There’s something about watching the monsoon unfold from a train window—waterfalls appearing out of nowhere, paddy fields turning into mirrors and mis…
1/71. Pamban Bridge, Chennai-Rameswaram | Just after Mandapam Camp, the train moves onto the iconic Pamban Bridge, surrounded by the sea. Near the midpoint, you’re suspended above open water with waves below and strong sea winds on both sides. Best time: June-September. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
2/72. Konkan Railway, Mumbai-Goa | Few routes feel as alive in the monsoon as the Konkan Railway — one moment you’re passing dense forests and tunnels, the next you’re skimming past coastal cliffs near Ratnagiri where the Arabian Sea comes into view. Best time: July-August. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
3/73. Castle Rock to Dudhsagar, Londa | Starting at Castle Rock, deep in the forest, waterfalls appear along the route — the highlight comes at the Dudhsagar bridge, where the train passes right beside the roaring falls, mist rising into the air. Best time: July-September. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
4/74. Sakleshpur Ghats, Bengaluru-Mangaluru | Once the train hits the Western Ghats near Sakleshpur, everything changes — the Donigal-Yedakumeri section is slow and steep, with waterfalls cascading close to the tracks amid coffee estates in the clouds. Best time: June-August. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
5/75. Kerala Coastal Railway, Kochi-Kasaragod | This stretch becomes especially cinematic during the monsoon. Between Thrissur and Shoranur, the train runs alongside swollen backwaters lined with palms; further north, the railway crosses narrow land strips flanked by water on both sides. Best time: June-September. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
6/76. Kerala’s Secret Branch Line, Shoranur-Nilambur Road | This is a quieter, more intimate journey — the train passes through paddy fields near Angadipuram where flooded fields stretch endlessly, before slipping into the Wandur teak forest en route to Nilambur Road. Best time: June-July. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
7/77. Eastern Ghats Hideaway, Koraput-Araku Valley | Less crowded but equally scenic, this route winds through deep valleys and tunnels along the Kirandul line, crossing bridges high above monsoon streams before opening into Araku Valley’s coffee plantations and tribal hamlets. Best time: July-August. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
