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Route · Kurseong & Mirik
Siliguri to Kurseong is about 35–50 km depending on the road: 1.5–2 hours by the steep Rohini road or 2–2.5 hours by the old Hill Cart Road past Tindharia. Shared jeeps cost ₹150–200 a seat; the toy train takes much longer and runs only when the line is open.
| From | To | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SILIGURI | KURSEONG | Shared jeep | 1.5–2.5 h | ₹150–200 |
| SILIGURI | KURSEONG | Reserved car | 1.5–2 h | ₹2,000–2,800 A C |
| SILIGURI | KURSEONG | Toy train | 5–6 h when running | CHECK IRCTC; VAR |
From our route pages. Fares change with fuel prices, season and demand: check current status before you travel.
Jeeps leave from the Hill Cart Road stands near Siliguri Junction and the Tenzing Norgay bus terminus when full, from about 7 am to mid-afternoon. Most use the faster Rohini road. Ask for a front seat if you get carsick, and keep small notes for the fare.
A car from NJP, Bagdogra or Siliguri can stop where you like: at Tindharia for the railway loops on the old road, or at a tea garden. Agree whether the driver will take Rohini road or Hill Cart Road, and travel in daylight.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway climbs from NJP through Sukna, Rangtong, Tindharia and Gayabari to Kurseong, with loops and zig-zag reverses. Lower-section services have been suspended for long periods by landslides at Pagla Jhora and Tindharia. Book on IRCTC and check current status before you travel.
Local tip: Take the Hill Cart Road one way to see Tindharia and Pagla Jhora, and the Rohini road the other way to save time.
Questions people ask
Rohini road is shorter and faster, about 1.5–2 hours, but very steep with tight hairpins. Hill Cart Road is longer, 2–2.5 hours, and follows the toy train past Tindharia and the Pagla Jhora landslide zone. Landslides sometimes close one; drivers choose the open road on the day.
Pagla Jhora, roughly 'mad stream', is a stretch of Hill Cart Road and the toy train line below Kurseong where a torrent runs down an unstable slope. It has caused repeated landslides; one in 2010 cut the railway and helped suspend lower-section train services for years. Pass through quickly and do not stop on the slide.
The first jeeps usually leave around 7 am and run until mid-afternoon, leaving when full. Morning departures fill fastest. After about 3–4 pm they become scarce, and you may have to reserve a whole car.
Yes, by reserved car, about 2 hours, ₹2,000–2,800. For a cheaper option, take a shared auto or taxi to Siliguri (about 30 minutes) and then a shared jeep to Kurseong for ₹150–200.
Plan with a local
Where you want to go, how many of you, and roughly what you want to spend a day. A planner who lives in these hills replies within one working day with a route and every rupee written down.