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Information on connecting flights from London
Departures on Tuesday 10 February 2009
Air India – Heathrow departs 2230, to Calcutta arrives 1250 on 11 February
British Airways - Heathrow departs 1015 to Calcutta arrives 0115 on 11 February
We’ll meet both the above flights at Calcutta airport and take you to your hotel.
Wednesday 11 February
We’ll meet up at 1430 at our hotel, and we’ll take a short walking tour of the city centre to see some of the wonderful architecture dating back to the British Raj period.
Included: Airport transfers, walking tour, accommodation. Not included: meals, incidental expenses
Thursday 12 February
After an early breakfast, we’ll catch the NJP Express from Sealdah Station, running out via the Farakka Barrage on the Ganges and Malda, bringing us to New Jalpaiguri at the foot of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway at about 1920. We’ll be met by coach and taken to the Cindrella Hotel for a late dinner
Included: breakfast, coach transfers, rail travel, dinner, accommodation. Not included: other meals, incidentals
Friday 13 February
Our first day at the Cindrella. From here, we can decide which of many optional excursions we may wish to take. There’s the colourful bazaar, go to the wildlife reserve, reconnoitre the Darjeeling line and visit the DHR’s locomotive shed at Siliguri
Included: breakfast, dinner and accommodation. Not included: local transport, other meals, admission charges
Saturday 14 February
We’re expecting a joy train today from Siliguri Junction to Agony Point which we will chase by bus for photography. With advance notice, there is the option to ride it instead. Whilst the train waits at Agony Point, we will arrange a visit to Tindharia Works – this is where the little B class steam locomotives (and all the rest of the DHR’s stock is maintained) are maintained. As an alternative, it’s possible to visit the hill station of Mirik, or maybe a Buddhist monastery. For dinner, we’ll take our famed dinner charter train up from Siliguri to Rangtong – a good three course dinner whilst the ‘B’ class blasts its way up through the forest, then back to the Cindrella by bus.
Included: breakfast, bus for train chasing and transfers, dinner, accommodation. Not included: other local transport, other meals
Sunday 15 February
Our first charter train! We will travel up from Siliguri through the forest into the foothills. We hope our friends at Rangtong will give us a dance display, and we’ll pass through Tindharia, and to and fro across the face of the mountain via Mahanadi (steam is rare on this section) before we arrive at Kurseong. As usual, we will have a bus running just in front of the train for the photographers. The buses will then take us to our Kurseong hotel, the Cochrane Place, which has a railway theme.
Included: breakfast, coach transfers, charter train, dinner, accommodation. Not included: other meals
Monday 16 February
The day is free, but we have some options. It is possible to catch the morning ‘school train’ at 0600 for what should be a steam-hauled ride up to Darjeeling – spend the day there, and return by train at 1625. Alternatively, spend the day wandering round this busy town, photographing the service trains as they pass through, and finding some of the stunning views around this hill station. It is also possible to visit the Makabari tea estate, one of the oldest in the area, just down the hill from the hotel.
Included: breakfast, dinner, accommodation. Not included: local transport, sightseeing, other meals
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