Rail Museum or Train Museum-History Facts and Tour

The National Rail Museum, or simply Rail Museum (Train Museum), located in New Delhi, India, attracts a considerable number of visitors and tourists from all age group. The museum inaugurated on 1 February, 1977, covers an area of 11 acres. It is located in a highly posh area of Chanakyapuri, near Shanti Path.

The area adjacent to the location of Rail Museum is called Shantipath. Shanti Path is a beautiful planned area, known for its high commissions and embassies from all over the world.

The National Rail Museum contains a collection of around 100 real size exhibits covering a history of 150 years of Indian railways. The museum houses some of the rarest heritage exhibits and items. Exclusive exhibits of antique locomotives, coaches and cars, royal saloons are some of the main attraction of museum. Museum draws a large number of visitors from near and far.

The Museum has both indoor and outdoor exhibits, showcasing trains and related items with antiquity. The indoor part of Museum houses around 5 to 6 display galleries. Indoor section, contains pictures and tableau inscribed with information on history and development of railways in India. Apart from pictures, many gadgets related to the operation of rail transport system and communication instruments and signaling system have been placed here to take a look.

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A beautiful indoor theater hall is worth mentioning, where one can enjoy a virtual 3D on screen train rides, covering different parts of India with its scenic beauty. The virtual 3D visual tour covers from narrow, meter and broad gauge, passing through mountains, jungles, plateau, rivers and  plains, leaving an unforgettable mark in mind. The theatre of the museum has a seating capacity of 200 individuals.

The outdoor section of museum is most amusing for children and kids, providing the facility of the Toy trains’ ride. The outdoor is wonderful in a sense that it contains real size train’s coaches, cranes, royal saloons including steam, diesel and electric locomotives. It has a wonderful collection of wagons, armored trains, carriages, train cars and coaches developed during times.

History of National Rail Museum:

Who built rail museum:

The creation of rail transport museum was proposed by Michael Graham Satow, in 1962 after the India’s freedom. Satow was an UK’s engineer and historian, he is well known person in the field of protecting railway heritage in India and UK. The proposal was accepted by the Government of India in 1971.

Foundation Stone of Rail Museum:

The foundation stone to construct the rail museum was laid by the then-President of India, V.V. Giri, on 7 October, 1971. It took six years to complete the museum. The biggest challenge to complete the museum was faced while transporting heavy locomotives, coaches, cranes and other equipment from different parts of India to the museum.

Who inaugurated:

The train museum or rail museum was inaugurated as the “Rail Transport Museum” in 1977 by Kamalapati Tripathi, the then-minister of public transport. The museum was renamed as the “National Rail Museum” in 1995, and it is popularly known as Rail Museum of Delhi. The museum is a state of the art class of Museums.

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Who can visit Rail Museum:

Any one can visit National Rail Museum from India and abroad. The museum is mostly visited by students, teachers, tourists, family, kids and children and by the lovers of antique and heritage.

Main attraction of Rail Museum:

The outdoor gallery is most wonderful with its open large area. The most joyful experience is riding the Toy Train here, for both adults and children. One can take a view of entire museum while taking a round in toy trains.

There are many unique and antique coaches of train and classical engines to see in the outer section of museum. The Patiala Monorail Trainway built in 1907, Morris Fire Engine built in Lancashire of 1914 CE are present in rail museum. All these engines are amazing and reminds us the different stages of development in rail transport.

The electric locomotive of Wilson, once upon a time was running by the Great Indian Peninsular Railway zone, connecting the larger regions, is quite attractive. The Wilson eclectic locomotive engine was among the first of its kind. It was India’s first generation 1,500 V DC powered electric locomotive and was locally known as Khaki.

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One can see another special electric locomotive/engine model 4006. It was manufactured in UK and imported to India in 1930 AD.

Apart from above mentioned attractions of National Rail Museum of Delhi, Saloon of the Prince of Wales, is spectacular. It was specially built with fine interiors for Prince of Wales, before his visit to India. Saloon of the Maharaja of Indore is also lovely.

The saloon coach of the Maharaja of Mysore is unique and beautiful as it has been designed using teak, gold, ivory, and other materials of precious items.

A visit to National Rail Museum will be an unique experience and amusement as well as to peeping into the history of train transport. It will be a fun to ride toy train with your friends, family and kids.

Rail Museum Address:

National Rail Museum, Near Bhutan Embassy, Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, Pin Code-110021, India.

Timing of Rail Museum:

Opening Time – 10:00 AM to 05:00 PM (Monday Closed)

Opens 6 days of a week. (Museum is closed on all Mondays)

Entry ticket of Rail Museum:

Entry tickets are available at the window counter of Museum at entry gate.

(I apologize, for not providing a clear picture of entry fee and other charges due to its many variability and optional charges for different services provided there).

You can carry your camera with you in museum and you can take pictures with lovely background of trains and trees. Photography is allowed in the museum.

How to reach Rail Museum Delhi:

You can reach to museum using auto rickshaw, Delhi metro rail, cab, taxi, DTC bus or by personal transport. Parking is available near rail museum.

Nearest Metro Station:

Dhaula Kuan Metro Station is the nearest metro station at distance of 5 km. From the station, you can take an auto to reach the museum.

Map location Rail Museum: