The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a narrow-gauge 'toy train' climbing from the plains at Mettupalayam up through forested hillside to Ooty, its steep gradient requiring a rack-and-pinion system on the most demanding sections, an engineering feat considered remarkable for its time. The roughly five-hour journey passes through numerous tunnels and bridges, offering sweeping views over tea plantations and forested valleys along the way.
Still operating on largely original steam and diesel locomotives, the railway offers a genuinely old-fashioned travel experience, and completing the journey — rather than simply driving up to Ooty by road — is considered by many visitors an essential part of experiencing the Nilgiris properly, the slow pace allowing full appreciation of the changing mountain scenery.
Completed in 1908 after considerable engineering challenges, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway was inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage 'Mountain Railways of India' listing in 2005, recognised for its exceptional engineering achievement in navigating the steep Nilgiri terrain.
October to March, though the railway operates year-round.
Departs from Mettupalayam, about 40km from Coimbatore, reaching Ooty after roughly 5 hours.
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