Nilgiri Mountain Railway ~ Ooty Toy Train
The ✅ Nilgiri Mountain Railway toy train / Ooty Toy Train is the highlight of a visit to the popular hill station of Ooty, in south India’s Tamil Nadu state. Established in the early 19th century by the British as the summer headquarters of the Chennai government, Ooty now draws tourists wanting to escape the stifling summer heat. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway toy train details including Regular train services, how to book the tickets, new trains, route features, etc are here.
Nilgiri Mountain Railway : Cancellation of Trains Upto 29.10.2026
Southern Railway announced that the Nilgiris region is experiencing heavy rainfall, causing landslides at several locations. Boulders and mud have fallen onto the railway tracks, while trees have also fallen across the tracks, obstructing train operations. Due to these conditions, the following Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) passenger trains have been cancelled.
- Train No. 56136 Mettupalayam–Udagamandalam Passenger Train, scheduled to depart from Mettupalayam at 07:10 hrs on 27, 28 and 29 October 2026, has been cancelled.
- Train No. 56137 Udagamandalam–Mettupalayam Passenger Train, scheduled to depart from Udagamandalam at 14:00 hrs on 27, 28 and 29 October 2026, has been cancelled.
Railway personnel are working to remove the obstructions and restore train services. However, continuous rainfall is hampering restoration work, and the difficult terrain poses significant challenges. Despite the adverse weather conditions, railway staff are making every effort to clear the tracks and resume train operations.
Route Features
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is 46 kilometers (28.5 miles) long. It passes through many tunnels, and over hundreds of bridges (about 30 of them are large ones). The railway is particularly picturesque because of the surrounding rocky terrain, ravines, tea plantations, and thickly forested hills. Coonoor, with its world famous teas, is a tourist destination in itself. The most spectacular scenery and best views are situated along the stretch from Mettupalayam to Coonoor. Hence, some people prefer to only travel along this part.
How to Reach Mettupalayam
Coimbatore is the closest city to Mettupalayam. It’s located about an hour south and has an airport that receives flights from all over India.
The daily 12671 Nilagiri (Blue Mountain) Express train from Chennai arrives in Mettupalayam at 6.15 a.m. and connects with the toy train’s morning departure. (It also connects with the toy train’s evening arrival in Mettupalayam on the return journey). The Nilagiri Express stops in Coimbatore at 5 a.m. on the way, so it’s possible to take this train from there to Mettupalayam. Alternatively, a taxi will cost about 1,200 rupees ($18).
Frequent buses run from Coimbatore to Mettupalayam, starting from 5 a.m. There are also regular passenger trains between the two places during the day. You’ll find a few decent budget hotels in Mettupalayam if you want to stay there overnight to catch the toy train the next morning. However, better accommodations are available in Coimbatore.
Booking Details
Reservations for travel on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway can be made at Indian Railways computerized reservation counters or on the Indian Railways website. It’s advisable to book as far ahead as possible, particularly during the peak summer season from April to June, Indian festival season (especially around Diwali vacation), and Christmas. The train fills up months in advance for these times.