Himalayan Railways & Bengal Delta: A 15-Day Rail Journey Across Two Countries

There are trains that get you somewhere, and there are trains that are the somewhere. This journey is built entirely from the second kind.

Over 14 nights, this expedition strings together three railways, two countries, and more than a century of railway history — from a UNESCO World Heritage narrow-gauge line clawing its way up into the Himalayas, through the tram-lined streets of colonial Kolkata, to the sleeper trains and river ports of the Bengal delta. It's a route almost no UK operator offers, because almost no one else has the access, the contacts, or the reason to attempt it.

If you've ever wanted a holiday that reads like a railway enthusiast's dream itinerary — private charters, workshop visits "subject to permission," a paddle steamer, three overnight trains — this is it.

Part One: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (Days 1–4)

The journey opens gently — a private diesel charter from New Jalpaiguri to Siliguri Junction as the sun goes down — before the real climb begins.

Day two is the heart of it: a full day aboard a private charter working its way up through Tindharia's famous zigzags and loops, one of the most dramatic stretches of narrow-gauge railway anywhere in the world. A thali lunch and an exclusive visit to the historic Tindharia Railway Workshop break up the climb, before the charter continues on to Kurseong for the night.

The following morning finishes the ascent — through Tung and Sonada, past Ghum, the highest railway station in India, and around the celebrated 360° sweep of the Batasia Loop into Darjeeling itself.

Toy Trains carrying wagons with goods uphill

A free day in Darjeeling follows, with Tiger Hill at sunrise for Kanchenjunga views, a working tea estate, and — for those who haven't had enough of the railway yet — an optional steam-hauled joy ride from Darjeeling to Ghum and back over the Batasia Loop.

Part Two: Kolkata (Days 5–6)

A flight from Bagdogra drops the journey into an entirely different register: the colonial grandeur of Kolkata. A full day with a private guide takes in the Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, a ride on one of Asia's oldest tram networks, and the color and chaos of the Mullick Ghat flower market — with free time for Kumartuli's potters' quarter or the second-hand bookstalls of College Street.

A grand throwback to Kolkata's Colonial Charm

Part Three: Bangladesh by Rail (Days 7–15)

This is the stretch that makes the trip genuinely rare. A flight to Dhaka is followed by a paddle steamer on the Buriganga River, and the next morning brings a look behind the scenes at Kamalapur Railway Station and its diesel shed — again, "subject to permission," and again, a rare look for the railway enthusiast most operators simply don't offer.

A paddle steamer on the Buriganga River, Dhaka

From there, the trip turns into a string of train journeys that double as the adventure themselves:

• The Sonar Bangla Express to Chittagong, through paddy fields and river country

• A cruise to Maheshkhali Island and the centuries-old Adinath Temple, from a base at Cox's Bazar — the world's longest unbroken sea beach

• An overnight sleeper on the Paharika or Udayan Express into the hills of Sylhet — one of the most atmospheric train journeys in the country

• A day exploring the Ratargul Swamp Forest by boat and the Tamabil–Dawki border crossing with India

• The Upaban Express to Srimangal, the tea capital of Bangladesh, for rainforest, a Khasia village visit, and seven-layer tea

• A final run back to Dhaka on the Parabat or Jayantika Express, before departure

The Sonar Bangla Express, A metre line en route to Chittagong

A tea estate in the hills near Sylhet

Arriving into the hills of Sylhet

Three countries' worth of railway heritage, four named express trains, and a journey that never once feels like it's just getting you from A to B.

Why this route, and why now

Heritage rail travellers have plenty of options for Darjeeling alone, and plenty of options for Bangladesh alone. What doesn't exist elsewhere is the combination — a single, connected expedition that treats the railway itself as the thread holding together mountains, colonial cities, jungle, coastline, and borderland.

This departure runs as a single date in January, with limited capacity. If a journey built entirely around trains — including several most travellers have never heard of, let alone ridden — sounds like your kind of holiday, this is the one to book before the date fills.

Interested in joining the January departure? Get in touch for the full itinerary, pricing, and availability.