Matheran from Mumbai (2026): Toy Train, Viewpoints and How to Get There

Travel Essentials · Discover Mumbai Team · 1 October 2026 · 4 min read

Matheran is a small hill station 800 metres up in the Western Ghats, about 90 km from Mumbai, and it is unlike anywhere else near the city: cars, taxis and motorbikes stop at the edge of town, and inside you walk, ride a horse or take a small electric rickshaw along red-earth paths through forest. The name means “forest on the forehead” in Marathi, and the plateau is ringed by more than two dozen viewpoints looking out over the ghats and, on clear days, towards Mumbai.

It works as a long day trip and is better as one night, when you can see sunrise from the points before the day-trippers arrive.

The short version

Getting there: a local train from CSMT or Dadar to Neral, about two hours, then a shared taxi up the ghat road to the Dasturi car park, then the last stretch on foot, by horse, by e-rickshaw or on the toy-train shuttle.
Time needed: a full day, or a night
Best time: October to May. In the monsoon the hill is green and wrapped in cloud, but it is very wet, the views vanish into mist and the full toy-train service stops.
Good to know: Matheran is an eco-sensitive zone. There is a small entry fee at Dasturi, and vehicles are not allowed beyond it.

Getting there in detail

Train to Neral. Karjat-bound local trains from CSMT and Dadar stop at Neral, on the Central line. Avoid the morning rush hour on weekdays; an early start on a weekend is easiest.
Neral to Dasturi. Shared taxis wait outside Neral station and climb the winding ghat road to the Dasturi car park in about 20 to 30 minutes. This is where vehicles stop and the entry fee is collected.
Dasturi to the town. It is about 2.5 km to the market and most hotels. Walk it (40 minutes or so, mostly gentle), hire a horse, take an e-rickshaw, or catch the toy-train shuttle from Aman Lodge, the small station just beyond Dasturi.

The toy train

The Matheran Hill Railway is a narrow-gauge line that climbs 21 km from Neral to Matheran in a long series of loops and switchbacks, and it is on UNESCO’s tentative list of World Heritage Sites. The full journey takes over two and a half hours, slower than the taxi and far more beautiful.

Central Railway suspends the full Neral–Matheran service every monsoon; in 2026 it is off until 15 October. The short shuttle between Aman Lodge and Matheran keeps running through the year, and is a good way to ride the line if the full service is suspended or sold out. Seats on the full run go quickly at weekends, so book ahead.

E-rickshaws, horses and hand-pulled rickshaws

In August 2025 the Supreme Court banned Matheran’s hand-pulled rickshaws, calling the practice inhuman, and ordered the state to replace them with e-rickshaws and rehabilitate the pullers. A limited fleet of shared e-rickshaws now runs between Dasturi and the market, but service has been disrupted in 2026 by disputes over who holds the licences, so be ready to walk or ride. Horses are available everywhere; agree the price and the route before you get on, and choose a handler who looks after the animal.

What to see

Matheran’s sights are its viewpoints, linked by forest paths. You cannot see them all in a day, so pick a cluster.

Panorama Point, at the northern tip, for sunrise and the widest views, including down to Neral and the railway.
Louisa Point and Echo Point, for the cliffs and the old forts on the neighbouring hills.
Porcupine Point, also called Sunset Point, for the evening.
One Tree Hill and Alexander Point, quieter points, further from the market.
Charlotte Lake, the town’s water supply and a pleasant picnic spot. Do not swim or wash in it.
The market along the main road, for chikki, fudge, leather sandals and walking sticks.

Practical notes

Shoes. The paths are dusty red laterite in the dry season and mud in the rains. Wear proper walking shoes.
Cash. Carry cash for the entry fee, horses, rickshaws and stalls.
Monkeys. Bonnet macaques and langurs are bold. Keep food out of sight and do not feed them.
Weekends. Matheran is packed on weekends and holidays. A weekday visit is far more peaceful.
Coming back. Leave time for the walk or ride back to Dasturi and the taxi down; the last shared taxis and the evening trains fill up.

Matheran is one of seven trips in our day trips from Mumbai guide, and our getting around guide explains local trains and the RailOne ticket app.