Summer Hill, Shimla
Quiet wooded suburb on the Kalka–Shimla railway with shady walks, Gandhi associations and the HP University campus.
Overview
Summer Hill is a calm corner of Shimla for forest walks and a stop on the Kalka–Shimla toy train. Combine it with the nearby Viceregal Lodge.
Summer Hill is a leafy suburb on the western side of Shimla, about 1 km from Boileauganj according to the District Administration. It is one of Shimla's seven hills. It has a station on the UNESCO-listed Kalka–Shimla railway, and the District Administration describes it as a picturesque spot offering shady walks in quiet surroundings. The slopes are wooded with pine and deodar and dotted with older residences.
During his visits to Shimla, Mahatma Gandhi stayed in the Georgian mansion of Rajkumari Amrit Kaur here. The family of the painter Amrita Sher-Gil also had a house on the hill, which is sometimes called Potter's Hill. Himachal Pradesh University, founded in the 1970s, has its campus here. The Viceregal Lodge is on the neighbouring Observatory Hill, so the two can be combined in a single outing.
The area suits unhurried walks rather than sightseeing, and riding the toy train into or out of Summer Hill station is an easy way to add a railway experience. Sources disagree on its altitude.
Entry fees
Entry
All visitors
Public area; no entry charge known. No official source explicitly states 'free'.
Free
Needs verification
Toy-train tickets on the Kalka–Shimla line are sold separately by Indian Railways.
We only show an amount when a source backs it. Prices change, so confirm locally before you go.
Opening hours
Open 24 hours
Public residential and forest area, accessible at all times.
University campus areas may have their own access rules.
Visitor information
- Best time to visit
- March to June and September to November
- Best time of day
- Morning or late afternoon for walks
- How long to spend
- 1–2 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Families
- Suitable for families
Location
Summer Hill, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
31.11200, 77.13700
Get directionsPhotos
View from Summer Hill. Photo: Namasl / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 Summer Hill railway station. Photo: Rajani Gairshail / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 Heritage post office, Summer Hill. Photo: Kavittaa / Wikimedia Commons · CC0 Summer Hill market near HPU. Photo: Poojilsharma07 / Wikimedia Commons · CC0
Frequently asked questions
Is Summer Hill worth visiting?
Yes, if you want quiet, shaded walks, a toy-train stop and the historic link to Mahatma Gandhi's stays in Shimla.
How do I get to Summer Hill?
It is about 1 km from Boileauganj by road, and has its own station on the Kalka–Shimla railway.
Is there an entry fee?
No, it is a public area.
Information sources
Where the facts on this page come from, and what still needs confirming.
Information last checked 28 September 2026
Not yet confirmed
- altitude (1,283 m on district site vs 2,123 m on Wikipedia)
- free entry not explicitly stated
- Wikipedia – Summer Hill, Shimla · Encyclopedia
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