A scenic train journey is one of the must-do experiences for anyone visiting Sri Lanka. However, due to extremely high demand and limited seat availability, securing train tickets can be very challenging.
Sri Lanka Railways releases tickets to the general public only 30 days before the travel date, and popular routes often sell out within minutes.
As a Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) accredited tour operator, we maintain a limited allocation of train tickets for guests who have booked holidays with us where a scenic train journey forms part of their itinerary. From time to time, we may also have additional tickets available due to last-minute cancellations or itinerary changes, and we are pleased to offer these to other travellers whenever possible.
Please note the following conditions before making a reservation:
- Payment does not guarantee a confirmed ticket. Your reservation will be processed based on ticket availability. If we are unable to secure your requested seats, we will make every reasonable effort to obtain suitable alternatives. If we are ultimately unsuccessful, your payment will be refunded in full.
- Accurate passport details are required. We require either clear passport copies or accurate passport numbers for all passengers, as tickets must be issued under the correct passport details. Incorrect information may result in passengers being denied boarding by Sri Lanka Railways.
- The requested travel class is subject to availability. While you may reserve a specific class (e.g. First Class), availability cannot be guaranteed. If we are only able to secure a lower class than the one you paid for, we will automatically refund the applicable fare difference.
- E-tickets will be issued approximately six (6) hours before departure. We continue working until the last possible moment to secure the best available seats for our customers. For this reason, your e-ticket will only be released shortly before your scheduled departure.
By proceeding with your reservation, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the above terms and conditions.
Kandy to Ella is the full hill-country classic — just over 160 km of track that leaves the old royal capital, climbs the length of Sri Lanka’s tea country to the highest station on the network, and comes down through the Uva highlands to Ella. Almost every stretch people picture when they picture a Sri Lankan train is on this one ticket.
You travel on Train № 1005, the Podi Menike, the daytime Colombo Fort–Badulla service. Seats are reserved and issued against passport details, so this is a journey worth booking well ahead.
The journey
Out of Kandy the line runs back through Peradeniya and turns south into the Mahaweli valley, following the river past Gampola at around 500 m. The serious climbing starts at Nawalapitiya: from here the track is cut into the hillside, and the villages, tunnels and stone bridges come one after another as the valley narrows and the first tea appears on the slopes above.
Through Watawala and on to Hatton — the railhead for Adam’s Peak — the train is properly in the estates. The stretch beyond Kotagala to Talawakele runs high above the St Clair’s Falls country, with Ceylon tea on both sides and pluckers working the rows within sight of the carriage. Past Great Western and Radella the line reaches Nanu Oya at about 1,600 m, the station for Nuwara Eliya.
The last third is the finest. Ambewela’s dairy pastures roll past — the stretch people call Little New Zealand — and then comes Pattipola, at roughly 1,890 m the highest station on Sri Lanka’s railway. Immediately beyond it the summit tunnel takes the train through the ridge, and the country changes on the spot: wet, misty upland gives way to the drier southern escarpment. Ohiya is the alighting point for Horton Plains National Park and World’s End; then the line runs the Idalgashinna ridge with highlands on one side and the plains falling away on the other, reaches Haputale on its ridge, and eases down through Diyatalawa and Bandarawela into Ella.
Allow close to six hours for the leg. № 1005 leaves Kandy in the late morning and reaches Ella in the late afternoon — a full day’s travelling, and the reason many guests break it at Nanu Oya or Haputale. Timings are set by Sri Lanka Railways and can change, so please confirm yours close to your travel date.
A note on the Nine Arch Bridge: it is not on this leg. The bridge sits between Ella and Demodara, and this Badulla-bound service calls at Ella first — so alighting here, you stop short of it. Nearly everyone walks out to the Nine Arch Bridge from Ella town instead; it is an easy stroll and you can time it for a passing train.
Highlights:
- The complete hill-country line in one ride — one of the world’s great scenic rail journeys.
- The climb out of Nawalapitiya, cut into the hillside through tunnels and stone bridges.
- Estate country from Hatton to Talawakele, high above the St Clair’s Falls valley.
- The summit tunnel and Pattipola — the highest station on the Sri Lankan network.
- Ohiya, the rail gateway to Horton Plains and World’s End.
- The Idalgashinna ridge, with the highlands on one side and the Uva plains on the other.
Includes:
- Scenic train ride from Kandy Railway Station to Ella Railway Station.
- All taxes & service charges.
Excludes:
- Hotel pickup & drop-off from/to Kandy or Ella.
- Food or drinks.
- Expenses of a personal nature.
Choosing your class: 1st Class seats are in an air-conditioned saloon with numbered seats; because the cabin is sealed, the windows do not open. 2nd Class seats are in a non-air-conditioned saloon where the windows open and fans improve ventilation — worth knowing if you plan to shoot through an open window.
