Team-BHP - Kalka-Shimla railway track status

Any idea what is the state of Kalka-Shimla railway track in the recent rains.I will be travelling from New Delhi with my wife and Kid on September 1 and reach Shimla via Kalka on Sep 2.My travel agent jst called me to tell me that the kalka-shimla railway track is completely destroyed and will take some 3 months to repair.

Is that true?He also suggested me to take a cab from Delhi to Shimla.I had booked in cab from the same agent for my other trips from Delhi(Agra,Jaipur etc and shimla-Manali-chandigarh).
Can anybody confirm this?

I am a bit diappointed because I am going to Shimla only to experience a travel in the toy train from Kalka.

He is also saying that the railway station is in the outskirts of Kalka.And it will be difficult to get a cab etc.I am travelling with my wife and 1.5 yr old baby.So I don't want to face any trouble searching/bargaining for a cab in Kakla.

Thanks for your reply guys

Yeah,that is true.
Rail - track along with one station is completely gone between SOLAN & SHIMLA.
Better check with railways as the train might go till SOLAN.
Also you can get SHATABDI express till KALKA.
From KALKA/SOLAN get a cab for the further trip.You will end up with lesser fatigue.
DELHI - SHIMLA = 360km
KALKA - SHIMLA = 78 km

It is completely washed out near solan (some 300m).

Even otherwise, a friend of mine had gone to shimla. The baleno that took 2 hours going(chd-shimla), took EIGHT hours while returning, courtesy the landslides. She counted 70 of them before giving up, including some pretty bad ones :D

Things would be better now, but just be prepared for a longer bumpier journey :)

Although services have resumed, it is better not to take the toy train mentioned. I have been to Shimla many times, and the toy train goes at a very slow pace, and could take 8-10 hours. Of course you can see the scenery, but the scenery is OK from a cab also, which takes 4 hrs from Chandigarh, and 3 hrs from Kalka. Better take Shatabdi at around 730 AM from Delhi, reach Kalka at around 1130AM, take a cab to Shimla. Alternately, take Shtabadi to Chandigarh, and a cab/bus onwards.

I went to Shimla in June in a hired Innova. But I think the Govt. of HP has now changed the rules. Because most people hire commercial cabs from their home town to Shimla, they do local sightseeing in their home town cabs/private cars. This hurts the local/HP cab operators. So I think the Govt. has now decided that no commercial cabs will be allowed to do local sightseeing in Shimla. I thnik it means that you can drive your cab to the Shimla hotel, and from there your commercial cab cannot show you around Shjimla. Shimla involves a lot of walking, since the mall is totally vehicle free.

I am really sorry that you are going to Shimla just for the toy train. But that is luck. It is perhaps risky. Better check from Bangalore before planning for a toy train. Also while bus is easy from Kalka, I would recommend a cab from Chandigarh, which is only 30-40 kms from kalka.

The services have been resumed and as mentioned earlier by Vasudeva, the train does take a lot of time to complete the journey. Me being from Shimla would stromgly recoomend you to not to travel by train in the rainy season.
You can take the Shatabdi from Delhi till Chandigarh. From Chandigarh you can hire a cab. It will cost you not more than Rs 1600 for innova or indica (one side drop).

Another option is a volvo from delhi but you need to book it in advance since its the peak season.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayankk (Post 5498582)

Anybody has any current update on the status of the Kalka Shimla route

It remains operational but the journey is long and after a while, it might get boring. There is a Rail-Motor (4 Hours) but it leaves very early. There are other trains (5-1/2 Hours) that are connected with incoming Shatabadi/ Kalka- Howrah. I see Six trains from Kalka.

Quote:

Also, how easy/difficult is it to get to the station in Kalka, from the regular train station?

Same station, just a different part. Have a look here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNz88h4uwPc

Quote:

Cabs are easy to arrange at the Shimla end to get to a hotel on mall road?

If I recollect, the station is almost on the mall road. You simply walk or take a porter if you have luggage.