Hop on, hop off trains to Shimla from October 25

Tribune News Service 
Chandigarh, October 21

Ambala Division is introducing a unique “hop-on, hop-off” service on the Unesco world heritage Kalka-Shimla section under which a passenger can board any coach of any train from any station. 

According to the rules for the “hop-on, hop-off ticket, a passenger can board any coach of any train subject to the availability of seats. One can board or de-board any train at any station.

However, the passenger is not entitled to avail of other value-added services on the train. The service is being started on October 25 for six months on a trial basis. 

The tickets are priced as per their validity period. 

For a validity of one day, the charges will be Rs 500 for an adult and Rs 250 for a child. For a validity of two days, Rs 800 will be charged for an adult and Rs 400 for a child. For a validity period of three days, Rs 1,000 will be charged for an adult and Rs 500 for a child.

At the time of booking, a passenger has to submit a photocopy of an ID proof. The original ID, a copy of which is submitted at the time of booking, has to be produced by the passenger on demand, failing which he will be treated as a passenger without a ticket. 

The tickets are non-transferrable and cannot be refunded. No concession is allowed on these tickets.  

 These tickets can be purchased from booking offices of any station on the Kalka-Shimla section. 

Unesco declared the Kalka-Shimla section as a heritage site in 2008. The railway line is 115 years old and was commissioned in 1903.

“With the introduction of this service, all places of tourists interest on the Kalka-Shimla section can be visited by a tourist on a single ticket,” said a spokesperson for the Ambala Division.