Kandy To Ella Train – Sri Lanka’s Best Train Journey (Info & Tips)

Last Updated: June 29 2021

Sri Lanka is a country full of beautiful places and experiences. From amazing beaches to incredible wildlife there is plenty to do on this amazing island. One of the most popular tourist attractions is the Kandy to Ella train journey (also known as the famous Sri Lanka train). 

In this blog post, we will go through everything you need to know about this bucket list experience. This means less stress for you and a more enjoyable train journey! This post will include how to buy your train tickets, the different classes available and the different routes you can take.

The Kandy to Ella Train Experience

The train from Kandy to Ella takes about 6-7 hours and travels through the most beautiful scenery. From tea plantations to mountains there is always a view to be stunned by. The time flies by on this journey and is pretty comfortable.

You can move around through the carriages, and people even hang out the carriage doors to get those famous Instagram photos (we recommend you don’t do this, we didn’t!). The seats are spacious, and the windows are huge giving you great views of the scenery.

There are some things to take note of when getting the train from Kandy to Ella (or vice versa).

There are different ways to travel, and plenty of locations to travel to & from. If you are wanting to travel over the Nine Arch Bridge (also known as the Demodara nine arch bridge) you will want to be travelling from the Kandy side.

To go over the Nine Arch Bridge in Ella you will want to book a ticket to Badulla (a train station just past Ella).

There is a stop called Demodara which is first, but we aren’t entirely sure which trains stop there and which don’t. You could always check and then stop at Demodara instead which is only about 3km away from Ella.

How to book Kandy to Ella train tickets?

There are two ways to book train tickets for the Kandy to Ella train; either 12GoAsia or buying them at a train station.

12GoAsia: A lot of people tend to book their tickets using this website, as it is known to be a reliable travel company. You can book train and bus tickets, pretty much anywhere in Asia including Sri Lanka. It is a very convenient way of booking train tickets.

Train station: As we weren’t too sure about which tickets to purchase, we headed to a train station to book our tickets. We booked our tickets four days in advance from Ella train station, as this is a very popular route. There were plenty of available seats, however, none left in first class. We also found that the earlier trains tended to be quieter.

P.S We got quite confused with the Kandy to Ella train times, as they were different on different websites. It is best to check at the train station before you book so you can plan the rest of your journey.

Tip: We aren’t sure if this applies to all train journeys, but you can purchase train tickets for this journey, at any train station. The office clerk at Ella train station made us aware that for the Kandy to Ella train, you can purchase your tickets in another town as long as you know the date and time you wish to travel.

What seat should I buy?

When travelling on this journey with Sri Lankan railways, the type of ticket you should purchase will depend on how you want to travel. There are reserved and unreserved tickets, as well as 1st class, 2nd class, and 3rd class. This can get pretty confusing when it comes to booking train tickets.

We paid for reserved second class tickets on this famous Ella to Kandy train. With our second class ticket, we got plenty of space, two fold-out tables, and a large window so we could see the amazing views. We knew we had a seat, the tickets were cheap, and it was an authentic experience. Honestly, we would recommend getting reserved second class tickets.

What types of train tickets are there?

There are plenty of different tickets, and it can be a pretty confusing decision.

Should I get the Kandy to Ella train first or second class?

We will go through ticket options here so you can make your decision!

Third class unreserved: The cheapest ticket on the journey, and the most popular with the locals. As it is unreserved seating, and third class it is very busy so be prepared to stand for at least part of the journey.

Third class reserved: Basically the same as unreserved, but you will have a reserved seat for this journey.

Second class unreserved: More expensive tickets than the third class, however, can be very popular. As you won’t have reserved a seat, be prepared to push on to get on this carriage.

Second class reserved: This is the choice we picked, and we had a great experience! You have an allocated seat, so you also have the option to get up and take a walk around. These tickets tend to sell out pretty quickly, so if you know the date you are travelling make sure you book in advance.

First-class: The comfiest seating and the carriages are air-conditioned. However, because of the air con, the windows and doors remain locked. We wouldn’t recommend picking this option as you won’t get an authentic experience!

Observation car: These carriages are only available on certain trains, and are super fancy! They are first-class carriages with extra-wide windows to enhance the view. Again the windows and doors will be locked, and the carriages tend to be at the end of the train facing backward.

Tip: If you are looking for a luxurious train, Sri Lanka has a train called ViceRoy. The top class is pretty impressive with nice seating, a table and plenty of food and drink throughout the journey. The trip usually costs about £28 each, which is a good price but not so much if you are on a budget!

How much are the train tickets?

The train ticket prices vary depending on which class you get, but they also seem to vary depending on when & where you purchase them. Some of the websites that show tickets for the Sri Lanka railway suggest prices vary between £1 – £3.

