The Ooty Toy Train — Timings, Fares and How to Actually Get a Seat
A UNESCO World Heritage mountain railway, four departures a day from Ooty, and one booking rule that decides whether you ride it or watch it leave.
In short
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway leaves Ooty for Coonoor at 09:26, 12:26 and 17:41, with train 56137 at 14:00 continuing to Mettupalayam. Second class is ₹140–295 and first class ₹600–1,100. IRCTC booking opens 60 days ahead, and first class is a single carriage of 8 to 16 seats per train, so book second class — the view is identical.
Reviewed 20 September 2026 · timings and fares re-checked each quarter against IRCTC; suspensions for track work are notified separately
Departures from Ooty
Southern Railway services down the hill. Journey time to Coonoor is between 49 and 55 minutes for 19 km, which tells you most of what you need to know about the gradient.
| Train | Departs Ooty | Arrives Coonoor | Goes on to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56139 | 09:26 | 10:20 | Terminates at Coonoor |
| 56142 | 12:26 | 13:15 | Terminates at Coonoor |
| 56137 | 14:00 | — | Continues to Mettupalayam |
| 56140 | 17:41 | 18:35 | Terminates at Coonoor |
Departures from Coonoor up to Ooty
The uphill leg, for travellers staying in Coonoor or those combining the train with a road transfer in one direction.
| Departs Coonoor | Arrives Ooty | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| 10:40 | 11:55 | 1 h 15 |
| 13:30 | 14:45 | 1 h 15 |
| 16:00 | 17:15 | 1 h 15 |
Fares, and where they sit
Per person, varying by train and by quota. The gap between the two classes is not a gap in the experience.
| Class | Fare | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Second class | ₹140 – 295 | Wooden bench seating, windows that open, most of the train |
| First class | ₹600 – 1,100 | One carriage of 8 to 16 seats per train, padded seating, the same windows and the same view |
Book second class. We mean it.
This is the advice we give on the phone several times a week and it is the opposite of what an upsell would say. First class on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway is one carriage of eight to sixteen seats attached to each train. It costs four to five times the second class fare. It has softer seats. It has exactly the same windows, exactly the same gradient, exactly the same tea slopes going past at walking pace, and exactly the same 55 minutes.
Because there are so few of those seats, they disappear within hours of the 60-day IRCTC window opening in the April to June season, which means travellers who set their heart on first class often end up with nothing at all. Book second class the day the window opens and you will almost always get it. The experience is the ride.
How to book, and the fallback if you missed it
Count back 60 days
IRCTC's advance reservation window opens 60 days before the travel date. Put a reminder in your phone for that morning. For April, May and the last fortnight of December, this is not optional.
Book in the traveller's own name
Indian Railways tickets carry passenger names, so we cannot book them for you and neither can any tour operator. Use the IRCTC website or app, and carry the ID you booked with.
Pick the leg, not the round trip
Most people should ride one direction and drive the other. The 09:26 down to Coonoor on your departure morning is the best use of it, because the car carries your luggage down while you take the railway.
If it is sold out: the counter quota
Small quotas are sometimes released at the station counter on the day. Arrive by about 08:30 for the 09:26 and be prepared to be turned away — it is a genuine chance, not a plan.
If that fails too
Ride the Coonoor to Ooty leg instead, which is usually easier to get, or take the road and put the money into a tea estate visit. The drive down the 14 bends is not a consolation prize.
Which section is the famous one
The line runs Mettupalayam to Coonoor to Ooty, and the two halves are different railways. The Mettupalayam to Coonoor section is the rack-and-pinion climb, the steepest part, the engineering that got the line its World Heritage listing, and the reason the whole ascent takes several hours. The Coonoor to Ooty section is ordinary adhesion track through tea country: gentler, prettier in a domestic way, and much shorter at 19 km.
If you want the engineering, ride up from Mettupalayam — and plan a whole morning for it, with a car meeting you at the top. If you want an hour of tea slopes with children and a departure-day itinerary that still works, ride Ooty to Coonoor. Most of our guests take the second option, and the ones who take the first are usually railway enthusiasts who already knew they were going to.
Practical notes from people who wait at the other end
On the day
- Arrive at the station 30 minutes early; boarding is not orderly
- Sit on the left going down from Ooty for the valley side
- It is cold at 09:26 in December and January — 6 to 8°C on an open carriage
- There is no catering; carry water, and keep the plastic ban in mind
- The Mettupalayam level crossing holds road traffic for eight to ten minutes when a train is due
Combining it with a car
- Ride one leg, drive the other — the driver takes your luggage
- Ooty to Coonoor on the departure morning is the neatest fit for a 2N/3D trip
- For a Coimbatore start, we can drop you at Mettupalayam and meet you at the top
- Toy train passengers are exempt from the Nilgiris e-pass; the car you hire is not
- Second class at ₹140 to ₹295 costs less than the taxi for the same 19 km
Questions we answer daily
What time does the Ooty toy train leave?
Ooty to Coonoor departures are 09:26 arriving 10:20, 12:26 arriving 13:15, and 17:41 arriving 18:35, with train 56137 leaving at 14:00 and continuing down to Mettupalayam. Coming up, trains leave Coonoor at 10:40, 13:30 and 16:00.
How much is an Ooty toy train ticket?
₹140 to ₹295 in second class and ₹600 to ₹1,100 in first class, varying by train and quota. Second class is the better buy: first class is a single carriage of 8 to 16 seats with the same windows and the same view for four to five times the price.
How far in advance can I book the Nilgiri Mountain Railway?
Sixty days, through IRCTC. In the April to June season the first-class carriage sells out within hours of the window opening, and second class fills over the following days. Book on the morning the window opens for peak dates.
Can a travel agent book toy train tickets for me?
No. Indian Railways tickets are issued against passenger names and ID, so you book them yourself on IRCTC. We plan the day around whichever leg you get, drive your luggage to the other end and meet you at the platform.
What if the toy train is fully booked?
Try the station counter quota — small numbers are sometimes released on the day, so arrive by about 08:30 for the 09:26. Otherwise ride the Coonoor to Ooty leg, which is usually easier to get, or take the road down the 14 bends and spend the time on a tea estate instead.
How long is the Ooty to Coonoor toy train journey?
About 49 to 55 minutes to cover 19 km going down, and around 1 hour 15 minutes coming back up. The road takes 45 to 60 minutes for the same distance, so the train is not slower in any way that matters.
Is the toy train suitable for small children?
Very. It is the single most popular thing we arrange for families: under an hour, windows that open, and no seatbelts to argue about. Dress them warmly for the early departure — it is 6 to 8°C on the December and January mornings.
Do toy train passengers need the Nilgiris e-pass?
No, toy train passengers are exempt, as are all rail arrivals. If you hire a car once you are in the district, the pass attaches to that vehicle rather than to you, and we file it free against its registration number.
Fit it into a trip
- Travel guide Where the railway fits
- Ooty and Coonoor tour The train as one leg
- 2N/3D itinerary The 09:26 on departure day
- From Coimbatore Mettupalayam drop and meet
- With children The stop they will remember
- Best months Clearest views from the carriage
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