Dr. Ambedkar Nagar to Kalkund Heritage Train is a daily service between Dr. Ambedkar Nagar and Kalkund stations in Madhya Pradesh state, India. This route is very picturesque. PatalPani Waterfall is on this route. This waterfall is 91 meters or 300 feet in height.
The Patalpani waterfalls are at a distance of around eight kilometers from Mhow town.
Details on the Heritage Train
This heritage railway line was laid by the British arout140 years back. It is a meter gauge track. The heritage train was started on this route on the 25th of December, 2018. This route has four tunnels, 24 steep curves, and 41 bridges (both large and small).
Stations on the Heritage Train Route
PatalPani Station
The first station is a heritage station, PatalPani. It has got a heritage building and an old-age signal system. Wall paintings are there in this station. There is a small park close to the railway station here. You can get down and take snaps here. The train stops here for about 15 minutes or so.
Patalpani Waterfalls Station
The next stop is at Patalpani Waterfalls Station. The train stops at this station for an hour or so for the tourists to get down and visit the falls from a distance. You must walk around 200 meters to see the falls from a nearby ground. It takes approximately five minutes to reach the ground from where you can see the roaring falls.
You can enjoy the beauty of the falls from different angles. There are a few watchtowers also to see the beauty of the falls. You do not know where the water goes after it falls, and it is so steep that you cannot see it from the ground. Hence, it got the name PatalPani Falls. Patal, in many Indian languages, means underworld or hell. That means it cannot be seen. Pani in Hindi means water.
This fall is on Choral River, a tributary of River Narmada. The 120-meter-long bridge over the Choral River was rebuilt in 1974. The original bridge was constructed in 1876.
Indian Robinhood temple is also here. Tantia Bhil is the name of the Indian Robinhood, born in 1840. He fought against the British for the benefit of the tribal people. He was hanged in 1889. After sounding the horn, all trains slow down here. Otherwise, it is believed that accidents happen here. It looks like a superstition to some people.
Valley Viewpoint Station
The heritage train then stops at a valley viewpoint. There is no platform at this stop. It is not a railway station. You can see some villages, at a long distance. If you are willing to climb to a small hilltop, you can see the train from the top. Most tourists get down here for some snaps or selfies.
Kalkund Station
Kalkund is the next (or the last) station on this heritage train journey. Lunch, snacks, etc., are available opposite Kalkund railway station. There is a small river that flows close to this station. You can go and bathe in this river.
Kalkund is also a heritage station. The buildings, ticket counter, signal system, benches, fans, etc., are all from the bygone era.
At the Kalkund station platform, there is a snack stall selling some sweets since its inception 140 years ago.
Note: Sanawad railway station (station code is SWD) comes after Kalkund station. There are four daily passenger trains to Sanawad from Dr. Ambedkar Nagar. However, the trains to Sanawad railway station do not stop at the stops mentioned above, unlike the other heritage train service. Khandwa Junction railway station is the main station on this route, southeast of Sanawad.
Dr. Ambedkar Nagar to Kalkund Heritage Train Details
You can book your train tickets online through the IRCTC website. You can also buy the tickets at the ticket counter.
DADN is the station code for Dr. Ambedkar Nagar railway station, and KKD is the code for Kalkund railway station.
Second Sitting charges are Rs 20 per passenger. AC Chair car charges are Rs 265 per passenger. The charges are one-way. There are six second-sitting coaches. Ac Coaches are Vista dome coaches, numbering two.
The departure time at Dr. Ambedkar Nagar railway station is 11:05. It arrives at Kalkund station at 13:25.
The return journey starts at 15:30. In the return direction, there are no stops. Two engines are there for the return journey, as it needs to climb while returning. It takes around one hour to reach Dr. Ambedkar Nagar station from Kalkund station.
How do I Go to Dr. Ambedkar Nagar Station?
Dr. Ambedkar Nagar station is at Mhow town, in Mhow Tehsil of Indore revenue district. Dr. Ambedkar Nagar station is at a distance of 22 kilometers from Indore city. Indore International Airport is the nearest airport to access the heritage train.
Dr. Ambedkar Nagar station is connected to Indore railway station. The work on gauge conversion is going on to convert the meter gauge to a broad gauge.