Around India In 80 Trains

In truth you need to take this train to Tinsukia and then take a passenger train from Tinsukia to Ledo to experience the truly beautiful stretch which ends at the tip of the railways. If you're feeling brave you could turn this into an epic journey by boarding the Dibrugarh Rajdhani at Delhi and enduring the 39-hour journey into Assam. Alternatively, break it up and hop on in New Jalpaiguri which is more advisable as NJP is a busy junction that also links up to the Darjeeling Toy Train - and that's a must.

Once in Assam vast stretches of emerald green paddy and tea plantations sweep out on both sides. Unlike south India’s greenery, this expanse is completely flat. As night falls the train travels over the Brahmaputra river on approach to Guwahati and crawls through city slum-dwellers unwinding for the night. Hop off the steps and you’ll land in someone’s cooking.

Find somewhere to stay for the night in Tinsukia and then board the passenger train to Ledo in the morning which blasts through awe-inspiring landscape before arriving at the end of the track having squeezed past the backs of people’s houses, so closely you can see what they’re eating for breakfast. Quite honestly, this was a visual feast of a journey, but remember to take some ear plugs - for some reason this train has a persistent and grating horn that sounds for the full 90 minute journey. Check out footage of this trip! here