The Kandy to Ella train is one of the most popular rail journeys in Asia, a slow climb through tea estates, cloud forest and mountain tunnels that normally takes six to seven hours. As of late October 2026, national news had not reported a through train from Kandy: cyclone damage left gaps on the line, and the section from Nanu Oya (the station for Nuwara Eliya) to Ella and Badulla is the one confirmed running. Check current status before travel. Right now the practical way to do the trip is by road from Kandy to Nanu Oya, then by train for the last and most scenic three to four hours to Ella.
This guide explains what is open, how to get tickets, which class to choose, where to sit and what the ride is actually like. For the wider trip, see our Sri Lanka guide.
Is the Kandy to Ella train running in 2026?
Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka in late 2025 and damaged the upcountry railway in more than a hundred places. Services were suspended across the hill country, and Sri Lanka Railways has been reopening the line section by section.
- The Ella Odyssey tourist train resumed on 7 January 2026, running once a week, on Wednesdays, between Ambewela and Badulla.
- Regular services between Nanu Oya and Badulla, passing through Ella, resumed on 20 June 2026, with four trips a day reported at the time.
- Regular trains from Colombo Fort to Peradeniya and Gampola were scheduled to return on the evening of 2 October 2026.
- On 5 October 2026 a derailment caused by fallen earth and rock disrupted the reopened Colombo section. National news has not reported a reopening between Gampola and Nanu Oya, and earlier reports expected full restoration around the end of 2026 or early 2027. Check current status before travel.
Editor's Note: This situation is changing month by month. Check the Sri Lanka Railways timetable or ask at any staffed station before you plan around a specific train. When the full line reopens, the standard advice below on booking and seats will apply to the whole Kandy to Ella journey again.
The route and the journey
When the line is fully open, the journey from Kandy to Ella covers roughly 150 km and climbs from about 500 metres to the line's summit at Pattipola, close to 1,900 metres, before descending to Ella. Trains crawl along at an average below 30 km/h, which is part of the appeal.
Kandy to Nanu Oya
The first half runs through Peradeniya, Gampola and Nawalapitiya, then up into the tea country around Hatton and Talawakele. Expect river valleys, terraced estates and the first glimpses of waterfalls. Check current status of this section before travel.
Nanu Oya to Ella
From Nanu Oya the train climbs to Pattipola, passes through Ohiya with its forested ridges, and then descends past Idalgashinna, Haputale and Bandarawela. The views between Ohiya and Haputale, where the line clings to a ridge with drops on one side, are the reason most people ride this train. Ella comes just after the Demodara area, and trains also cross the Nine Arch Bridge between Ella and Demodara heading towards Badulla.
Stations along the way
Heading from Kandy towards Ella, the line runs through Peradeniya Junction, Gampola and Nawalapitiya in the Mahaweli river valley, then climbs to Hatton, the railhead for Adam's Peak, and the tea estates around Talawakele before the hill-country stations on to Ella and Badulla.
Knowing the main stops helps you follow the journey and decide where to get on or off. Heading from Kandy towards Ella and Badulla, the line passes these points.
Peradeniya, Gampola and Nawalapitiya
Peradeniya Junction, just outside Kandy, is where the Kandy branch meets the main upcountry line. Gampola and Nawalapitiya follow the Mahaweli river valley, with rice paddies and small towns before the serious climb starts.
Hatton and Talawakele
Hatton is the railhead for Adam's Peak (Sri Pada), the pilgrimage mountain climbed overnight between December and May. Around Talawakele the tea estates take over, and the line passes close to waterfalls in the wet months.
Nanu Oya
The station for Nuwara Eliya, about 15 minutes away by tuk-tuk or bus. While the section below it is closed, this is where most visitors start the train part of the trip.
Pattipola and Ohiya
Pattipola is the highest station on the line at close to 1,900 metres, and Ohiya is the nearest station to Horton Plains National Park. Expect cool air and, often, mist. This stretch has seen landslides before: in November 2025, weeks before the cyclone, a landslide limited upcountry trains to Nanu Oya for a time.
