Short answer: Take a taxi if you want to reach Dharamshala quickly: about 88 km and 3 hours, from ₹1,056 for a sedan. Take the Kangra Valley toy train if the journey is the point. It is slow (most of a day), stops at Kangra Mandir rather than Dharamshala, and its timetable changes, so check the current status before planning around it.
If you arrive in Pathankot by train, you have a lovely choice to make. You can be in Dharamshala by breakfast in a taxi, or you can switch to one of the oldest mountain railways in India and spend the day rattling up the Kangra valley on a narrow-gauge line.
The Kangra Valley Railway
The narrow-gauge line from Pathankot to Joginder Nagar opened in 1929 and runs about 164 km across the valley. It crosses rivers on old steel bridges, goes through a couple of short tunnels and stops at tiny stations among fields and tea gardens. Kangra Mandir, Nagrota, Palampur (Maranda) and Baijnath Paprola are all on the line.
It is slow. It is meant to be. It is a wonderful thing to do once, especially with children who have never been on a small train.
But be aware:
- It does not go to Dharamshala. The closest stations are Kangra Mandir and Kangra, about 20 km below the town.
- Services have been disrupted in recent years. The Chakki river bridge near Pathankot was damaged in the 2022 floods, and parts of the line have run on a changed or reduced schedule since. Check the current status before building a trip around it.
- It is basic. Wooden or hard seats, no AC, and a toilet only on some coaches.
The taxi
From Pathankot Junction or Chakki Bank, a taxi to Dharamshala is about 88 km and takes around three hours. You cross the Chakki river into Himachal and run through Nurpur and Shahpur, past green fields with the Dhauladhar rising ahead.
| Toy train | Taxi | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | Most of a day | About 3 hours |
| Reaches Dharamshala | No (Kangra) | Door to door |
| Luggage | Tricky | Easy |
| Cost | Very cheap | From ₹1,056 (sedan) |
| Experience | Unforgettable | Comfortable |
See Pathankot to Dharamshala fares for SUV and Tempo Traveller prices.
How to do both
Our favourite way is to send your luggage ahead by taxi to your hotel. You ride the toy train for a stretch (say, from Nurpur Road or Jawanwala Shehar to Kangra Mandir), and our driver collects you at the other end. You get the experience without dragging suitcases on and off a tiny train.
Ask us when you book and we will plan it around that day’s timetable.
Our advice
- Elderly parents, small children, lots of bags: taxi.
- Rail lovers, photographers, slow travellers: toy train for a stretch, with a taxi for the bags.
- Arriving at night or in heavy rain: taxi, always.
Quick questions
How long does the toy train take from Pathankot to Kangra?
Several hours. It is a slow narrow-gauge line with many stops, so plan on most of a morning, and check the current timetable as services change.
Does the Kangra toy train go to Dharamshala?
No. The nearest stations are Kangra Mandir and Kangra, about 20 km below Dharamshala. You need a taxi or bus for the last stretch.
Written by the team at Ankush Travels, a tour and taxi company in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. We run these routes every week. Spotted something out of date? Tell us on WhatsApp.