Is the Kalka Shimla Railway rough?
The Kalka Shimla Railway may have the densest curve count of any famous railway on earth: about 900 curves in 96 km, the sharpest bending at 48 degrees, threaded through 102 tunnels in use. That is a direction change roughly every hundred metres, sustained for about five hours. If continuous winding is what sets you off, this is the maximal case; if you cope by watching the hills, it is one of the great rides.
Kalka to Shimla, India · about 5 hours · About 900 curves in 96 km
Key facts
- The Kalka Shimla Railway, UNESCO listed in 2008, has about 900 curves (sources count 869 to 919), the sharpest at 48 degrees, with 102 tunnels in use and over 850 bridges.
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Why the Kalka Shimla Railway moves you the way it does
The line zigzags up the Himalayan foothills gaining over 1,400 m, and its Edwardian builders simply followed the contours: hence a curve density modern railways never approach. The coaches are small and short-wheelbase, translating each of those hundreds of curves into a visible swing. Speeds are low, around 25 km/h averages, so no single curve loads you; the effect is metronomic left-right alternation for hours. Published counts of the curves vary between about 869 and 919, so we say about 900 and cite the UNESCO dossier.
The journey
- Operator
- Indian Railways
- Duration
- about 5 hours
- Windows
- Small heritage coaches
- Season
- Runs year round, with winter snow at the top
Riding the Kalka Shimla Railway? Set it up first
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A winding line is a bad place to go looking for an app. Put it on your phone before you board: Dizzout is a drug-free app that plays precisely calibrated audio through any headphones you already own, wired or Bluetooth, with relief in about 90 seconds. Free to try.
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What helps on board
- About 900 curves means there is no safe reading window: this is an eyes-out ride from Kalka to Shimla, and the foothill views make that the right call anyway.
- Use the longer station halts to stand on solid ground for a minute; five hours of continuous winding is an endurance dose.
- Board cool and lightly fed, and keep water handy; small heritage coaches warm up through the climb.
- Have relief ready for the late hours, when accumulated motion catches people: sound therapy through any headphones, drug-free, with relief in about 90 seconds.
Where to sit is its own question, answered properly in where to sit on a train for motion sickness. And for why trains set people off at all, from sway to reading to tilting stock, see the train motion sickness guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many curves does the Kalka Shimla Railway have?
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About 900 in 96 km; published counts range from 869 to 919 depending on how sidings and re-alignments are tallied. The sharpest curve bends at 48 degrees. It is the density, roughly one curve per hundred metres for five hours, that defines the ride.
Is it bad for motion sickness?
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It is the endurance version of winding: gentle forces, five hours, and virtually no straight track. Riders prone to car sickness on hill roads tend to feel it here too, and riders who manage by watching the landscape usually stay comfortable. The frequent stops help.
Does altitude play a part?
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Shimla stands a little over 2,000 m, high enough to feel on the stairs but not classic altitude sickness territory. On the train the winding is doing the work, not the elevation.
Other trains and lines
Sources & further reading
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Details on this page reflect published operator, heritage and engineering information as of September 2026; services, fleets and tilt settings change, so check with the operator before you travel. Train, route and operator names are trademarks of their respective owners; Dizzout is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Motion sickness sensitivity varies from person to person; this page is informational and not medical advice.