Idalgashinna, Haputale and Bandarawela
After Idalgashinna the line runs along the edge of the Haputale ridge, and on clear mornings the view drops away to the southern plains. Haputale is a quiet tea town with its own guesthouses, and Bandarawela is a larger market town. Diyatalawa, between them, is a garrison town with a well-kept station.
Ella and beyond
Ella station is small and busy with visitors. Beyond it, the line crosses the Nine Arch Bridge near Demodara, loops through a spiral at Demodara where the track passes under itself, and ends at Badulla.
Trains that run the route
Sri Lanka Railways names some of its hill-country expresses. The Podi Menike and the Udarata Menike are the best known. Not all of these run in full while the line is partly closed, and some are shortened to start or terminate at Nanu Oya. The Ella Odyssey Nanu Oya service, launched on 10 February 2025, was timed at the start to leave Nanu Oya at 8:10 am for Badulla every day except Tuesday, returning from Badulla at 1:00 pm. Treat these as a guide only and check the current timetable, as departures have changed several times since the cyclone.
Getting from Kandy to Nanu Oya by road
Until the line reopens, the Kandy to Nanu Oya leg takes about three hours by road via Gampola and Ramboda. Go by private car with a driver, which allows a stop at a tea factory and Ramboda Falls, by bus to Nuwara Eliya and a tuk-tuk to the station, or by a hotel transfer timed to your train.
The drive takes around three hours on a winding mountain road via Gampola and Ramboda. You have three options:
- Private car or taxi with a driver, which allows a stop at a tea factory and Ramboda Falls
- Bus from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, then a tuk-tuk for the short ride to Nanu Oya station
- A transfer booked through your hotel, often coordinated with your train time
If you are travelling on a package, our tour listings include hill-country transfers.
Classes and trains
Hill-country trains carry first, second and third class. Reserved second-class seats are the favourite with visitors, because padded seats, fans and windows and doors that open suit photography better than first class's observation cars or sealed air-conditioned carriages. Some services also add observation saloons or privately operated carriages.
Hill-country trains usually carry a mix of first, second and third class. Some services also run observation saloons or privately operated carriages attached to regular trains.
First class
On many hill-country trains first class means an observation car at the back, with a large rear window, or air-conditioned seating with sealed windows. Air-conditioning sounds appealing but makes it hard to photograph or feel the mountain air, so many travellers prefer second class.
Second class
Second class has padded seats, ceiling fans and windows and doors that open. Reserved second-class seats are the most sought-after option for visitors because you get comfort and open windows together.
Third class
Third class is the cheapest, with basic bench seating. Reserved third-class seats exist on some trains; unreserved third class can be extremely crowded at weekends and holidays, sometimes standing room only for hours.
Ella Odyssey
The Ella Odyssey is a special tourist service introduced by Sri Lanka Railways with fewer stops and a schedule designed around sightseeing. After the cyclone it returned in January 2026 as a weekly Wednesday train between Ambewela and Badulla. Check its current days and route before planning around it.
How to get tickets
Buy reserved seats on Sri Lanka Railways' official site, seatreservation.railway.gov.lk, as soon as booking opens, because the popular morning trains sell out between December and April. Tickets are also sold at the station, while agents and resellers often charge several times the face value.
Reserved seats online
Sri Lanka Railways sells reserved seats through its official online booking system. Reserved seats open a set number of days before travel and sell out quickly for the popular morning trains, particularly between December and April. Book as soon as the window opens if you have a fixed date. Keep a screenshot or printout of your e-ticket and carry the passport used to book.
Booking on the official site step by step
The official Sri Lanka Railways booking system is at seatreservation.railway.gov.lk. As of November 2026 it works like this:
- Create an account and log in. Only registered users can reserve seats.
- Choose your departure and arrival stations, the date and the train, then pick the class.
- Add passenger details. You can book up to five seats in one booking, and foreign visitors use their passport number.
- Pay by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners or Discover card, or with LANKAQR. The seat is only guaranteed once payment goes through.
- Wait for the e-ticket by email. If a payment is interrupted, check whether your card was charged before trying again.
