Photo: ANKAN · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

GhumHeight above mean sea level 2,258 m

monastery town · Darjeeling Hills

India's highest railway station, Batasia Loop and an old monastery

Best Mar – May · Oct – Dec0–1 nights

Ghum is a small, often foggy town at 2,258 m, about 7 km from Darjeeling, on the saddle where the toy train tops out. It has India's highest railway station and its museum, Batasia Loop with the Gorkha War Memorial, and Yiga Choeling, the old Ghum monastery founded in 1850. See it in half a day from Darjeeling.

Ghum sits on the pass between the Darjeeling ridge and the road down to Kurseong and Siliguri. Every vehicle and every train going to Darjeeling crosses it, and many visitors see nothing but a foggy bazaar through the window. Stop, though, and Ghum gives you three of the best sights in the district within a couple of kilometres: the station, the loop and the monastery.

Ghum station, at 2,258 m, is the highest on India's railways. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway keeps a small museum in the old station building, and steam and diesel joyrides from Darjeeling stop here for half an hour so you can see it. Below the station, the line spirals over itself at Batasia Loop, with a memorial to Gorkha soldiers and, on clear days, Kangchenjunga behind.

Up a lane from the bazaar is Yiga Choeling, the old Ghum monastery, with a tall seated Maitreya, the future Buddha, inside a hall lit by butter lamps. Ghum is cooler and mistier than Darjeeling, and at night it can be close to freezing in winter. Most people visit on the way back from Tiger Hill at dawn, or on a toy-train joyride. Budget half a day and wear a warm layer.

Don't miss

Highlights of Ghum

Batasia Loop

The toy train spirals over itself round a garden on a hill, with the Gorkha War Memorial at the centre. On clear mornings Kangchenjunga stands behind the memorial and Darjeeling town spreads along the ridge. Entry is about ₹20–50, indicative 2026.

India's highest station

Ghum station, at 2,258 m, tops India's railway network. The old station building holds a small museum of engine parts, tickets, lamps and photographs from the line's first century.

Yiga Choeling monastery

Founded in 1850, the old Ghum monastery holds a tall seated image of Maitreya, the Buddha to come, surrounded by butter lamps, old texts and murals. It is a short walk up a lane from the bazaar.

Steam joyride from Darjeeling

The DHR's two-hour joyrides from Darjeeling stop at Batasia Loop and spend about half an hour at Ghum for the museum. Steam runs cost about ₹1,500–1,600 and diesel about ₹800–1,000, indicative 2026.

The Tiger Hill return

Most Tiger Hill sunrise cars stop at Ghum monastery and Batasia Loop on the way back to Darjeeling. Ask your driver to include both, so you see Ghum before the day's crowds.

Told in the hills

The top of the line

When Franklin Prestage's engineers pushed the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway up from the plains between 1879 and 1881, they had to lift a train from about 100 m at Siliguri to over 2,200 m at Ghum on a 2-foot gauge. They did it with tight curves, loops and zig-zag reverses, where the train runs forward, stops, and backs up a second line to gain height. Ghum was the summit; from here the line drops into Darjeeling.

The drop was too steep for comfort, so in 1919 the railway built Batasia Loop, a spiral where the track circles a hill and crosses over itself, easing the descent. The name is commonly explained from the Nepali 'batas', wind, because the spot is so exposed. In 1999 UNESCO listed the railway as a World Heritage Site, and Ghum station, with its museum, became the place to tell its story.

Pinned to the board

Did you know

Ghum station, at 2,258 m, is the highest railway station in India.

Batasia Loop was completed in 1919 to ease the steep descent from Ghum to Darjeeling.

Yiga Choeling, the old Ghum monastery, was founded in 1850 by Lama Sherab Gyatso and follows the Gelug school.

Things to do

Four ways to spend a day in Ghum

45 minutes Batasia Loop at first light Ghum · ₹20–50 entry, indicative 2026

45 minutes Yiga Choeling, the old Ghum monastery Ghum · Free; small donation welcome

30–45 minutes The railway museum at Ghum station Ghum · Small fee, or included in joyride ticket

2 hours Steam joyride from Darjeeling to Ghum Ghum · ₹1,500–1,600 steam, ₹800–1,000 diesel, …

Getting there

How to reach Ghum

Shared jeepAny shared jeep from Darjeeling's Chowk Bazaar stand heading to Siliguri, Kurseong, Mirik or Sukhiapokhri passes through Ghum. Ask to be dropped at Ghum bazaar: ₹30–60 a seat, 20–30 minutes, indicative 2026.

