Is the Famous Kandy to Ella Train Ride Overrated?

The famous Kandy to Ella train ride was at the top of my list when it came to planning my two weeks in Sri Lanka. I knew I wanted to travel like a local, witness the breathtaking tea fields, and stick my feet out of an open doorway. All of which I did! While I, personally had a magnificent time on the 7 hour journey, there are many people who do not share the same enthusiasm for the famous train ride.

So I thought, today, I would share my own opinions about the experience I had. As well as share some of the realities for most people on the journey. But, before we get to the big question of whether or not the ride is overrated, let’s discuss some of the smaller details along the way.

How much does the train cost? And which class should I choose?

The cost of your ticket will completely depends on the class of ticket you purchase, and where you purchase your ticket from. Deciding on a class of ticket can be difficult, but sometimes the decision will be made for you. Let me break it down:

Third class unreserved tickets are the cheapest tickets available. The doorways are open, the seating is first come, first serve, and there is no air conditioning. I chose this option when traveling from Colombo to Kandy, and honestly it was great. The train car wasn’t crowded at all, I was able to shift between a standard seat and hanging my feet out the door, and the journey was comfortable.

Third class reserved tickets are exactly the same as above, but you will have a designated seat. This means for more crowded journeys {like Kandy to Ella}, you can relax knowing you have a designated place to sit.

Second class unreserved tickets are common for backpackers on a budget in Sri Lanka. These are slightly better seats than third class {think actual seats and not benches}, but the vibe is pretty similar. Again, the doorways are open, the seating is first come, first serve, and there is no air conditioning.

Second class reserved tickets are usually sold out immediately online. These tickets are some of the best you can buy. Everything remains the same as second class unreserved tickets, but once again, you have a designated seat instead of trying to fight among the masses

First class tickets are the most expensive {as you can imagine}. The train car is air conditioned, the seats are comfortable, and the experience is the opposite of authentic. The doors remain closed and locked for the entire duration of the journey {meaning no hanging your legs out the door!}. While first class may be the style of transportation to take advantage of in some circumstances, the train ride between Kandy and Ella is not one of them.

You will miss out on a local experience in a country full of incredible locals.

When it comes to purchasing tickets for, well, any form of transportation in Sri Lanka, you should check out this blog: “The Man in Seat 61“. He provides very detailed explanations about scheduling, pricing, etc. for trains and buses. I used it quite frequently as a resource while I traveled the country.

That being said, I will use my own experience as an example for answering most of these questions. I purchased my second class unreserved ticket at the train station prior to boarding and it only cost me 230 LKR {$1.30 USD}. That’s right. The most stunning train journey of my life cost me less than two dollars. Whaaaat?

Which train station should I board from?

Hands down, the best decision I made on this journey was starting it from Peradeniya Station {MAP}. Located only a 15 minute tuk-tuk ride from the center of Kandy, Peradeniya Station should absolutely be the station you board from. Sure, the tuk-tuk ride to the station will cost triple the cost of your 7 hour train ticket {approx. 700 LKR}, but TRUST ME when I tell you it’s worth it.

I will say, however, that you won’t be alone. The secret’s out! People know about this loophole when it comes to the famous train journey. Therefore, you can expect quite a few foreigners queuing up alongside the tracks with you. Don’t fret – you’ll still get a seat! And if you don’t, you’ll be sure to snag one once the train stops at Kandy Station.

Kandy Station is the station most people use to travel to Ella. It’s also a very popular station for locals. This means, heaps of people get off and on at Kandy Station. If you board at Peradeniya Station, you’ll already be on the train when the locals disembark, leaving you a plethora of open seats before hundreds of other tourists board.

How do you actually get tickets?

There are a couple ways to purchase train tickets. If you would like to purchase tickets in advance, you can do so 30 days prior to the day you plan to travel using 12Go. These tickets are extremely overpriced, but it guarantees you a seat {as you would be buying reserved seats}.

Otherwise, you’ll have to join the masses and purchase tickets on the day you plan to travel. I arrived super early to the train station {about 2 hours prior to the scheduled departure time} and wasn’t even allowed to buy them yet.

I was, however, the first person to do so when the teller eventually allowed it {1 hour before departure}. The tickets won’t actually sell out if you are buying unreserved tickets, so don’t worry too much about that. I purchased a second-class unreserved ticket with no problem. If someone tries to tell you they are sold out, explain you want a standing unreserved ticket.

Which side of the train gets the best view?

When the train is en route, the right side of the train gets the best views. No question about it. Some people mentioned in blogs that one side is better for half of the trip, and the other side provides stunning views for the remainder of the journey. I’m here to tell you NOPE. The right side is the side you want to be on.

I must point out though, if you do choose to board the train at Peradeniya Station, you’ll want to be careful with your seat selection. How do I explain this? When the train comes into the station, you’ll want to make sure you get a seat on the left side of the train {the seats will be facing backwards}.