The e-ticket is valid only on the train you booked and cannot be transferred to another person. Railway staff can check it at any time, and you hand it in at your destination station, so keep it on your phone or on paper until you leave the platform. Cancellations are refunded on a sliding scale, excluding the service charge: 75 percent of the fare if you cancel more than 168 hours before departure, 50 percent between 48 and 168 hours, and nothing within 48 hours. You cancel in person at a station that handles mTicketing, with your passport.
At the station
Unreserved tickets are sold at the station counter on the day of travel, usually shortly before departure. They cost little but guarantee only a place on the train. A seat is never promised. Station staff can also tell you whether any reserved seats remain unsold, which sometimes happens on weekdays.
Agents and resellers
Many travel agents and online platforms sell Kandy to Ella tickets at a significant mark-up, sometimes several times the face value. They save you the effort of booking on release day but check what you are actually buying: some sell only unreserved tickets bundled with a hotel pickup.
Ticket prices
Fares are low by international standards, and shorter journeys such as Nanu Oya to Ella cost less than the full run. Check the current fare on the Sri Lanka Railways booking system, and expect resale prices from agents to be far higher.
Where to sit
Travelling from Kandy or Nanu Oya towards Ella, the right-hand side of the train is generally favoured for the deep valley views, especially between Ohiya and Haputale. The left side gets good views too, and the line twists so much that both sides have their moments. In second and third class, the open doorways draw a crowd of photographers. Leaning out is common but dangerous; tunnels, poles and vegetation come close to the carriages, and people have been injured.
What to expect on board
- Delays are normal; trains often run 30 minutes to an hour late
- Vendors walk through selling snacks like spicy chickpeas, vadai and tea at the larger stations
- Toilets are basic, so use facilities at the station before departure
- Temperatures drop sharply in the hills; carry a warm layer even in April
- Mist and rain can hide the views, more often in the afternoon
- Mobile signal disappears in tunnels and some valleys
Best time to ride
The morning trains give the clearest views, as cloud often builds through the day. Weather in the hill country is variable year-round, but December to March usually brings drier spells. Weekends and Sri Lankan public holidays bring heavy domestic crowds, so travel midweek if you can.
Mistakes first-timers make
The most common one is confusing reserved and unreserved tickets. A cheap ticket bought on the day gets you on the train with no seat promised, and on a busy morning that can mean standing in a corridor for hours. If a seat matters to you, book a reserved one and check the class and carriage number printed on it.
Timing is the next problem. Sinhala and Tamil New Year in mid-April and the Christmas to New Year period bring heavy domestic travel, and seats vanish fast. Avoid those dates or book the moment reservations open. Allow plenty of slack after the train as well; a tight connection to a safari jeep or onward bus at the far end is likely to fail because of delays.
Once the full line reopens, consider boarding at Peradeniya Junction, a few minutes before Kandy. It is often less hectic than Kandy station, though for a reserved seat it makes no difference. On the platform, ask staff where your class will stop, since trains are long and carriages for each class stop in different spots. Finally, take your rubbish with you; there are bins at the stations, and the trackside is part of the view.
Luggage and what to bring
There are overhead racks in most carriages, but they are narrow and a large suitcase will not fit. In reserved classes, bags usually go at the end of the carriage or between seats, where you cannot keep an eye on them while you stand at the door taking photos. A medium backpack or a soft bag is far easier to manage than a hard-shell case. If you are travelling with a driver, consider sending the big luggage ahead by car to your Ella guesthouse and riding the train with a day pack only. Many drivers offer this as standard.
- A warm fleece or jacket for the high section around Pattipola
- Water and a few snacks, as vendors do not board every train
- Small rupee notes for food and tuk-tuks at the other end
- A power bank, since sockets are rare
- A printed or saved copy of your ticket and your passport
Photography tips
The light is softest and the views clearest on morning trains, so plan the important stretch (Ohiya to Haputale) before late morning. Keep your camera ready before tunnels end, since the best views often appear the moment the train leaves one. Shoot from the window; you get the same frames without the risk. A wide or standard lens covers most scenes, and a cloth for the window helps in reserved classes where glass gets grimy. If you want the classic shot of a train crossing the Nine Arch Bridge, walk there from Ella and check the expected passing times with your guesthouse, because delays are common.
