Ghum, located in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, is the highest point on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. According to the official website of the Railway Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), the railway reaches an elevation of 7,407 feet at Ghum. UNESCO records Ghum’s elevation as 2,257.65 metres, while its World Heritage details describe it as approximately 2,258 metres.
The Ghum station is part of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), an approximately 88.48-kilometre-long railway line with a 2-foot (0.610-metre) gauge connecting New Jalpaiguri with Darjeeling. It is described as the highest railway station in the country. According to the Darjeeling district administration, the railway is popularly known as the Toy Train.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was constructed between 1879 and 1881. To lay a railway line across the steep mountainous terrain, engineers avoided taking a direct ascent and instead used zig-zag reverses and loops. The DHR has six zig-zag reverses and three loops, allowing trains to gain elevation gradually.
Ghum is the highest point on this railway line. After reaching Ghum, the line descends towards Darjeeling. According to an official RDSO document, Ghum stands at 7,407 feet, while Darjeeling station is located at approximately 6,812 feet. This means the train reaches its maximum elevation at Ghum before descending towards Darjeeling.
The West Bengal Tourism Department also places Ghum station at approximately 7,407 feet above sea level. At this elevation, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway journey looks markedly different from a conventional train journey across the plains. The train moves through mountain slopes, dense forests and changing weather conditions. At times, fog and clouds surround the mountainous areas, making the journey appear as though the train is passing through the clouds.
For railway and other competitive examinations and interview preparation, questions about such railway and general knowledge facts are often asked. Ghum’s status as the highest railway station in India makes it a notable fact associated with the country’s railway network and mountain engineering.
The key facts associated with India’s highest railway station are its elevation of approximately 7,407 feet, or 2,258 metres, above sea level; its location on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway; and the railway’s popular name, the Toy Train. The DHR began in 1881, stretches for approximately 88 kilometres and uses a 2-foot, or 610-millimetre, narrow gauge. It connects New Jalpaiguri with Darjeeling and passes through the mountainous terrain of the Darjeeling Himalayas. Ghum is located in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, and after Ghum, the railway line descends towards Darjeeling.
UNESCO states that the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway opened in 1881 and represents one of the early engineering efforts to establish railway communication in a mountainous region. Today, it forms part of the Mountain Railways of India and continues to operate as a historic railway, with Ghum marking the highest point of its route.
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