This is because Kandy Station is technically where the train begins its journey. The train enters Kandy Station from Peradeniya Station, and leaves again to backtrack to Peradeniya Station before carrying on.

So, if you are seated on the left hand side of the train when it enters Kandy station, you will actually be on the right hand side of the train when it departs the station {hence why the seats are facing “backwards” when you first board}. And that is the most picturesque view you can get! Comment down below if I’ve just confused the shit out of you and you need me to clarify something.

Should I get a standard seat? Or sit in the doorway?

GET A STANDARD SEAT {if one is available}. I cannot stress this enough. True, most of the Insta-worthy photo opportunities take place from the doorway of the train car. Even so, I can promise you it won’t be yours for long. It’s actually quite rude to hog the doorway seat in the train cars. Sharing is caring, as they say.

I recommend getting a standard seat, and every once in a while get up to check if there is a doorway available for a few minutes {all while saving your original seat of course – which comes as a difficulty when you are traveling alone}. I personally made friends this way. A couple girls wanted to use my window seat to take photos of their friends hanging out of the doorway seat. It worked out because I too was able to utilize both of them in order to get shots like the one below.

Unfortunately for my girl friends, they ended up sitting on the floor for the majority of their train ride, making their experience less magical {to say the least}. While they had originally claimed a doorway seat, people still used the doors to board the train at each stop. Therefore, they would move when necessary and then ultimately lose their perfect location. It’s a long train ride {7 hours} to be sitting on the ground…

Should I bring snacks on board?

You can! And I would recommend it. You will find men jumping on and off the train with snacks for sale at each station. Halfway through the trip, someone came around with warm, vegetarian, samosas. I purchased a few of those and they lasted me a couple hours, but if you get hungry easily I suggest preparing yourself with snacks!

The train stops are not long enough to get off and purchase anything, and there is nothing substantial offered once you’re on board. If a man comes around offering tea, however, you must try it!

What condition are the bathrooms in?

Honestly, I don’t know. I went the entire 7 hours without using the bathroom. Which sounds pretty insane. They technically have bathrooms on board but {like many other developing countries} I assume they aren’t the cleanest. Even so, they are available! Be prepared to squat and make sure to have toilet paper at the ready as it won’t be provided.

Can I easily move about the train car?

Key word here is easily. I would say, no. Not really. You can absolutely move about the train car, and people do. That being said, I spent a majority of my journey in my seat. I must reiterate just how popular this train ride is. The cars get packed – with people, with suitcases, etc. It can be a nightmare trying to get from point A to point B within the cars.

Should I break up the journey?

This totally depends, but personally I would say no. Seven hours flew by for me! I did have a seat, though, and it was located right by an open window. I don’t think I could have asked for better placement.

The girls I continued traveling through Sri Lanka with might disagree. They were sitting on the ground for a majority of the journey {without much of a view} and were over the entire thing after a few hours. Which is fair enough.

If you have the time, money, and interest, many people break up the journey by staying the night in Nuwara Eliya. Read about what to do in Nuwara Eliya here.

What can I expect to see for 7 hours?

A whoooooole lot of tea fields.

Finally, is the famous Kandy to Ella Train Ride Overrated?

NOOOOOO. After all that, I don’t think the train ride from Kandy to Ella is overrated in the least. Train travel is one of my favorite forms of transportation. The fact that this 7 hour journey costs less than $2 is unreal. It truly is one of the most {if not the most} beautiful train rides I’ve ever encountered.

All that being said, it completely depends on how you go about the trip. For example, boarding at Peradeniya Station, claiming a window seat on the right side of the train, getting beautiful, warm weather, having enough food and water to last the entire journey, creating the best playlist, and simply enjoying the ride.

If you’re lucky enough to share in the same experience I did on the Kandy to Ella train journey, you will understand how incredible the ride truly is. If not, however, I must say your journey may not be as grand.

Helpful hints:

When boarding the train at Peradeniya Station, make sure you waiting on the tracks located to the left. Basically, after purchasing your ticket, walk through the gate to a platform and stay there. You can venture to the right and you’ll also find tracks, but that is not the correct platform. Those tracks will also take you to Ella, however, the train backtracks from Kandy to Peradeniya and this is the platform it will use.

If you don’t initially get a seat, keep in mind that they train will stop halfway through the journey at a popular station: Nuwara Eliya. It is here where a large amount of passengers will exit the train, and a large amount of {new} passengers will board. Take this opportunity to snag an empty seat! Most of the people I saw standing for the first half of the journey found a seat for the second half.

Take the first train of the day! I boarded the 8:34 AM train out of Peradeniya Station. While there may be fog in the morning {I got lucky and this didn’t happen}, it usually burns off by the afternoon.