Toy train · Rangpo
Following the Sivok–Rangpo railway works
Sikkim's first railway is being built along the Teesta gorge from Sivok to Rangpo, about 45 km, mostly in tunnels. From the NH10 road you can glimpse portals, bridges and the Rangpo station site. It was still under construction at the time of writing.
Sikkim has never had a railway. The Sivok–Rangpo line is meant to change that: about 45 km from Sivok, near the mouth of the Teesta gorge above Siliguri, to Rangpo on the Sikkim border, with most of the route running through tunnels cut into the unstable hillsides along the river. Intermediate stations are planned along the valley, and a later extension towards Gangtok has been proposed. Rangpo is the terminus of this first stage.
Work has gone on for many years, and opening dates have slipped more than once, with the difficult geology of the gorge and the October 2023 flood among the reasons. At the time of writing there were no passenger trains. Check current status before you travel, and be wary of anyone selling tickets or tours on the line. For now, NJP remains the nearest railway station to Gangtok, about 85–90 km from Rangpo.
If you are interested in the project, you can see parts of it from NH10 on the drive between Sevoke and Rangpo: tunnel portals in the hillside, bridge piers over side streams, and the station works at Rangpo. Watch from public roads only, and do not enter construction sites or stop on blind bends to take photographs. Ask your driver; many know exactly where the portals are.
Cost: Free
Questions people ask
Good to know
Is the Sivok–Rangpo railway open?
At the time of writing the Sivok–Rangpo railway was still under construction, with no passenger trains running. Target dates for opening have been moved several times. Check current status before you travel. Until it opens, NJP near Siliguri is the nearest railway station for Sikkim.
How long is the Sivok–Rangpo railway line?
The line is about 45 km long, running from Sivok near Siliguri up the Teesta valley to Rangpo on the West Bengal–Sikkim border. Most of it runs through tunnels because the hillsides along the Teesta are steep and unstable.
Will the railway reach Gangtok?
An extension from Rangpo towards Gangtok has been proposed as a later stage, but the first stage ends at Rangpo. There is no firm date for any line to Gangtok. For now, travellers reach Gangtok by road from NJP, Siliguri or Bagdogra.
