After a five-month hiatus due to the monsoon season, the Neral-Matheran Toy Train service, run by Central Railway, is finally back on track! Suspended on June 8, 2024, the toy train has resumed operations on November 6, 2024.
Neral to Matheran on the iconic Toy Train
The train makes three stops along the way: Jummapatti, Water Pipe, and Aman Lodge. No automobile is allowed beyond Aman Lodge. The tourists either walk, take a horse ride or board the toy train from here to reach Matheran.
It takes two and half hours to cover the distance of 20 km from Neral to Matheran. The train consists of six coaches, including three second-class, one first-class coach and two second-class-cum-luggage vans.
Train timings from Neral to Matheran:
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The first train departs from Neral at 8:50 am and reaches Matheran by 11:30 am.
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The second train departs from Neral at 10:25 am and reaches Matheran by 1:05 pm.
Train Timings from Matheran to Neral:
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The first train departs from Matheran at 2:45 pm and reaches Neral by 5:30 pm.
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The second train departs from Matheran at 4 pm and reaches Neral by 6:40 pm.
The Neral-Matheran train runs twice daily in both directions, while the Aman Lodge-Matheran shuttle operates multiple times a day. Six shuttles run between Aman Lodge and Matheran daily in both directions. On weekends, there are 8 shuttles available between the two stations.
Ticket prices
You can buy offline tickets at Neral, Aman Lodge or Matheran stations and here are the prices:
First class: ₹300 (₹180 for children)
Second class: ₹75 (₹45 for children)
A journey through the Western Ghats
Matheran at an altitude of 800 meters is a hill station of valleys, cliffs and waterfalls near Mumbai. The vehicle-free zone lies 110 km away from Mumbai on the Mumbai-Pune rail route. Notably, the Toy Train is only way to reach the plateau top of Matheran. The train services gets suspend during every monsoon from June to October.
The Neral to Matheran is a small gauge line of 2 feet that was constructed in the beginning of the 19th century. Today, Matheran Light Railway (MLR) is on UNESCO tentative list for Mountain Railways of India, and ardently visited by Indians and foreigners in large numbers, each year.
