Slow travel · 8 min read
Riding the rails through tea country
Windows down, a paper cup of sweet tea and no need to hurry.
The famous train is not polished. That is part of why it stays with you. Vendors move through the carriage, doors stay open and stations appear in improbable gardens.
Between Nanu Oya and Ella, the line follows the mountain rather than conquering it. Tea rows fall away beneath the tracks, then eucalyptus closes around the windows.
Reserved seats make the day easier, but the real luxury is time: let this be a journey, not transport squeezed between two activities.
Which stretch of the Kandy to Ella train is best?
The full journey from Kandy to Ella takes around six to seven hours. The most dramatic scenery begins after Hatton and continues through Nanu Oya, the station for Nuwara Eliya, past Haputale and down to Ella.
If time is short, ride only from Nanu Oya to Ella. It takes around three to four hours and covers the highest tea country, the pine and eucalyptus forest around Pattipola and the long descent into the Ella gap.
Reserved seats, classes and tickets
Reserved first-class and second-class seats on the popular morning trains sell out quickly in high season, so we book them as soon as your route is confirmed. Unreserved carriages are cheaper and more social, but standing for hours is common.
First class is often air-conditioned with sealed windows, which makes photographs harder. Many travellers prefer reserved second class, where the windows and doors open onto the view.
Travelling by train with a private driver
This is where a private driver makes the day easy. Your driver drops you at the station with a daypack, takes the main luggage by road and meets you on the platform at the other end, so there is no need to carry suitcases through crowded carriages.
If the train is delayed or tickets are unavailable, the same scenery can be enjoyed by road with stops at tea factories, waterfalls and viewpoints.
Practical tips
Trains in the hills often run late, so plan nothing time-sensitive on arrival. Bring a light jacket for the cooler sections above 1,800 metres, keep valuables in your daypack, and buy a paper cone of spiced peanuts or wade from a platform vendor at least once.
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