From Colombo to Kandy by train. Our experience of rail travel in Sri Lanka

When we were planning our trip to Sri Lanka, we learned that one of the main attractions of the country is the train! Yes, yes, an ordinary train. More precisely, an English train, since the railway, stations and trains themselves were built under the British. Since then, they have been working properly to this day, being the main transport of Sri Lanka.

The main advantage of traveling by train in Sri Lanka is the beautiful views from the window and immersion in the daily life of the locals. We decided to take the advice of taking a Sri Lankan train. And now I will tell you about everything you need to know in order to carefully plan such a trip - I will share the train schedule in Sri Lanka, a map of trains and their routes, and, of course, my impressions. Is it even worth traveling by train in Sri Lanka? Read all the details in the article.

A trip to Sri Lanka is unthinkable without the opportunity to ride a Sri Lankan train. Trains in Sri Lanka are not an attraction, but a real means of transport for the people. It is suitable for everyone because of its low cost and the ability to choose the level of comfort.

Trains in Sri Lanka come in three classes: 1st class is more expensive and much more comfortable than the rest. Mostly, foreigners travel in first class carriages. The difference between 2nd and 3rd class carriages is small; they are best suited for budget travelers. Local residents usually go there too.

Most tourists board a train in Sri Lanka solely for the opportunity to see the incredibly inspiring views from the train window. Basically, they prefer one direction - to the mountainous country to drive past the tea plantations. But the trip from Colombo to Galle is also wonderful - the railway line runs along the coast and you can admire the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lankans use the railway not only to travel by train between cities, but also to run errands between small villages. In the photo - Ella, Sri Lanka

And to other attractions of Sri Lanka, tourists prefer to travel in comfortable buses (VIP class, not the public buses of Sri Lanka, which are just as uncomfortable and dirty as trains) or on rented transport with a driver or on their own.

Compared to trains in Myanmar, where railway transport was also organized by the British, the train in Sri Lanka is more reliable (and new trains have appeared in recent years!). During our trip we were unable to board the train. He just didn't come. As we later found out, this is a common occurrence there. This almost never happens in Sri Lanka. Trains are slow, but still run on schedule.

Boarding the train to Kandy
Inside an old 3rd class carriage

Railway map of Sri Lanka

A train map in Sri Lanka will be very useful to understand your travel route.

Railway map of Sri Lanka (clickable)

As can be seen from the diagram, four railway lines radiate from Colombo throughout Sri Lanka: to Matara, to Jaffna, to Avisavella and to Peryanagavilla. The remaining branches begin their journey in other major cities of the island of Ceylon. The most famous route that is of interest to tourists is a train journey from Kandy to Badulla through the mountainous country.

In addition, a branch line departs from Maho to Batticaloa (this is an eastern resort town), stopping along the way at the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. So you can definitely get by train from Colombo to Polonnaruwa, which is one of the peaks of the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka.

Read also:

To find out which train is most convenient for you to travel in the desired direction, it is best to check the train schedule in Sri Lanka. Knowing the exact Sri Lanka train schedule, you can easily change from one train to another and get inexpensively to almost anywhere in the country.

A convenient schedule for all directions is shown in the diagram. It also says next to each city how long it will take to get from it to Colombo. The prices for tickets for all classes of carriages are also indicated: 1st, 2nd and 3rd. In my opinion, this is a very convenient scheme.

Sri Lanka trains have their own website - http://www.railway.gov.lk/ However, it is not particularly useful for travelers, since it is impossible to buy tickets online. But you can learn how to transport goods by train and read about the history of the railways of Sri Lanka.

Helpful information. You can view the current train schedule in Sri Lanka

How to buy a train ticket in Sri Lanka

Train tickets in Sri Lanka are in most cases easy to purchase just before the train departs. It's very simple. You need to arrive at the station in advance, go to the ticket office, pay for the ticket and board the train in an empty seat (if there is one). All this applies to 2nd and 3rd class carriages. If you do not board at the departure station, you will most likely have to ride standing.

