2026 update: Cyclone Ditwah badly damaged Sri Lanka’s hill country railway in late 2025. Trains between Nanu Oya (Nuwara Eliya) and Ella/Badulla resumed in June 2026, but the Kandy–Nanu Oya section was still being repaired in fall 2026. Check the official Sri Lanka Railways timetable before planning your trip.
Taking the train from Kandy to Ella is a highlight of any trip to Sri Lanka, and it takes you through lots of beautiful, unspoiled landscapes.
The ride is especially stunning on the sections where the train runs through the tea plantations, cutting right across the fields for a one-of-a-kind view. It’s very tempting to lean out of the open doors of the train to make the most of the experience.
But beyond the scenery, it’s an experience in its own right. The comfort may leave a bit to be desired, but it’s all about the people you meet. On this train, with its unique atmosphere, you’ll come across locals happy to chat, street vendors and other tourists to swap travel tips with.
So, how do you plan your ride on the blue train? How do you book tickets and make the most of it? We explain everything here!
Which train to take from Kandy to Ella
To check train times for the day of your trip, head to the official Sri Lanka Railways website, where you’ll find all the information you need. (Note that the station for Nuwara Eliya is called Nanu Oya, written “Nanuoya” on the website.)
We recommend taking the morning train, which leaves at around 8:45 a.m., for several reasons. First, it’s less crowded than the others, so it’s the one where you have the best chance of getting a seat or having a door all to yourself. It also guarantees you daylight for the whole journey, so you don’t miss any of the views.
Finally, try to travel on a weekday and avoid weekends if you don’t want to stand for the whole ride!
During peak tourist season, if your itinerary allows it, it can be worth doing the ride the other way around, from Ella to Kandy, as the cars are usually less crowded.
Other train rides worth taking include:
- Colombo to Kandy, to see another part of the island, including the Kandy valley
- Galle to Matara, to ride along the south coast
How to book the Kandy to Ella train
You have several options for buying your train ticket.
Booking online
Train tickets only go on sale 30 days before departure, and you can book them on the official website. You’ll still need to pick them up at the station ticket counter by showing your booking. Alternatively, you can book further in advance on 12Go, but tickets there are much more expensive.
However, if you book for several people, seats are assigned at random, so there’s very little chance you’ll be sitting together.
There’s also a good chance you won’t manage to book a seat at all: they sell out fast, partly because agencies reserve them by the dozen as soon as they’re released. The other option is to buy your tickets at the station.
Buying at the station
The easiest option, and the one we went for, is to buy your tickets at the station, either the day before or 60 minutes before departure. You won’t have a reserved seat, so make sure you get there early so you can jump on the train as soon as it pulls in!
You can’t miss the ticket counter: it’s right across from the entrance of Kandy station. And watch out for scams from people claiming to sell tickets outside the station.
To find out more about the city, read our Kandy travel guide.
How to choose your seat on the blue train
The different classes
You can choose between three classes:
- First class: first-class cars are air-conditioned, which means you can’t open the windows or doors to take photos or enjoy the breeze from the tea plantations. So we’d rather recommend second class!
- Second class: the best option, as the seats are comfortable and there are fans to help with the heat. Prices usually range from LKR 500 to 1,000, or about $1.70 to $3.30 (we paid LKR 650 in July 2023).
- Third class: the cheapest option, under LKR 500, and slightly less comfortable than second class.
But if lots of people want to take the same train as you, you’re not guaranteed the seat you paid for! For the 8:45 a.m. train from Kandy, we had bought second-class tickets, but it’s first come, first served, and we clearly weren’t fast enough. We spent the first part of the ride standing between the cars before finding seats in third class. That’s part of the adventure!
Which side to sit on
If you’re traveling from Kandy to Ella, try to sit on the right-hand side, where the views are the most open and the most beautiful. Once you’ve passed Haputale station, you can switch to the left-hand side, which becomes more interesting.
That said, the most sought-after spots on the train aren’t seats, but the doors! They stay open for the whole ride, and lots of people lean their heads out or sit in them for a front-row view. And we get it!
Try to grab a spot near a door if you can, or work something out with other passengers to spend a bit of time there: the experience and the feeling of the fresh, tea-scented air as you ride through the plantations are really worth it. (But be careful not to let your legs or arms stick out of the train, as it can be dangerous!)
How long is the train ride from Kandy to Ella?
The ride takes about 6.5 hours from Kandy to Ella (and about 4 hours to Nanu Oya, for Nuwara Eliya), as the train stops at more than 20 stations along the way (some of them really cute). It may sound long, but don’t worry: time flies as soon as you look out the window!
Tips to prepare for your blue train ride
What to wear on the train in Sri Lanka
The train is very popular with locals, so it’s best to dress modestly to avoid stares, while staying comfortable for the long ride.
Even in summer, it can get a bit chilly up in the hills, so bring something warm to put on!
Food and drinks on the train
The ride is long, so make sure you bring enough water and something to eat. Street vendors often walk through the cars, and we bought samosas and vegetable fritters from them. Spicy, but very good!
Travel light
There’s a little luggage space, but it fills up very quickly. If you don’t want to end up with your suitcase on your lap or between your legs, plan ahead. For example, lots of tourists traveling around Sri Lanka with a driver had left their luggage with them for the ride.
Take a break along the way
If your schedule allows, you can stop halfway in Nuwara Eliya to visit the tea plantations, then catch the second train of the day to finish the journey.
Our take on the Sri Lanka train experience
The ride from Kandy to Ella is the most beautiful train journey we’ve ever taken. The start of our trip was a bit chaotic (standing by the toilets between two cars), but we soon found our spot and could really enjoy the ride.
The scenery is gorgeous, and we could have stayed at the train doors for hours, if it weren’t for all the other tourists who wanted to do the same (and unfortunately, not all of them were the sharing type).
In short, it’s an experience we highly recommend, maybe on a shorter section such as Nuwara Eliya to Ella, because there aren’t many train rides like this one in the world!
You can also check out our full itinerary for a two-week road trip in Sri Lanka.
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