Kalka is a small town in Haryana, India, known for its railway station, which is the northern terminal of the Delhi-Kalka line constructed in 1898. The Kalka-Shimla railway line includes several notable stations such as Dharampur, Shoghi, and Tara Devi, each offering unique attractions and steep gradients. Despite high construction and maintenance costs, the railway remains a popular route for visitors traveling to Shimla.

1. Old Railway Stations around Kalka
Kalka –A small peaceful town located in the Panchkula district of Haryana , India derives its
name from the goddess Kali. Situated, in the foothills of the Himalayas it's a serene getaway to
the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. Offering a moderately pleasant climate this place is
one of the favourite stopovers for the visitors going towards Shimla. Hotels in Kalka are very
comfortable and offer a luxurious stay to its visitors with a delicious food menu.
Kalka railway station is the northern terminal of the Delhi-Kalka line of Northern Railway.The
railway was constructed by the Delhi-Ambala-kalka Railway company commencing in 1898.The
Kalka Shimla Railway charged a higher rate as compared to the other tariffs on the other lines,
because of the high cost that this project incurred during its execution. The cost almost doubled
from the estimated cost of 87 Lacs, and then the maintenance cost was high too. Anyways it was
a hard deal for the company to survive in such tough conditions and as a result the Government
had to buy it out on January 1,1906.
The site of this railway line offers a number of railway stations on the Kalka Shimla route. Here
are some of the stations you will be witnessing on your rail route :
Kandaghat -Approximately 37 miles from Kalka and at a height of 4667 feet above the sea level
this station is situated, from here the final ascent to Shimla starts.
Dharampur-Situated at a height of 4900 feet and at a distance of 20 miles from Kalka the
gradient here is very steep,whereas the railway requires having a flatter gradient and to achieve
the same the line develops into three loops at taksal, gumman and dharampur.This small town
also has a very famous hospital for the cure of tuberculosis and is connected very closely to the
station.
Shogi- Shoghi Railway station is located on the Kalka Shimla heritage narrow gauge railway
track of the Indian Railways. This station comes after the Kethlighat railway station while
travelling from Kalka (five kilometers),Shoghi is a small town near Shimla and a beautiful
destination in Himachal, it offers many hotels with the best of stay arrangements at reasonable
rates.
Tara devi railway station-The route after Dharampur leads the road route by taking shortcuts
and tunnels which helps in cutting down the travel time by one-fourth miles less than the
distance by road. Built back 260years ago the temple is Situated on Tara Parvat in the western
side of Shimla, the temple provides an overwhelming view of the mountains below and Shimla
town.
Salogra –A very small peaceful destination for serene view lovers the railway station falls on the
route to Shimla, but not all the trains make a stopover here. So, in case you are a travel fan ,
arrange your rail route accordingly.