You can buy 1st class train tickets in Sri Lanka in advance. Ticket sales begin 30 days before the intended travel date. It is not possible to book online. You can only buy it while in Sri Lanka. In Colombo you need to come to Colombo Fort at office 17. In other cities and at other stations the same rule applies. You can also call by phone and reserve a seat in a 1st class carriage, but only in the direction Colombo - Kandy. It is worth keeping in mind that 1st class tickets sell out very quickly.

How to book a train ticket in Sri Lanka?

You need to call 365 from your local Mobitel SIM card (the national provider of Sri Lanka) and book a seat on the train for the desired date and time. You will soon receive an SMS with your number. When you arrive at the station, this number will need to be shown to the station manager or directly at the Mobitel office. You will be immediately given a ticket (M-ticket). The money for the ticket will be debited from your mobile account.

Advice. Very often, travelers leave the train station upset because they heard that the train is crowded and there are no tickets. However, this only means that all 1st class seats have been purchased. Tickets for 2nd and 3rd class are still on sale. It's just that many Sri Lankans still can't believe that the white misters will ride with them.

Magnificent views from the Kandy-Nuwara Eliya train

What cities can you visit while traveling by train in Sri Lanka?

Any trip to Sri Lanka begins in Colombo or Negombo, the closest cities to Baidanarayke International Airport. Let's start getting acquainted with the country from its capital - the city of Colombo. More precisely, from Colombo Fort, the main station of the country, from where trains depart in all directions.

Colombo Fort on the map

Northern direction: Kandy - Anuradhapura - Jaffna.

If you travel to the north of Sri Lanka, it is worth getting off the train at to visit the colonial city around the lake and the famous Temple of the Tooth Relic. Very close by is located, which we personally really liked for its rich collection of various plants - trees and flowers. And of course, it is also worth it to get off at the station and spend one day in the ancient city. End station - Jaffna- the capital of the Tamils, may be of interest to those tourists who study all aspects of the life of the country.
From Colombo Fort you can also go towards Negombo and to Peryanagavillu station. Train intervals are every hour.
A relatively small section of the railway was built from Colombo to Avisawellu. Trains run here several times a day.
A new line starts from Medavacchia station - to the island Mannar. The train runs twice a day.

Train to the east coast of Sri Lanka: Maho - Polonnaruwa - Batticaloa and Trincomalee

From the northern line that goes to Jaffna at the station Maho you can go east, to the coast. On the way to the resort Batticaloa the train stops at . And in Gal Oya you can change trains to Trincomalee, where you can sunbathe on almost virgin beaches, which, in comparison, have their own unique flavor.

The most popular train route from Kandy to Ella in the hill country

Most tourists travel around Sri Lanka by train along this route – from to Ella. Although the final station of this route is the city. Why is everyone ignoring Badulla? The colonial city does not outperform Nuwara Eliya in terms of legend and the number of tea plantations and loses to Ella in picturesqueness. Although there is one nearby, and it’s still worth going to Badulla for it.

So, the train starts from Kandy and travels along the route: Hutton(exit for Sri Pada, Adam's Peak) - Nanu Oya (this is the name of the station next to Nuwara Eliya, you need to get off here) - Ohia(exit for visiting Horton Plains Park) - Ella - Badulla.

This is how your train journey from Kandy begins
Our travel companion is a Sri Lankan baby

Tourists hang from the running boards to take photos of the beautiful views

Sri Lanka's railway routes are not particularly diverse; it is much faster and more comfortable to travel around the country by bus. But there is one case when it is worth sacrificing comfort and using the services of the ShRW; don’t worry, the mesmerizing mountain landscapes will not let you regret it for a minute.

Of course, you shouldn’t be too much of a fan of trains, unless you’re traveling first class, otherwise you risk tiring your body quite a bit. We will start our journey from Bandarawela station and will move towards Nuwara Eliya, after a short stop we will go further to Kandy.

