Neral-Matheran mini train to run again from October 30, two trips a day, ahead of Diwali

The Neral-Matheran mini train, a favourite with visitors from India and abroad, will return to its narrow gauge track on Friday, October 30. Central Railway has cleared the restart, which means tourists can ride up to the hill station during Diwali.

The service stops every year for the monsoon, from June to October, which works out to four to five months. The break is meant to keep passengers safe in the rains. It is generally counted from June 15 to October 15, and the train normally returns on October 15. This year it is coming back 15 days late. Tourists were unhappy when nothing ran on October 15, and sources had said the restart was likely towards the end of the month. Traders and visitors in Matheran are glad the train will be running before Diwali begins.

Two trains will run each day in both directions. Train No. 52103 leaves Neral at 8.50 am and reaches Matheran at 11.30 am. Train No. 52105 leaves Neral at 10.25 am and arrives at 1.05 pm. Coming down, Train No. 52104 leaves Matheran at 2.45 pm and gets to Neral at 5.30 pm, while Train No. 52106 departs at 4 pm and arrives at 6.40 pm. Tickets for both morning trains go on sale at the station one hour before departure.

One of the two trains will have six coaches: three second-class, one Vistadome coach for views of the hills, and two second-class-cum-luggage coaches. The other will also have six: three second-class, one first-class and two second-class-cum-luggage coaches.

The shuttle between Aman Lodge and Matheran will carry on as usual, with six trips each way daily. From Aman Lodge the departures are at 8.45 am, 9.35 am, 12 noon, 2.25 pm, 3.40 pm and 5.45 pm. From Matheran towards Aman Lodge, trains leave at 8.20 am, 9.10 am, 11.35 am, 2 pm, 3.15 pm and 5.20 pm. For the Saturday and Sunday rush, Central Railway has arranged two extra shuttle trips in each direction so that visitors are not inconvenienced.

The line opened between Neral Junction and Matheran in 1907, in British times, and covers 21 km on a narrow gauge route. The track is in good shape, since there has been no rain since September 15 this year.

Even so, the restart slipped. It has emerged that Central Railway is preparing some changes to traffic on the route, and this held up the start of passenger service. Engine repairs were another cause. The Neral loco workshop has eight diesel engines, and three of them were in poor condition. Work on five engines ran late, so the service could not begin on October 15.

The train is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and there is a push to make it more attractive to visitors. Fares do not cover what is spent on officers and staff to run it, but Central Railway will keep it going purely because of its heritage status.

No new trains have been announced. For the past two years only two passenger trains have run on the route, and Central Railway has not agreed to the demand for more trips, which is several years old. Hopes of additional passenger runs on the mini train have ended for now.