Reserved carMost visitors see Ghum on the Tiger Hill sunrise trip, with stops at Ghum monastery and Batasia Loop: ₹1,500–2,200 per car, indicative 2026. A short taxi from Darjeeling to Ghum and back costs about ₹600–1,000.

Rail / AirThe toy train is the classic way: joyrides from Darjeeling to Ghum and back take about two hours, and the daily NJP–Darjeeling train passes through. Bagdogra (IXB) is about 65 km away. Book trains on IRCTC and check current status before you travel.

Costs in Ghumindicative, 2026

Batasia Loop entry₹20–50
Toy train joyride Darjeeling–Ghum, diesel₹800–1,000
Toy train joyride Darjeeling–Ghum, steam₹1,500–1,600
DHR museum, Ghum stationSmall fee, or included in joyride
Shared jeep Darjeeling → Ghum₹30–60 a seat

Fares and fees change with fuel prices, season and local union rates. Check current rates before you travel.

Money-saving tip

Take the diesel joyride instead of steam if you just want the route: it stops at the same places, Batasia and the Ghum museum, for about ₹600 less per person.

Where to stay

Sleeping in Ghum

Ghum is best seen in half a day from Darjeeling, about 7 km away, where the choice of hotels is much wider: WBTDC's Darjeeling Tourism Property and Revolver for budget, Dekeling and the Bellevue for comfort, and the Windamere or Mayfair Hill Resort for heritage. A few simple lodges and homestays exist around Ghum and on the road to Lepchajagat, but Ghum is often in fog and is colder than Darjeeling, so most travellers are happier sleeping in town and coming out for the morning.

On the map

Drawn by Darjeeling Tour Plan from Natural Earth outlines (public domain). Borders as depicted by India. Not for navigation.

Next stations

Near Ghum

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Lepchajagat

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Festivals here

Losar · Feb–Mar, Tibetan new year (lu…Ghum Festival of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway · Late Nov–early Dec (2026 edit…

Questions people ask

Ghum: questions answered

How far is Ghum from Darjeeling

About 7 km, 20–30 minutes by road or roughly an hour by toy train with the Batasia stop. Shared jeeps heading to Kurseong, Siliguri or Mirik pass through Ghum for ₹30–60, indicative 2026.

Is Ghum the highest railway station in India

Yes. Ghum station on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway stands at 2,258 m, the highest on India's railway network. Its old building houses a small museum about the railway.

What is there to see in Ghum

Batasia Loop with the Gorkha War Memorial, the DHR museum at Ghum station, Yiga Choeling monastery founded in 1850, and Samten Choeling monastery nearby. All four fit into half a day, usually combined with Tiger Hill at dawn.

Should I stay in Ghum or Darjeeling

Stay in Darjeeling. Ghum is only 7 km away, much smaller, often foggy and colder. Darjeeling has far more hotels at every budget, plus restaurants and transport. Visit Ghum in the morning on the Tiger Hill trip or a joyride.

Why is Ghum always foggy

Ghum sits on a saddle at 2,258 m where moist air from the plains rises and cools, so cloud forms here often, especially from June to September and later in the day. Mornings from October to April give the best chance of clear views.

Is Batasia Loop worth visiting

Yes, for its mountain view, the Gorkha War Memorial and the chance to see the toy train circle the loop. It takes 30–45 minutes, costs ₹20–50, and is usually included on the Tiger Hill return trip or joyride.

Can I walk from Darjeeling to Ghum

Yes. It is about 7 km along Hill Cart Road beside the railway, mostly uphill from Darjeeling. Allow 1.5–2 hours. The road is busy with jeeps, so walk on the railway side with care and keep clear of trains. Take a shared jeep back.

How cold is Ghum

Colder than Darjeeling by 2–3 °C. Winter days are around 3–9 °C with nights near or below freezing, and summer days 12–17 °C. Fog and wind make it feel colder. Bring a jacket, gloves and a hat for early starts.

What is the best time to visit Ghum

October to December and March to April for clear mornings and mountain views. Go early in the day; fog often closes in by late morning. June to September is the wettest and foggiest time, though the museum and monastery are worth seeing in any weather.