three railways designated by the UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name of ‘Mountain Railways of India’. It runs on a 2 ft. narrow gauge track, from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling, a distance of 88 km.

There are still some steam locomotives being used by the Railway, but most have been converted to diesel. If you are doing the full journey from New Jalpaiguri or Siliguri to Darjeeling then it will be pulled by a diesel loco. If you want to enjoy a steam loco ride then it is better to do the joy ride tourist train from Darjeeling to Ghum, or take the ‘Red Panda’ from Darjeeling to Kurseong. The special steam tourist trains are hauled by the vintage British built B-Class steam locomotives.

We went to the loco shed near Darjeeling station to get a close up view of the steam locomotives and how it operates. It is just opposite the road from the station.

Date of experience: March 2020

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My TripAdvisor Review No.567: Canada Line, Vancouver.

YVR Airport To Downtown In Quick Time.

We used the Canada Line of the metro SkyTrain quite a number of times to get from Vancouver Downtown to the International Airport (YVR). It is a very convenient form of transport even if you have just arrived on a flight and are loaded with luggage which you can handle by yourself. There are elevators and escalators at all the stations so that you do not even have to lift up your wheeled luggage which you would have to do to put it in the boot of a cab. The metro station is within the airport itself and volunteers will guide you if you cannot find it yourself.

There is an additional fare to be paid (CAD$5) if you are boarding the train at the International Airport or at Sea Island Centre or Templeton Stations, but the same is not applicable if you are coming to the Airport from Downtown, or if you are using a Pass. One can buy a single use ticket or a pre-loaded Compass Card which one can load as a Day Pass or Monthly Pass or any stored value from the Compass Vending Machines located at all the SkyTrain stations or some select London Drug Stores.

The Canada Line has blue coaches which look very attractive. They are driverless and run very smoothly over the tracks. Much of the journey is underground. We had a very good experience of using the SkyTrain, especially the Blue Line in Vancouver.

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Date of experience: August 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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My TripAdvisor Review No.566: SkyTrain, Vancouver, Canada.

Fast And Cost Effective Way To Travel.

The SkyTrain of Vancouver Metro is a very quick and cost effective way to zoom through the city. It covers many parts of the city and the outskirts including the International Airport, Richmond, Surrey, Burnaby, Langley, Coquitlam, Port Moody and Maple Ridge among other places.

SkyTrain cuts through the traffic of Vancouver, and even if you have luggage it is very easy to board a skytrain as there are elevators and escalators at all the stations so that you do not even have to lift up your wheeled luggage which you would have to do to put it in the boot of a cab. We did use the skytrain instead of a cab to and from the International Airport and the Pacific Central Rail Station a couple of times.

One can buy a single use ticket or a pre-loaded Compass Card which we can load as a Day Pass or Monthly Pass or any stored value from the Compass Vending Machines located at all the SkyTrain stations or some select London Drug Stores. There are other convenient ways to buy and reload Compass Cards including at the two BC Ferry terminals in Vancouver, as well as the online method for reloading. We paid a deposit of CAD$6 for a Compass Card which got refunded to our credit card account after returning to India. We used the card for buying Day Passes on a couple of occasions.

While buying a ticket one must keep in mind that the city is divided into 3 zones for the purpose of fare calculation. This is shown on a screen at the ticket vending machine. If you are crossing from one zone to another the fare is higher. So have a look at this screen before buying your ticket otherwise the gate will not open when you try to tap out. Keep your ticket with you till you have exited the last SkyTrain station of your destination.

We had a very good experience of using the SkyTrain to get from point A to point B and toured Vancouver by the buses, Skytrain, and even the SeaBus ferry service.

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Date of experience: August 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

My TripAdvisor Review No.492: Waterfront Station, Vancouver.

Major Transit Terminus.

Waterfront Station is the major transit terminus of Vancouver. It is located on West Cordova Street in Downtown Vancouver, and is within walking distance of the important places of Downtown Vancouver. Canada Place, Convention Centre, Harbour Cruise terminals, Floatplane terminals, the historical Gastown district, Coal Harbour, and two major universities are located in the vicinity. The building is more than a hundred years old. It has a red brick façade and was designed in the neoclassical style.

The station serves as a terminus for the Expo Line and the Canada Line of the Skytrain, as well as the West Coast Express. An overhead walkway connects the station to the floating pier which serves as the platform for the Seabus. The Seabus connects to North Vancouver at Lonsdale Quay at regular intervals of about 20 minutes. HeliJet’s heliport is adjacent to the Seabus concourse, and the floatplane terminal is two blocks west of Canada Place. Hence Waterfront Station is the major transit terminus of Vancouver from where one can travel to different parts of Vancouver city.

Transit buses are available on West Cordova Street and adjacent streets to connect you to nearby places. Many long distance tour buses and operators have their offices nearby.

