Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Mettupalayam Station

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway at Mettupalayam Station is the lower terminus of the 46 km UNESCO World Heritage mountain railway connecting Mettupalayam to Udagamandalam (Ooty) in the Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu. Built between 1899 and 1908, it uses the Abt rack-and-pinion system to climb steep gradients. The station is the starting point for the heritage toy train journey through tunnels, bridges and forested slopes, noted for its engineering and historic steam and diesel operation.

Visitors at Mettupalayam Station can expect a small heritage railway terminus with platforms, ticket counters and waiting areas where the narrow-gauge Nilgiri Mountain Railway originates. The main experience is boarding the toy train for the scenic uphill journey to Coonoor and Udagamandalam through 16 tunnels, over 250 bridges and viaducts, and through forested hills and tea-covered slopes. The station area allows viewing of the heritage locomotives, coaches and rack system before departure.