The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) has registered a significant rise in earnings and passenger footfall between April and December 2025 — the first nine months of the current fiscal year — by generating a revenue of around ₹19 crore, higher than the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
Officials of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), which operates the mountain railway — a Unesco world heritage site — said the iconic toy train witnessed a sharp increase in passengers during the period.
“We have recorded earnings of ₹19.29 crore from April to December 2025. During this time, around 1.64 lakh passengers have availed different services of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR),” said Rishabh Choudhary, the DHR director, on Thursday.
During the same period last year, DHR had earned approximately ₹16.73 crore, with about 1.39 lakh passengers travelling on the heritage railway, officials said.
The century-old Himalayan railway continues to attract both domestic and international tourists as well as residents of the hills.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was declared a Unesco world heritage site in 1999 in recognition of its historical significance, engineering marvel and strong social connection to the region.
Railway officials attributed the growth in revenue and footfall to the introduction of new attractions, innovative services and increased engagement with local communities.
“We are constantly exploring new ideas by introducing additional services, attractive ride options and organising regular events to promote this world heritage site of the Northeast Frontier Railway. These initiatives have contributed to the rise in earnings and record footfall,” Choudhary said.
Apart from its regular passenger services between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, DHR operates around 12 daily joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom.
It recently introduced a Jungle Safari, a short-distance day trip in association with a private agency and new services from Kurseong and Darjeeling.
“We will continue our efforts to diversify our services and enhance visitor experience to sustain the railway’s growing popularity,” said an official of NFR.