There are some restaurants located within the building as well as clean washrooms. There are a number of automated machines dispensing the Compass cards and passes which can be used with cash or credit and debit cards to pay for the transit fares. On the whole the system is fairly efficient.

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Date of experience: July 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.490: Pacific Central Station, Vancouver, Canada.

Heritage Station 

Pacific Central Station is one of the Heritage structures of Vancouver and will complete a hundred years this year in 2019. It serves as a terminus to VIA Rail’s epic 4-day cross country train from Vancouver to Toronto on the bi-weekly, ‘The Canadian’. It is also the northern terminus of Amtrak’s ‘Cascades’ to Seattle and Portland. It also serves as a terminal for intercity buses of ‘Greyhound Bus Lines’ and some other Canadian intercity bus services.

One can arrive by public transit from other parts of Vancouver by the Skytrain and alight at the Main Street Science World Station from where it is a minute’s walk to Pacific Central. There is a large and airy waiting hall with the VIA Rail or Amtrak staff ready to help you with your check-in baggage or any other information you may require.

There are a number of small restaurants and cafes, coffee shops and gift shops to browse while waiting for your train to depart. Some free tourist literature can also be obtained from the display racks at the station.

The building is not noisy and there is not as much of hustle-bustle as one would expect in a busy city railway station. There are many seats where you can sit for a while if you have arrived before the departure time.

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Date of experience: July 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.476: Travelodge Wyndham Prince George, Canada.

Good Value.

We stayed at this hotel in Prince George as an overnight stopover to Prince Rupert from Jasper on the VIA Rail trip. The hotel and the room more than met our expectations for the price we paid.

Even though we arrived late in the night due to the train being late we were given a very warm welcome by Daryl at the reception. We checked in to our room within 5 minutes. The furnishings and décor were very contemporary. There was a flat screen TV, two queen sized beds, coffee maker, sofa and closet. The bathroom was well stocked and had a bathtub as well.

In the morning we had the complimentary breakfast, served early at 6.30 am, and it was very nourishing for our onward journey to Prince Rupert.

We stayed here barely for nine hours but wish we could have stayed longer.

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Date of stay: July 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.451: Alpha Restaurant, Secunderabad.

Located Near Railway Junction.

We decided to have lunch at this restaurant as it was located bang opposite the Secunderabad Junction Railway Station, and we had to catch the afternoon train to Pune.

The air-conditioned family section, named ‘Alps’, is ironically located underground. We had to go down a narrow flight of steps with our luggage. We found a table next to the standing air-conditioner, as the rest of the tables were not getting the cooling effect. The lighting was quite dim, though they do not serve alcohol.

We ordered a Vegetarian Dum Biryani, a Dal Fry, and a Roti. Food was quite tasty and the quantity was good. However the service was a bit slow and the waiter somewhat reluctant to serve us, maybe because we had not ordered the more popular non-vegetarian biryanis.

The prices were very reasonable, considering the sizeable portions served. We had our fill, satisfied with the food, but not with the ambiance and the service.

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Date of visit: March 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.448: L&T Metro Rail, Hyderabad.

Faster, Cleaner, Cooler, Cheaper.

Traveling by the L&T Metro Rail of Hyderabad is a much better option of getting around the congested city. It is faster because it avoids the long waits at the traffic signals. It is cleaner by far than the dusty streets, cooler because all the bogies are air conditioned and much cheaper than road transport if you are traveling alone.

Recently the Blue Line got an extension from Ameerpet to Hitech City. We used the metro to travel from Hitech City to Secunderabad East to catch our Shatabdi Express from Secunderabad Junction Main Station. It took us 40 minutes in the metro and 10 minutes to walk from Secunderabad metro station to the main station. If we had taken a rickshaw or cab it would have taken us an hour and a half.

At the metro stations, elevators are available to take you up from the road level to the platform level. The staff are very helpful and guide you to the concourse. There are some seats reserved for senior citizens and ladies. Small luggage can be kept under the seats.

For the local commuters of Hyderabad, the Metro is a blessing, as it serves as a Rapid Transport System, avoiding the massive traffic jams and bottlenecked roads which the city is fast becoming. It serves the main areas of Hyderabad, but one still has to make use of the buses and autos to connect to the outlying areas.

Work on expansion and new routes are still underway, and hopefully should be operative in the near future.

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Date of experience: March 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.428: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation.

Way To Go, Namma Metro.

On one of our recent trips to Bangalore we decided to take a joy ride on Bangalore’s Metro, fondly named ‘Namma Metro’ by the locals. We boarded at Sampige Road (Mantri Mall) and rode the Green Line till Peenya. We took the same train back to Mantri Mall, did some shopping and had lunch at one of the restaurants. Then we rode the Purple Line from MG Road to Baiyappannahalli and back. We enjoyed both the rides, getting to see a bird’s eye view of most of Central Bangalore in a couple of hours.

