The Calypso is a tourist train run by Sri Lanka Railways on the hill-country line in Uva Province, working the stretch between Badulla and Demodara by way of Ella and Bandarawela. It is a service built around the scenery rather than the schedule, moving at an unhurried pace through tunnels and cuttings with tea estates, forested ridges and waterfalls on both sides of the line.
The best-known moment of the ride is the Nine Arches Bridge near Demodara, the colonial-era stone viaduct set against green hillsides, where the train stops so that passengers can take in the view and photograph the bridge. The route also passes the Demodara Loop, where the line turns back on itself to manage the steep gradient, as well as terraced tea gardens and the landscape around Ella.
Tickets for the Calypso are issued only at the railway station and cannot be bought online through Lakpura, so they need to be arranged in person at the station. Departure times are set by Sri Lanka Railways and can change with the season, so it is worth confirming the current timetable locally before you travel.
The ride itself covers the journey between Badulla and Demodara with taxes and service charges. Transfers from your hotel to Badulla or Demodara, food and drinks, and personal expenses are separate.
