Sri Lanka train journeys

“Hey, this way.”

Our tour guide had bagged a spot in the open doorway of the train. No one else in the group moved, content to watch the tea hills roll by from their seats, so I joined him, eyes wide as I took in the view and my grin wider as the wind whipped my hair back.

We were on the mountain train from Nuwara Eliya to Ella – the most spectacular train journey in Sri Lanka. It’s so popular that it features on most of our holidays to Sri Lanka. An hour into the 2.5-hour journey, I decided to upgrade it to one of the most spectacular train journeys in the world.

Surely, it must be. These weren’t bullet trains, and that was the beauty of it. Bright blue carriages cranked along steadily enough that we could see life as we passed. Mist moving through the 2,000m-plus peaks and rain clouds forming. Turquoise and apricot houses with vegetable gardens and sheets billowing on washing lines. Someone rolling their restored Morris Minor out of a garage and another person setting off on a moped, pink sari tucked around them. Sometimes, you’d find yourself alongside a road busy with tuk tuks and trucks, or slung into the cold darkness of a stone tunnel, and then you’d turn a corner and it was on to the next scene. There was so much greenery too – palms and pines, and slopes upon slopes of glossy tea terraces.

Occasionally, the train would creak to a stop for no reason that we could decipher. Some passengers hopped down onto the tracks to stretch their legs and wait it out but, filled with visions of being left behind, I stuck to chatting with our guide, dangling my legs outside the train until it started rolling forward again.

I thought: Right, this is it. This is the best way to see Sri Lanka. I didn’t realise then that there was more to come – that there were even more beautiful train journeys to enjoy in Sri Lanka. Read on for some of our favourites.

The original: for sacred cities and history lessons

Kandy marks the start of Sri Lanka’s train story. It was here, at the centre of the coffee industry, that colonial plantation owners lobbied the British government to build a railway to transport beans from plantation to port. Construction started in 1864 and expanded when blight-struck coffee plants were swapped for the tea plants that now cover the mountains. It’s all about the contrasts on this journey. Trains start in the striking Art Deco station of Kandy before trundling through the suburbs and up – and up – into the cloud forests and pinstripe tea terraces of the mountains. Alight in Nuwara Eliya (Nanu Oya) or continue onwards to Ella for an epic eight-hour journey.

Tip: Stay at least one night in the sacred city of Kandy. You’ll wake to the Islamic call to prayer, glimpse the Buddha’s tooth at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and cool off in Neogothic St Paul’s Church.

The coastal line: for ocean views, surf beaches and port cities

The coastal line runs south of the capital city, from Colombo to the millennia-old seaport of Galle. There’s no need to pack a book for this one – you’ll be too distracted by views of the south-west coast. Marvel at the rolling breakers of the Indian Ocean, coastal roads bright with tuk tuks, bronze surf beaches and turquoise fishing boats, flowering gardens, and peaches-and-cream churches and shining temples. Finally, step off in Galle. This busy station is within a 10-minute walk of Galle Fort and the international cricket stadium.

Tip: Keep an eye out for the 18m-high Buddha statue built in memory of those who died in the 2004 tsunami that devastated this coast. Its hand is raised in the abhaya mudra – a gesture of comfort and protection.

The city service: from coastal capital to cultural capital

This express route offers a direct line between two of the most important cities in Sri Lanka. It skips the tea hills, so it’s largely tourist-free. Instead, you’ll sit alongside everyone from commuters and students to day-tripping families and cricket fans on their way to watch a game. The line runs for 120km through a less-appreciated slice of Hill Country via thick jungle and palm-shaded villages.

Tip: Kandy is usually the end of the line, but some trains continue onwards to Nuwara Eliya and Ella, where most tourists hop aboard for a trip through the tea hills.

The north: for Tamil culture, lakes and peninsulas

The war ended in 2009, but many visitors still miss the north – which is all the more reason to go. Getting there by rail is easy, thanks to comfy intercity express trains that run from Anuradhapura, the first kingdom of Sri Lanka, to Jaffna, the capital of the north and heart of Sri Lankan Tamil culture. Expect sweeping views over lakes, reservoirs, lagoons and canals that promise glimpses of drinking elephants. In fact, Elephant Pass is the name of the narrow peninsula that ties Jaffna to the rest of Sri Lanka. A war memorial marks its past as an 18-year-long battleground between the Sri Lankan Army and Tamil Tigers. These days, trains pass peacefully via a station partly funded by local students who helped rebuild the stop as a symbol of unity and reconciliation.

Tip: There’s only one train line in and out of Jaffna, so book in advance. Our Sri Lanka specialists can help check availability and reserve seats.

Architectural wonders: for Nine Arch Bridge and the Demodara Loop

Many visitors are so fixed on the famous trip between Nuwara Eliya and Ella that they miss this tiny 15-minute hop. But this little route through valleys and peaks packs in a lot of engineering wonder, including Nine Arch Bridge – concocted by Sri Lankan engineer D. J. Wimalasurendra to get trains around a tricky curve and climb. It’s also home to the Demodara Loop (another brainchild of Wimalasurendra), where you can observe bright blue trains circling directly beneath Demodara Station from a dedicated viewpoint. Wander around Demodara, too, for bakeries and cafés serving curry and rice.

Tip: The Pekoe Trail passes by Demodara. Follow it for a walk through tea estates and villages that’s designed to put you in touch with local people. You can even follow it all the way back to Ella.

The south: for surf, whales and new routes east

Sri Lanka is expanding its train network at a steady pace. One of the newest stretches is an extension of the Coast Line east to Beliatta – a sleek wave of a station just north of Sri Lanka’s southern tip. It’s a world away from the creaky colonial stations that most tourists aim for, and an exciting glimpse into the future of rail travel in Sri Lanka. The journey takes 1.5 hours, but it’s almost impossible not to hop off along the way at one of the many beach towns that attract surfers and sunset seekers, including Mirissa and Matara.

Tip: Check the train maps before going. You might find another tempting stretch of line has been added, opening up the little-visited east side of Sri Lanka.

The open doorways are coveted spots; well done if you bag one! Just be aware of any queues forming behind you or of passengers just trying to get from A to B. The window seats in second and third class carriages usually have open windows, so you can enjoy the feel of the mountain air in your hair from inside too.

Sri Lankan trains run on time about half the time and sometimes encounter cancellations due to maintenance or weather. With that in mind, embrace the journey as an adventure; there are certainly worse things than being delayed on a train with such a spectacular mountain view. Instead, pack a good book – and avoid booking timed activities for later in the day.

Hill Country can be a good 10°C cooler than the coast, so bundle layers into your bag. It can also be rainier. An umbrella is one of the best investments you can make in Sri Lanka; it’s great for shade or shelter. Don’t worry if it isn’t a blue-sky day, either. The mountains are just as beautiful shrouded in whispers of mist.

In recent years, Sri Lanka has experienced a series of shocks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, political instability and fuel shortages. Extreme weather powered by the climate crisis has particularly impacted the train lines and communities around them, including Cyclone Ditwah in 2025. However, our Sri Lankan partners encourage you to keep visiting. Once past the immediate aftermath of disaster, respectful and responsible tourism can help boost recovery, financially supporting local shops, guest houses and transport links.

Many stations overflow with bright pink flowers and wooden ticket offices are painted in sunny shades. Meanwhile, station signs are like works of art, painted with the beautiful calligraphy of Tamil and Sinhalese scripts.