For the local commuters of Bangalore the Metro is a blessing, as it serves as a Rapid Transport System, avoiding the massive traffic jams and bottle necked roads which the city has become notorious for. It serves the main areas of Bangalore, but one still has to make use of the buses and autos to connect to the outlying areas.

Work on expansion and new routes are still underway, and hopefully should be operative in the near future.

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Date of experience: March 2018

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My TripAdvisor Review No.264: Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Ooty.

Ride in a Toy Train - Amazing Experience.

Though we had driven to Ooty by car, we decided to take this joy ride in the Nilgiri Mountain Railway just for the thrill and fun we used to experience as children.

We parked our car in the station parking lot, and paid Rs.50 as parking charges. The train tickets were much cheaper at Rs.10 per head from Udagamandalam (Ooty) to Coonoor. Since it was a week day in the off-season we got seats easily in the general compartment. We had to stand in a queue till the train pulled in to the station, and everyone got into the bogies in a very orderly manner.

The engine pulling the train between Ooty and Coonoor is powered by diesel. I believe there is a steam locomotive pulling the train between Coonoor and Mettupalayam, and it takes 4 hours for the train to complete the journey from Mettupalayam to Ooty. Reserved tickets can be booked in advance for the train on the IRCTC website. Our journey started from Ooty at 12.15 pm and took just over an hour to reach Coonoor. In between we stopped for a few minutes at some pretty little stations namely; Lovedale, Ketti, Aravankadu and Wellington before reaching Coonoor.

We enjoyed the mountain scenery along the way, with many villages tucked away between the eucalyptus trees, tea estates, fields and forests. We passed through a number of tunnels with the kids in the train screaming to hear their own echoes, and we passed over some narrow bridges.

It was indeed an enjoyable and memorable train ride, albeit only for an hour. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway was added by UNESCO to the World Heritage Site known as “Mountain Railways of India” in July 2005.

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https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297679-d3440016-r545873221-Nilgiri_Mountain_Railway-Ooty_Udhagamandalam_The_Nilgiris_District_Tamil_Nadu.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.228: Kalka Shimla Railway, Himachal.

“Heritage Toy Train - An Amazing Experience.”

Reviewed yesterday

NEW

This narrow gauge train connects the hill town of Shimla, capital of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, to Kalka in the plains in the state of Haryana. The line was built by the British in the year 1898 and it acquired UNESCO World Heritage status in the year 2008, among the Mountain Railways of India. There are 103 tunnels and 864 bridges along the 95 km route. It takes between 4.5 to 5.5 hours for the small diesel locomotive to haul the 4 or 5 carriages up the Himalayan foothills, hugging the forested slopes.

We were staying at Kandaghat during our Himachal holiday. Though we did not actually travel in the train we decided to receive the train at Kandaghat station, and take some snaps, as it rolled into the platform. We could hear the train approaching from a distance along the curved railway line. Kids, waiting for the train on the platform for the train, started getting excited and jumping for joy as the train entered the platform. We took our snaps as the loco thundered into the station. The snack vendors and railway staff sprang to life as some passengers alighted to refresh themselves. One can travel on this train from the mid-way stations to other stations on the line by buying a ticket for Rs.20. The luxury trains, like Himalayan Queen, Shivalik Queen and Rail Motor from Kalka to Shimla, and vice-versa, can be reserved in advance.

The train left for Shimla after a 10 minute halt at Kandaghat. We stayed on the platform observing the activities as some passengers alighted and some others boarded the train. Most of them enjoyed a snack or a cup of hot tea and clambered back into their seats.

The Toy Train ride is an amazing experience as it climbs from the plains to the snow-capped peaks, through tunnels and pine forests, and over and under waterfalls. We decided to do the trip in the train on our next visit to Himachal Pradesh.

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Visited June 2017

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304552-d498331-r515782288-Kalka_Shimla_Railway-Shimla_Shimla_District_Himachal_Pradesh.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.203: Railway Museum Mysore.

“Educational Entertainment for Young and Old Alike.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This museum is located just behind the Mysore Main Railway Station in an open enclosure. There is an entrance fee of Rs.20 per head and Rs.15 for children.

It is much smaller than the Rail Museum at Delhi, but still quite interesting and educational. There are many models of the ancient steam engines and coaches which used to run on the Indian Railways. Some of them have been sectioned to show the inner workings of the engines. There is a room depicting the history of the Indian Railways in framed photographs and models.

The most interesting exhibit was the coach used by the Maharani of Mysore when she used to travel in royal luxury. You can even enter inside the coach and walk through it.

There is a mini train which runs around the grounds to give the kids a joy ride in the evenings and on holidays.

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Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304553-d3679692-r456685815-Railway_Museum_Mysore-Mysuru_Mysore_Karnataka.html#