Darjeeling Himlayan Railway --- It is the first and still the most outstanding example of a hill passenger railway. Opened in 1881, it applied bold and ingenious engineering solutions to the problem of establishing an effective rail-link across a mountainous terrain of great beauty. It retains most of its original features intact. Built between 1879 and 1881, the railway is about 88 kilometres long. The journey offers breathtaking views of the mountains, valleys, forests, tea gardens and local villages on the way. Known as one of the engineering marvels, There are some peculiar features to be marked during the journey. The train passes through dense forest from Sukna and it chugs along the hill slopes and at places where a clear path is not available. The climb is through reverse and loops. There are 5 such reverses, 3 loops, the most famous being the Batasia Loop between Ghum and Darjeeling. Apart from this, the section has 5 major, 498 minor bridges and 177 unmanned level crossings. Its elevation level varies from about 328 ft at New Jalpaiguri to about 6,812 ft at Darjeeling. The line reaches the highest altitude at Ghum which is at 7,407 feet. It is indeed a journey of a life-time.