The train between Kandy and Ella is the most talked-about journey in Sri Lanka: a slow climb through tea estates, pine forest and small hill stations. It's also the part of a Sri Lanka trip most likely to catch travellers out, because much of what's written online describes how it normally runs, not how it runs today. This guide covers both: the current status, and the classes, charges, booking process and safety rules that apply to the line.
Is the Kandy to Ella train running in 2026?
Not as a through journey, as of 6 October 2026. Cyclone Ditwah caused landslides, washouts and bridge damage along the line. The Railway Department counted 103 damaged locations between Rambukkana and Gampola alone. Repairs have come in stages, which is why older pages disagree about what's open. This is what runs and what doesn't:
- Running: Colombo Fort to Peradeniya and Gampola, reopened on 2 October 2026 after about ten months, with eight daily services reported. Nanu Oya to Badulla, through Ella, has run since 20 June 2026. Before that, only Badulla to Ambewela was open. Newsfirst reported four trips a day on a special timetable.
- Not running: Peradeniya to Kandy, because the Peradeniya Black Bridge is still being rebuilt. Gampola to Nawalapitiya and Hatton to Nanu Oya are also still under repair, so there's no rail link between Kandy and Nanu Oya.
We couldn't find a confirmed reopening date for the closed sections. A minister was reported as saying the Colombo to Kandy upcountry line should be finished by the end of 2026 or in the first two months of 2027, so don't plan around an earlier date. Check the Sri Lanka Railways website or a recent local news report close to your travel date.
The workaround: the classic Kandy to Ella ride isn't possible yet. Go by private van, car or bus from Kandy to Nanu Oya, then take the train from Nanu Oya to Ella, which is the most scenic stretch. Our Ella guide and Nuwara Eliya guide both link back here for the current picture.
The route and the named trains
When the line is running end to end, a handful of named intercity trains cover the Kandy to Ella and Badulla run, alongside slower ordinary services. Podi Menike and Udarata Menike are the two long-running names. The Ella Odyssey is a tourist-oriented service with reserved seats. Ceylon Expeditions reported it running between Nanu Oya and Ella from June 2026, with departures from Nanu Oya at 9:00 and 14:30 and from Ella at 9:52 and 15:52. Treat any specific time as provisional and check the timetable when you book.
The full journey from Kandy to Ella takes roughly 6 to 7 hours in normal operation. The line climbs over the Horton Plains escarpment near Pattipola, the highest point on Sri Lanka's rail network at about 1,898 m, before dropping toward Ella. The Nanu Oya to Ella stretch, which is what's running now, takes about 2.5 hours.
Classes and reservation charges
Sri Lanka Railways sells reserved seats in 1st, 2nd and 3rd class on this line, and the 1st class seats include the air-conditioned observation saloon on some trains, with large windows that don't open. The railway's own published reservation-charge table, last revised in August 2022 and still on its website, is the most reliable official figure we found. Blogs quote very different totals.
| Class | What it's like | Reservation charge, Nanu Oya to Ella | Reservation charge, Kandy to Ella |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st class | Air conditioned, fewer seats, sells out fastest | Rs 2,000 | Rs 2,500 |
| 2nd class | Fans and openable windows, a reserved seat, the most popular choice | Rs 1,200 | Rs 1,700 |
| 3rd class | The cheapest option, with openable windows | Rs 900 | Rs 1,200 |
The reservation charge is added to the ordinary ticket fare, and online bookings add a 5% convenience fee. The table has no separate price for the observation saloon, and we couldn't find a dated official figure for it, so check the price at checkout. We don't quote totals because the figures sources give disagree. The Ella Odyssey is also reported to carry its own, higher fares. For most travellers, 2nd class reserved is the sweet spot: a guaranteed seat and windows that open, without the sealed glass of the observation saloon.
How to book in 2026
Sri Lanka Railways opens seat reservations 30 days before travel, and online booking closes 2 hours before departure. Book through the official site, seatreservation.railway.gov.lk, or the Sri Lanka Railways app. You enter a passport or national ID number for every passenger, and the system allocates seats automatically rather than letting you pick one. You can book up to 5 seats in one transaction. Payment is by card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club or Discover) or LankaQR, with a 5% convenience fee added, and your e-ticket arrives by email. Refunds are 75% of the ticket fee if you cancel more than 168 hours before departure, 50% from 48 to 168 hours, and nothing inside 48 hours.
On popular departures, reserved seats can sell out within hours of the window opening, so book as soon as it opens if you want a specific date and class, especially in the December to March and July to August peak seasons. Several third-party agencies resell tickets on the same trains for a service fee, which some people find simpler when paying from outside Sri Lanka.
Seats and views
Seat allocation is automatic when you book online, so you can't choose a side of the train. The views open up on both sides as the line winds through tea country, so there's no need to stress about it. If you want a clear shot, take photos from your seat through the window, with your arms inside.
Doors, windows and staying safe
The doors on 2nd and 3rd class carriages are often left open, which is part of the appeal and also the main safety risk. The FCDO says to stay inside the carriage while the train is moving, because visitors have died after hanging out of open doorways or windows. A few rules to follow:
- Keep your whole body, head, arms and camera inside the carriage while the train is moving, especially through tunnels and wherever trees or poles are close to the track.
- Don't lean out of a door or window for a photo, and don't stand on the footboard.
- Don't sit in the doorway with your legs hanging outside.
- Hold on when you walk between carriages, and keep bags and phones away from open doors.
None of this is unique to this railway, but the crowds, the photo-takers and the number of first-time riders make it worth repeating.
The Nanu Oya stop, for Nuwara Eliya
Nanu Oya is the station for Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka's best-known hill town, even though the town itself is about 6 to 8 km away and reached by a short tuk-tuk or taxi ride from the station. If you're travelling toward Ella and want to break the journey in Nuwara Eliya, or the other way round, Nanu Oya is where you get off. Our Nuwara Eliya guide covers the town, its tea factories and Horton Plains, all reached from this stop.
Delays and landslide closures
Even outside a major event like Cyclone Ditwah, this line runs through steep, wet hill country, and delays are common. During and after the south-west monsoon (broadly May to September), heavier rain raises the chance of a landslide closing a section of track at short notice, sometimes for days. The 2025 to 2026 disruption described at the top of this page is the extreme version of a risk that's always present on this railway to some degree. If your plans depend on this train, build in a spare day either side of your ride, and have a road-based fallback in mind, especially outside the December to March dry season.
Getting between Kandy and Ella right now
While the Kandy to Nanu Oya section is closed, these are the realistic ways to get from Kandy to Ella:
| Option | Time | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| Private van or car to Nanu Oya, then the train to Ella | About 3 to 4 hours by road, then about 2.5 hours by train | Keeps the most scenic part of the rail journey |
| Private van or car all the way to Ella | 4 to 5 hours | The most comfortable option |
| Public bus | Several hours longer, with a change | Cheapest, but slow and not a practical option for a group with luggage |
Once you're at Nanu Oya or further along the line, the train picks up again for the run through to Ella and Badulla. Both of our Sri Lanka trips currently drive from Kandy to Nanu Oya by private van and take the train from there.