This is what a typical railway station looks like, reminiscent of the station of some nameless town in the Wild West, except that the lush vegetation and the absence of Clint Eastwood are a little confusing:

The interior is very ascetic: ticket offices (open half an hour to an hour before the train arrives), a controller and a board with a schedule:

Carefully placed handrails will prevent you from getting lost on the way to the ticket office:

After each train departure, a new schedule is manually posted on the board and the departure time is set:

Each station has a boss; he can be recognized by his white uniform and concentrated look:

Well, let's go look at this very mountainous Sri Lanka:

Our train is gaining altitude:

The number of tea plantations increases in direct proportion to this:

Waterfalls are often found in the mountains:

Sri Lanka is an agricultural country, and if the coast of the island is an all-Lankan health resort, then the mountainous areas can be safely called a breadbasket; all food is grown here:

Cabbage, carrots, potatoes...

Small reservoirs are built to irrigate fields:

There is also a place for landscape design in the mountains; for ease of cultivation, the following terraces are cut:

The considerable number of tunnels adds a special charm to the route:

And the carbon monoxide spreading in them:

There are beautiful narrow tunnels, but control yourself and don’t lose your head:

Don't deny the pleasure of feeling like a hare:

The truth is that all the places are occupied by other people:

By the way, speaking of hares, they are caught by conductors in the uniform of people's commissars, who check the availability of a ticket and its compliance with social class.

After checking your ticket, do not rush to get rid of it; there is one more level of protection; the ticket must be returned at the exit from the station:

If it is lost, you will need to pay a fine for the loss of inventory:

Trains are very often late, especially in the mountains, this is due to the wear and tear of the railway deck, which is in a state of permanent repair. So you can drive and drive, and then stand for about 30 minutes and wait until the repair work on this section is completed, although, most likely, they will simply lay down the rails for you so that they can be immediately dismantled later:

The beautiful floor of Sri Lankan trains:

It is very difficult to stay hungry on the train; food vendors run regularly.

Almost all railway routes are single track:

Therefore, at stations you often have to wait for an oncoming train to miss each other:

Specific arrow translation:

Road to Kandy:

By the way, there is no direct train to Kandy; you will need to change trains at Peradeniya station; the same ticket will be used.

Now let's talk a little about classes; on long-distance flights there are three classes: 3, 1, 2. On different trains, first class can be: a sleeping compartment (for two people), a seated compartment, with air conditioning in the carriage or with a preliminary seat reservation. Second class is usually seated, with fans and without prior reservation (recommended for short trips, no more than 2-3 hours). Third class - seats with a huge number of local people in the carriage.

The cost of each class is almost double the previous one.

This is what the second class carriage of the Colombo-Kandy train looks like:

And this is a second class carriage from Negombo to Colombo:

Have a good trip and smooth rails!

Railways in Sri Lanka were built by British colonialists in the 19th century. (and have not undergone significant modernization since then), however, this does not prevent them from remaining one of the most inexpensive and convenient means of transport on the island.

Railway communication in Sri Lanka is carried out on several lines ():

Coastal line(Coast line) - runs along the western coast of the country from Puttalam in the north, through cities such as Negombo, Colombo, Kalutara, Bentota, Beruwela, Alusgama, Ambalangoda, Hikkaduwa and Galle to the southern tip of Sri Lanka (Weligama and Matara).
Mountain line(Hill country line) - runs from the capital Colombo to Kandy and further to such settlements as Hatton (), Manu Oya (), Haputale, Bandarawela, Eliya and Badulla.
Northern line(Northern line) - goes from Colombo, through Kurunegala to Anuradhapura and Vavuniya, ending at Omanthai. Two additional branches of this line go to Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa, as well as to Trincomalee.

