TRAVEL SPECIAL .....Train Trips to Treasure

Train Trips to Treasure

Enjoy rhythmic rail clatter and the pleasant countryside along these select train routes in India

RELAX AND ENJOY

India boasts of the fourth largest railway network in the world. The well established network is the artery of the country that binds one end of the country to the other. A train journey is much more than commuting from one destination to another. You can avail a piece of culture and nature as the train meddles through the different states. The best part: you can glance through all this right from the comfort of your seat. Besides, a ride with the family also helps enjoy a bit of nostalgia. Here’s exploring a few handpicked scenic routes that offer a pristine piece of nature of our nation.

GOAN VIBE

THE GOAN ODYSSEY

Route: Vasco Da Gama - Londa It’s always difficult to choose between mountains and beaches. However, a train ride from Vasco da Gama to Londa, offers a bit of both right at your train window. The ride will have you glued to the window as the train embraces quaint villages, serene beaches and curves of the Western Ghats alike. But that’s not all; many nature enthusiasts take the trip to catch a glimpse of the Dudhsagar Waterfalls —one of India’s highest and most exquisite falls with its cascading water akin to milk. As Londa approaches, the sunset washes the landscape in warm hues. This tourist season, go sight-seeing into Goa by train, we say!

TEA ESTATES AHOY!

FLAVOURS OF ASSAM

Route: Guwahati - Lumding - Silchar The Silchar -Guwahati stretch received its first broad guage passenger train in 2015. The section runs through a distance of 210 kilometer, taking about eight hours. A ride along this route is the best way to enjoy the flavours of Assam. The train meddles through the valleys of Haflong and thereafter runs along the banks of River Jatinga. Thereafter the aromatic fragrances fill the air as the train traverses through the many adjoining tea estates dotting the Haflong Valley. The route extends southwards to Agartala.

THE WONDERS OF ARAKU VALLEY

Route: Visakhapatnam to Araku Valley At a distance of 120 km from Visakhapatnam lies Araku Valley, a hill station, situated at an elevation of 935 meters. The rail route allows enjoying a pleasant game of hide-and-seek with the verdant landscape as the train snakes through the 58 tunnels and over 84 bridges. The landscape is further heightened post monsoon. Post October the mist rolling over the fields and several coffee plantations enroute, give it a surreal touch. Furthermore, the route also cuts through caves and waterfalls.

THE DOOARS VOYAGE

Route: Siliguri - Newmal - Hasimara - Alipurduar This train route which recently converted to broad gauge from Siliguri (West Bengal) to Alipurduar (West Bengal) is a wildlife enthusiast and nature lover’s delight. You will see that the train slithers through notable wildlife sanctuaries that offer an unmatched piece of flora and fauna. It cuts through the dense and scenic patches of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Chapramari Forest, Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary and Buxa Tiger Reserve. To further heighten the two to four hour long route, Teesta and Sankosh Rivers cutting through with the Eastern Himalayas in the backdrop, render the journey complete.

KANYAKUMARI BLISS

Route: Mandapam - Pamban - Rameswaram The Pamban bridge, a sleek road and rail bridge, connects the main land of Indian peninsula to Rameswaram Island. Spanning across two kilometer, it is the second longest sea bridge in India after the 2.3-km Bandra-Worli sea link. The most fascinating aspect of the bridge is that the two leaves of the bridge open up to let ships to pass through. Until 1988, the Pamban bridge was the only link between Rameswaram and the mainland, thus transporting numerous pilgrims. As the train crosses the bridge, it runs particularly slow allowing you can enjoy the panorama of the sea. Many passengers stand at the doorway to catch a glimpse of the never ending water body.

Compiled by Shireen Kanchwala

ETTR 23NOV17