Central Railway Suspends Neral-Matheran Toy Train Services for Monsoon Season
Mumbai, 9th June 2024: Central Railway has announced the suspension of ‘The Neral-Matheran Light Railway’ train services between Neral and Matheran from June 8 to October 15 for safety reasons. This precautionary measure is in response to potential landslides and rockfalls during the monsoon season.
Passenger services between the Neral-Aman Lodge section of the narrow gauge ‘toy train,’ popular with tourists, will remain suspended for four months, the Central Railway (CR) confirmed on Friday. However, regular shuttle services between Matheran and Aman Lodge, located near Dasturi Point, will continue to operate. Motorized vehicles, except for ambulances, are not permitted beyond this point on the hill station, which is situated 100 km from Mumbai.
According to the release, six Up and Down shuttle services of the heritage narrow gauge train will run between Matheran and Aman Lodge from Monday to Friday. On weekends, the service will increase to eight Up and Down trips each on Saturday and Sunday.
The narrow gauge line, which is more than 100 years old, traverses through the picturesque ghat section of Matheran, a popular holiday destination and weekend getaway for tourists, especially those from Mumbai and Pune.
The Neral-Matheran Light Railway, one of the few heritage mountain railways in India, has been in operation for 116 years. The toy train service, originally pulled by a steam engine, commenced in 1907. Construction of the Neral-Matheran railway began in 1904, and the two-foot gauge line opened to traffic in 1907.