Types of trains and carriages in Sri Lanka

Passenger carriages on trains in Sri Lanka are divided into 3 classes, depending on the level of comfort, additional services and fare prices. Second and third class carriages differ slightly. In the first case, there is the possibility of advance reservations (though not always), softly upholstered seats and less chance of crowding due to lack of seats.

First class carriages are equipped with air conditioning, Wi-Fi and power sockets. Places are available for advance reservation. Many of them have chic vintage interiors that transport passengers to the beginning of the 20th century. The so-called observation cars (which are located at the rear of some trains) have a large rear window allowing for panoramic views.

The class or type of carriages on Sri Lankan trains is indicated by letter markings:

A - second and third class carriages, not reserved
B - restaurant or dining car
C - second class carriages, reserved
D - second and third class carriages with reclining seats, reserved
E - first class observation car, reserved
F - first class sleeping car, reserved
G - air-conditioned first class carriage, reserved

Depending on the distance and the equipment of different classes of carriages, trains in Sri Lanka are also divided into several types. In addition to Intercity Trains and Express Trains, the island has several private trains (Special Trains), equipped with luxury carriages and designed for rail tours around the country.

If you are planning to book train tickets for your trip
in Sri Lanka before arriving in the country, this can be done by agreement with
one of the local travel agencies or with the help of your hotel.

Hello friends. Today the story will be dedicated to one of the most beautiful routes in Sri Lanka. This trip to the mountainous town of Nuwara Eliya is by train. There are beautiful landscapes, clean air and a small crowd of stunned tourists stuck to the windows of the cars with their cameras. Although there are no less locals admiring the beauty of this section of the high-mountain railway than visitors. Because it's very beautiful!

After reading amazing reviews, we included the train trip from Ella as a must-do on our trip.

We read that there are several beautiful routes by train, but the best one is the Nuwara Eliya – Ella train. Ok, we thought, we’ll fly to Sri Lanka and buy train tickets a couple of days before the trip.

How we bought train tickets

It's good that we told our hostess in Kandy about our plans. She immediately said that tickets need to be purchased in advance. The route is popular, and even for regular 3rd class you may not have time to buy tickets at the box office. And she offered us to buy a 1st class ticket online. This entire conversation took place a week before the expected date of the trip.

It turned out that the Nuwara Eliya - Ella train is not a tourist route specially made for Europeans, but a regular route along which local trains travel. The route is one of the oldest.

There are different trains, there are modern ones with different classes of cars, and there is a cuckoo train. It has several 2nd and 3rd class coaches and specially couples 1st class tourist coaches of Expo Rail and Rajadhani Express.

For our date and time it was possible to buy seats in the Expo Rail carriage. We planned to leave from Nanu Oya station, which is 7-10 km from Nuwara Eliya.

We went to the website and hurray, there were still a few empty seats. The hostess also told us which places to choose. In the carriage, as in buses, there are seats with a full and incomplete window. With full, of course, you can see all the beauty, that's why we bought these places.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what places they were, I don’t remember anymore. It turned out that this is not so important, because... We hardly sat during the trip. We hung out in the vestibule all the time and constantly took pictures, it was so beautiful.

By the way, we weren’t the only ones who were so nimble—all the tourists kept moving around the carriage and looking for the best places to film. The weather wasn't ideal, but you can get the general impression.

From Nuwara Eliya to Elu

At Nanu Oya station the train arrived 20 minutes late. The trip to Ella lasts 4 hours. We arrived at the station like white people in a car with a driver. We also ordered this service in advance. The same hotel owner helped us.

The driver took us to Nanu Oya station; our suitcases and belongings remained in the car. We boarded the train with just our cameras and Mr. Perera (the driver) drove his car to Ella where he met us at the platform when our train arrived there. Such maneuvers are performed by everyone who reserves a car with a driver. Very comfortably.

On the way, we often came across tea plantations and houses of local residents.

The train is not an express train; there were several stations where locals and tourists boarded.

And of course the Sri Lankan landscape - mountains, forests, fields.

