Dehradun in brief
Dehradun railway station (station code DDN) is the main station of Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, and the last station on this Northern Railway line into the Doon Valley. It comes under the Northern Railway zone's Moradabad division. For visitors it is also the rail gateway to the hill station of Mussoorie.
The story of Dehradun
- 18 November 1896: the railway between Haridwar and Dehradun is sanctioned.
- 1897–1899: construction; the station is established in 1899.
- 1 March 1900: the 77 km line from Haridwar opens to traffic.
- 10 November 2019 – 8 February 2020: the station closes for a major renovation, with remodelling of the station complex and new platforms.
The railway that never reached Mussoorie
In the early 20th century there were serious plans to carry the railway beyond Dehradun up to Mussoorie. In 1921 the Mussoorie Electric Tramway Company was formed to build an electric line into the hills, but the project was abandoned after a tunnel collapse and political unrest. Dehradun remains the end of the line, and the last stretch to Mussoorie is still by road.
Platforms at Dehradun
The station has 5 platforms on 8 tracks and sits about 637 metres above sea level, noticeably cooler than the plains.
Services from Dehradun
Dehradun is connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Amritsar. Notable trains include:
- Dehradun Shatabdi Express to New Delhi
- Jan Shatabdi Express
- Nanda Devi Express
- Mussoorie Express
- Express trains to Kathgodam and other destinations
Dehradun Shatabdi, Nanda Devi and Mussoorie Express timings are on our train schedule page.
Links around Dehradun
- Bus: the ISBT is about 4.5 km from the station, with buses to Mussoorie, Rishikesh and across Uttarakhand.
- Airport: Jolly Grant Airport is about 24 km away.
- Road to Mussoorie: taxis and buses take about an hour or more, depending on traffic.
Doon Valley pointers
- Summer and holiday weekends are very busy as visitors head for Mussoorie; book early.
- Haridwar and Rishikesh are close by and connected by road and rail.