Although you may get your ticket for this price, it is a lot more likely that you will pay a massive mark up. This is because a lot of travel agencies purchase the tickets that haven’t been sold online and then sell them for much higher prices.

Third class tickets are the cheapest, and should, in theory, cost you around £1-£2, while second class tickets will fall anywhere between £2 – £7 depending on where you purchase them. If you are looking to buy first-class tickets, the chances are you will pay at least £7 a ticket, maybe up to £20 from what we’ve heard.

Unfortunately, we can’t give a price estimate, because the prices fluctuate so much between the time of year you buy them, who you buy them from and which class you are booking.

Our top tips for the Kandy to Ella train:

Here are some of our general tips for catching the Kandy to Ella train:

• Be prepared to push & shove sometimes: As this train is a really popular tourist attraction, it can get really busy! A lot of people will push to get on, especially if they don’t have reserved seats. However, this doesn’t seem to happen all the time as it was fine for us.
• The Nine Arch Bridge, Ella: As we mentioned before you will have to travel past Ella for at least one stop if you are wanting to go over the famous 9 arch bridge (The Kandy to Ella train bridge).
• Responsible with rubbish: People seem to be very careless with their rubbish. Seems obvious but don’t throw anything out the windows!
• Don’t be reckless when taking photographs: We have seen this so many times; both on Instagram and in real life, whilst travelling on this train. People hang out the side of carriages, they stick their heads out of windows and all sorts of other crazy stuff! Not only could you easily fall, but this route has plenty of tunnels and walls,  meaning sticking your head and body out of the train is not a great idea!
• Prioritise where you sit if possible: If you are going to book tickets, there is a certain side you should sit on for each way of the journey. If you are coming from Kandy to Ella, you will want to sit on the right side of the train. If you are travelling from Ella to Kandy, you will want to sit on the left side of the train if possible.
• Bring plenty of snacks: The journey is long, so make sure you are well equipped with plenty of snacks and drinks.
• Not all trains are blue: If you are wanting the famous blue trains, be sure to ask when booking your tickets. Some of the trains are different colours, including red so you may have to get a different train time to get the blue one.

Booking.com

Where to stay in Ella:

We stayed in a beautiful accommodation, called Ella Green Stay.

This place was perfect, and cheap for individuals travelling on a budget. The lady who runs it is lovely, and she made us feel super welcome upon arrival; even making us smoothies! We paid around £14 a night for a spacious and comfortable room, which was only a 5-minute walk from the main street of Ella. If we were to head back to Ella, we would stay here!

Here are some suggestions if you want a more luxury stay in Ella:

Chill Ville Point Hotel- £98 a night for a stunning double room with a private bathroom. This place also has access to a pool and your own gorgeous balcony.

EKHO Ella- £110 a night for a stunning deluxe room. This accommodation looks amazing! It is also only a short distance from the town centre.

One thing to take note of is that with luxury accommodation, they seem to be further away from the main street so keep that in mind when booking.

Onward travel from Ella:

People tend to get the train to Ella from Kandy or vice versa. However, it is very easy to travel to other places. The public transport is pretty great in Sri Lanka, and it is really easy to get places.

You can travel by train to Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Colombo fort and plenty of other places in Sri Lanka. A popular route is to get the train to Kandy, explore the city and then get the train from Kandy to Colombo.

Another popular route is to get the Kandy to Nuwara Eliya train. If you going from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya you will need to get off at the station Nanu Oya. It is the closest train station to Nuwara Eliya. People also do this the other way. They will visit Nuwara Eliya first and then get the train from Nanu Oya to Ella (Nuwara Eliya to Ella train).

There are also plenty of bus routes here. They lead further north or to the south coast where all the beautiful beaches can be found. We arrived in Ella from Nuwara Eliya by bus and then traveled by train from Ella to Kandy.

We hope this post has given you all the information you need to know about the Kandy to Ella train. It is an incredible train ride, and we would recommend it to anybody who is travelling to Sri Lanka. Make sure you put this train trip on your Sri Lanka itinerary!

What is your favourite way to travel, when visiting a new country or place? Drop your answers in the comments below!

P.S If you want to follow our journey, you can follow our Instagram here.

Thanks,

Jack & Abbie.

MORE SRI LANKA BLOG POSTS!

An Epic 4 Week Sri Lanka Itinerary – The Ultimate Guide

The Perfect Sri Lanka Safari – Udawalawe National Park

The Best Things To Do In Ella – Sri Lanka

10 Awesome Things To Do In Mirissa – Sri Lanka

The Sri Lanka Beaches That You Have To Visit

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