Travelling with children or limited mobility
Children usually enjoy the train, but a seven-hour run is long, and even the shorter Nanu Oya to Ella stretch takes three to four hours. A reserved seat matters even more with children, and so do snacks and something to do in the tunnels. Keep them well away from open doors at all times.
Stations along the hill-country line have steps, high platforms in places and few ramps, and boarding means climbing up from track level at some stops. Carriages have narrow aisles and basic toilets. Travellers with limited mobility should book reserved seats, travel with a companion, and consider riding only a shorter section, with the rest of the trip by car.
Doing it the other way: Ella to Kandy or Colombo
Starting in Ella means boarding at a smaller, calmer station, and morning departures still give clear views on the climb back up to Pattipola. Sit on the left-hand side heading away from Ella for the valley views. While the gap between Nanu Oya and Gampola remains, get off at Nanu Oya and continue by road to Kandy, or take the train only as far as you need and drive the rest. When the full line reopens, through trains continue past Kandy junction towards Colombo Fort, so check whether your train calls at Kandy itself or only at Peradeniya.
Safety on board
The open doors are the most famous image of this train, and the most dangerous part of it. People have been injured hanging out of moving trains, and tunnels, signal posts and rock walls come within arm's reach in places. Sit at the door with your feet inside if you want the open view, and pull back well before tunnels.
Theft and pickpocketing have been reported on trains. Keep your phone on a strap at the window, keep your passport and money on your body, and do not leave valuables in a bag on the rack while you stand at the door. Police can be reached on 119 anywhere in Sri Lanka.
Breaking the journey in Nuwara Eliya
Because the road leg already brings you to Nanu Oya, it is easy to spend a night in Nuwara Eliya, a hill town about 15 minutes from the station at around 1,900 metres. Its colonial-era buildings, Gregory Lake and nearby tea estates make for a relaxed day, and Horton Plains National Park, with the World's End escarpment walk, is reachable early in the morning from here. Staying overnight also means you can catch a morning train to Ella the next day, when the views are usually clearest, and avoids arriving at Nanu Oya mid-afternoon after the drive from Kandy and riding into the cloud.
Side trips you can join to the train
Three side trips fit the train well: the 9 km Horton Plains loop to World's End, best started at dawn from Nuwara Eliya or Ohiya; Adam's Peak from Hatton once the full line reopens; and Haputale with Lipton's Seat.
Horton Plains and World's End
Horton Plains National Park is a high plateau of grassland and cloud forest south of Nuwara Eliya. The main walk is a loop of around 9 km past Baker's Falls to World's End, a cliff edge that drops sharply towards the lowlands. Cloud usually rolls in by mid-morning and hides the view, so park visitors start at dawn, which means staying the night before in Nuwara Eliya or near Ohiya. After the walk, you can be back on the road in time to reach Nanu Oya or Ohiya for a train on to Ella, though most people find it simpler to ride the next morning.
Adam's Peak from Hatton
When the full line reopens, Hatton station is the usual way in to Adam's Peak. The climb is several thousand steps up to the summit shrine, done overnight to reach the top for sunrise, and the main pilgrimage season runs from December to May. It is a serious walk for a separate day, so plan a night in the Dalhousie area at the foot of the mountain and rejoin the train afterwards. Until trains return to this section, reach Hatton by road from Kandy or Nuwara Eliya.
Haputale and Lipton's Seat
Haputale is a quiet alternative to Ella, with guesthouses on the ridge and the drive or walk up to Lipton's Seat, the viewpoint where tea planter Thomas Lipton is said to have surveyed his estates. A night here splits the journey and gives you a second morning on the line.
Arriving in Ella
Ella station is a short walk or tuk-tuk ride from the town centre and most guesthouses. Book accommodation ahead in peak months on our hotel search. Once you are settled, the Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam's Peak and Ella Rock are all within easy reach.
Combining the train with the rest of your trip
From Ella, most travellers continue south to Yala or Udawalawe for a safari, then to the beaches around Galle. If you are arriving from abroad, compare fares into Colombo on our flight search, check entry requirements in our visa section, and consider a short add-on to the Maldives.
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