Journey to Shimla is most enjoyable when you travel by a toy train. The best train for this route is Shivalik Deluxe Express (52451).
The train on the meter gauge tracks all the way from Kalka to Shimla takes you to a whole new world of enjoyment.
It’s a 96-kilometer journey filled with twists and turns passing through valleys, waterfalls, mountains and numerous tunnels.
52451 Shivalik Deluxe Express Fare & Travel time
The most favorable thing about this train is its arrival time in Shimla.
The train sets out early in the morning at 5:45 AM from Kalka and reaches Shimla station at 10:35 AM, so you can, check in to your hotels in the morning and utilize your whole day in sightseeing or exploring the shopping areas of Shimla.
The travel time for this train is also very less.
It takes 4 hours and 40 minutes which is next best to Rail Motor – a single carriage train which operates occasionally with a huge rush for tickets.
The price of the ticket is quite reasonable and passengers are charged Rs 565 for the whole journey which includes snacks and water on board.
Shivalik Deluxe (Up) Train’s Food Menu
Travel is time is not only the best feature about Shivalik Deluxe but there are other things as well.
The food offered in the Shivalik Deluxe train is similar to the one we get in Shatabdi Express where at the breakfast they serve 1 Veg Cutlet, 2 pieces of brown bread, Butter and Jam, Ketchup Sachets.
They also offer a mineral water bottle to each passenger on board.
The catering also serves hot water in a thermos which you can use to prepare tea or coffee from tea bags or coffee sachets.
The train has no listed stops between the journey from Kalka to Shimla but it does stop at Barog station where passengers are served tea and subsequently breakfast at Solan.
Shivalik Deluxe’s Openable Windows
The bigger glass windows of this train offer a panoramic view of the scenery all through the journey and you can open them too.
The overhead luggage stand is absent in the train so you need to place your luggage below your seats which have enough height to adjust your belongings.
Shivalik Express Seating Arrangement
The seat arrangement inside the train is cleverly done.
You can, in fact, reverse the orientation of the seats to forward or backward towards the journey direction like the one you see in an animated meme.
The ambiance of the interior is excellent with all wooden work, curtains, portraits, and wall to wall carpeting.
Seating Layout Type
As soon you get inside the train, you can notice the 1X1 seating on one side and the 2X1 seat layout on the other sides. In all, 3 passengers are accomodated in any row.
The seat arrangement is overall very comfortable inside Shivalik Express. The foldable side table at the window side can be used to place bottles, eatables or similar kinds of stuff.
Each coach of Shivalik Express train has 18 passenger seats and there are 7-8 bogies attached.