Along the way we came across Sri Lankans leisurely going about their business

And oncoming trains.

How much does a ticket cost and how to buy

At that time, a ticket for a 1st class Expo Rail carriage cost 1,000 rupees. Now it costs 1450 rupees.

(UPD as of November 2017: the company has ceased to exist).

During the tourist season (December-February), tickets need to be purchased 1-2 weeks in advance, maybe earlier. If you have calculated your route, it is better to buy 2-3 weeks in advance.

It is no longer possible to buy a ticket for Expo Rail online. The service is unavailable due to the expiration of the service agreement. The name of the new carrier and the time of the tender are not known.

You can buy a carriage from Rajadhani Express Here. As of November 2017, the service is unavailable due to modernization.

Reservations for 1st class tickets are made at the ticket offices at Badulla, Kandy, and Kolombo Fort stations.

Each of these companies has its own routes. For example, Rajadhani Express has trains running from/to. Study, choose and buy.

Expo Rail tickets include food. The carriage has a toilet and sink; catches free Wi-Fi, you need to ask the conductor for the password. And of course, a large comfortable vestibule where you will spend almost all your time.

The advantage of first class: passengers of other classes will not enter the carriage, sellers will not enter and will not pester you with their goods. And you will have a polite and always smiling guide.

4 hours passed unnoticed. The memory card was full and the batteries were dead. We were happy.

Our driver met us on the platform in Ella and took us to the hotel.

Today I want to talk about the most magnificent and wonderful option for traveling around Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, not every tourist who goes on a trip to an unfamiliar country for the first time finds it quite easy to figure out what is convenient for travel. From my experience visiting Ceylon, I will say that based on information on the Internet, I took local buses as a basis. Yes, indeed, this type of transport is very developed and accessible there, but unfortunately I couldn’t even imagine how much buses drown. It must be said that quite often when talking with locals about how best to get to this or that point in Sri Lanka, they suggested the option of traveling by train. Thank God that I finally decided and tried it, and now I can confidently recommend this particular type of transport for travel.

Official site

As in any country based on the idea of making money from tourism, government agencies keep up with modern trends and open services for remote booking and payment for tickets. An example is the official website of the railway http://www.railway.gov.lk/.

Sri Lanka Railways

Railways, like many other things in this country, education, medicine, business, roads, all this is the merit, first of all, of the once colonial Britain. It is thanks to Britain that the country now has a fairly extensive network of railways covering most of it. It must be said that despite the relatively small total length of the railway tracks, which is about 1,508 kilometers, the complex landscape of the country, required significant efforts during its construction.

Until 2010, the dilapidated trains and infrastructure did not greatly delight tourists with their attractiveness and comfort, but time does not stand still in Sri Lanka. State projects for infrastructure development are bearing enormous fruit; the country has already seen quite modern trains with European comfort, which reach 100 km/h, unimaginable until recently.

Railway map

As an example, I will give here a schematic map of the country's roads. Its main purpose is that when planning your own excursions, you can be guided by the indicated directions, choosing the most comfortable type of transport for the trip. In my opinion, it is much better to travel 40 km by train, get off at the station closest to the attraction, and find a taxi locally for the tour, than to order a taxi from your hotel on the shore. Believe me, traveling by train in Sri Lanka is a very beautiful and not typical event for our everyday life.

Additional Information

Did you know that Sri Lankan Railways employs 14,500 people?
The total total length of all routes is 1684 kilometers
construction of the first sections of the road dates back to 1864

Train schedule

It is better to look at the schedules and directions of trains in Sri Lanka on the official website, the link to which is given in this article just above. At the moment, the railway, as well as many other infrastructure facilities, such as roads, are developing extremely rapidly. There is no point in reprinting the schedule here on the website, due to the fact that changes in the train schedule are made almost every month. These changes are especially frequent when there is a need to transport tourists between the central part of the island and its southern coast.