Last Updated on: 17th February 2025, 07:41 pm
Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh state in northern India.
In 1864, Shimla (then spelt Simla) was declared the summer capital of British India. It is the cooler climate of the foothills of the Himalayas that attracted the British.
Below is my selection of the top attractions in Shimla India.
Kalka Shimla Railway
One of the main reasons to visit Shimla is to take a trip to get there (or back) on the Kalka Shimla Railway (KSR).
The Kalka Shimla Railway is one of the three railways which constitute the Mountain Railways of India World Heritage Site.
“The Mountain Railways of India are outstanding examples of hill railways. Opened between 1881 and 1908 they applied bold and ingenious engineering solutions to the problem of establishing an effective rail link across a mountainous terrain of great beauty. They are still fully operational as living examples of the engineering enterprise of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.” [1]
This narrow-gauge railway was built over difficult terrain to connect Shimla with the rest of the Indian rail system and was opened in 1903. There are currently 102 tunnels and hundreds of major and minor bridges.
We flew into the city of Chandigarh in the late afternoon of the day before our train ride. A pre-booked driver picked us up at our hotel at 04:15 in the morning to take us to Kalka. The road was already busy at that time of the morning as truck-drivers started out for the day. We got to the spotlessly clean Kalka Station at 05:00, well in time for the 05:30 train. The train however left an hour late as it waited for the Kalka Mail to arrive all the way from Calcutta.
Different train options are available depending on the time you travel, but there are a limited number of trains per day as the railway is a single track and the journey is slow. The +- 96 km (60 mi) journey took 5.5 hours including a stop at a station en route to allow down-coming trains to cross. The change in altitude is 1420 m (2076 m – 656 m) / 4658 ft (6810 ft – 2152 ft).
We were on the Shivalik Deluxe Express and travelled first class. Tea and breakfast were served. Read about how to avoid Delhi belly.
There was a good-natured atmosphere on the train, and it was a most enjoyable trip with great views of the forested hills and mountains as well as stations, villages and towns.
If we had the time, I would have preferred to take the train back to Kalka from Shimla. The car ride down was terrifying!
Jakhu Temple and the Statue of Hanuman
This attraction is documented in the post: Jakhu Temple in Shimla India and the Monkeys.
The Mall and The Ridge
Mall Road is Shimla’s main street featuring many shops and eateries. It is one level below Ridge Road which extends into a large open area, The Ridge. Christ Church is situated on The Ridge.
Most of the heritage buildings featuring ‘Tudorbethan’ architecture are to be found in the Mall – Ridge area.
A level below Mall Road is Lower Bazar with more shopping opportunities in a vibrant atmosphere.
All the roads mentioned here are pedestrian friendly.
References:
- https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/944/ retrieved 20210130
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Jakhu Temple in Shimla India and the Monkeys