The most beautiful train journey in the world – Ella to Kandy train journey in Sri Lanka!
I met a cute little-pawed friend who waited with me until the train arrived. You just never who you will meet just before you step into the most ultimate experience. While I had to sadly say goodbye to my friend, I couldn’t wait to hop onto the infamous Sri Lankan trains. In a unforgettable journey where time doesn’t exist, buy a ticket to immerse yourself in Sri Lanka’s magical beauty. Pass by humble locals from Ella to Kandy as you get lost in your thoughts while you look amongst the never-ending bright green mountains. When the train speeds up, you will be able to experience the wind brushing across your face, the train wheels crutching sounds. It is a little bit scary but it’s a lot more exciting when you are in front of the opening door looking out the beautiful sceneries of Sri Lanka.
Tips:
- Both Kandy – Ella and Ella – Kandy train trips are amazing! Make sure you pick the ones involved with sunrise or sunset, it will be a plus for your viewing pleasure.
- Book your trip early if you want a seat. The train tickets are extremely cheap, so they sold out very quickly. You can get your second class or third class tickets via travel agencies around 10 pounds each ticket. There are so many people on the train, so be prepared and try not to carry too many items. We ended up spending most of our time at the doors or going to the doors for our shots and videos.
- Try not to book first class tickets. First class is quiet, nice and you can relax, but because it has air-conditioning, so doors and windows are sealed. Alternatively, book both second class and first class seats. Use second class seats for your shots ( if you are very serious about them like we do).
- The train actually doesn’t stay at Ella very long (around 10 minutes or less), so don’t take your time hanging around!
- Nice hotels in Ella booked out very quickly, so book your stay early for rooms with the best breathtaking mountain views.
- From Galle, Thalpe, Marissa to Ella – we hired a car which costs about 100 dollars and it takes about 5 hours. travelling time. The traffic can be really bad during the day, so try to depart early around sunrise. You can take the train to from Galle to Ella, or train from Colombo to Ella or train from Colombo to Kandy if you have fewer items of luggage. You will be able to enjoy beautiful countryside views and culture along the way.
- I used Sri Lanka Transfers for all my Sri Lanka car hires and city to city transfers. They reply my emails within hours and the drivers always arrive on time. You can just pay them via Paypal which really made my trip planning quite easy.
Kurt wearing Manebi espadrilles || Celine sunglasses || linen shirt and trousers || Philippe Model overnight bag ||
The Ella town is very small and packed with lots of sleep and eat places, you can take a tuktuk from the Ella railway station to your hotel for less than 100 LKR.
photo above: Kurt wearing linen trousers and shirts, Philippe Model bag and Manebi espadrilles.
