Himachal Pradesh
Shimla
Toy train, Ridge walks and the old summer capital
About Shimla
Shimla still wears its colonial past on the surface: the Ridge, Christ Church, the Gaiety Theatre and the Viceregal Lodge, with a toy-train line that climbs through 100-odd tunnels to reach it. Walk ten minutes off Mall Road and it becomes a hill town of steep lanes, old bakeries and deodar forest — and Kufri, Chail and Narkanda are close enough to turn a weekend into a proper break.
- Best time to visit
- March to June for cool days, December to February for a chance of snow, and September to November for clear air after the rains.JFMAMJJASOND✓ November is a great time to go
- How to reach
- Chandigarh is the nearest big airport and railhead (about 4 hrs by road). The narrow-gauge toy train from Kalka takes about 5–6 hrs and is worth the time.
- Trips start & end at
- Shimla Railway Station, the ISBT bus stand, or Chandigarh with a transfer charge
Pick 2, 3 or 5 days — stay, food and travel included