Vizag to Araku by train: everything about the Vistadome and the ghat line
Timings, which side to sit, how to book the Vistadome coach, and what to do if it is sold out.
5 min read · Updated 15 August 2026 · Aandhra.com Editorial
The Kothavalasa–Kirandul line was built in the 1960s to carry iron ore from Bailadila to Vizag port, and it happens to be one of the most scenic railways in the country. Passenger trains from Visakhapatnam climb through the Eastern Ghats to Araku (about 115 km) in roughly four hours, with Borra Guhalu station on the way.
Which train
The Visakhapatnam–Kirandul Passenger is the everyday option, leaving early in the morning. On selected days a tourist special with a Vistadome coach — glass roof, rotating seats — runs on the same route. Timings change with the season; check the IRCTC or NTES apps a week before you travel.
Booking the Vistadome
The Vistadome coach sells out days to weeks in advance in the winter season and on long weekends. Book on IRCTC as soon as the reservation window opens; if it is sold out, the ordinary coaches are perfectly good — sit on the left going up for the valley views and on the right coming down.
What you will see
- Kothavalasa to Borra: the first tunnels and the climb from the plains
- Shimiliguda: one of the highest broad-gauge stations in India
- Borra Guhalu: get down here for the caves, then take a later train or road to Araku
- Araku: the line continues to Odisha and Chhattisgarh
The return
Most people return by road so they can stop at Borra Caves, Katiki and Ananthagiri; APTDC's day-tour buses do the loop as well. If you take the train back, the evening light on the western slopes is the best of the trip.
Cities in this guide: Visakhapatnam, Araku
