A Guide to Sri Lanka's Most Scenic Train Rides: A Journey Through Paradise

Introduction

Sri Lanka, also called the “pearl of indian ocean.” The country has unique beauty, culture, people, religions, and a next level of hospitality to explore the uniqueness you have to travel across the island. The best way to experience a green landscape, misty mountains, tea plantations, waterfalls, forests, and coastal views.

To look at the transportation in Sri Lanka, the first methord come to mind is the train. because Sri Lanka owns the most beautiful railway journey in the world. It's not another kind of cost-effective transport getting from one point to another point. It’s a journey collaborating with the people , a bridge that connects. A place where people share the brotherhood. the North and the South. Actually, this is a book that you must read. Let's look out.

History

The history of the Sri Lankan railway goes the mid-19th century. At that time, Sri Lanka was one of the British colony. Rail was introduced in Sri Lanka in 1864 to transport coffee and tea from plantations in the hill country district of Kandy to the port city of Colombo for export to Europe and world markets. Not stopping to kandy the railway expanded the western and northwestern coasts, transporting rubber and coconut to Colombo.

The century that passed, railways turned into a new era. From transporting coffee and tea to the world's most scenic train journeys, today.

Railway Network

The Sri Lankan rail network covers 1,508 km (937 mi) across the island. Including 9 train lines.

ROUTE 1: Colombo to Kandy - Gateway to the Hill Country

The journey also called “Hill country Line” from Colombo to hill country city Badulla. The journey is also considered as the one of most beautiful and the oldest train ride in the world.

The hill country line starts coastal lowlands all the way up to the central Highlands. The journey has lot of attractions you can visit. The overall journey from Kandy to Badulla approximately takes around 12-14 hours over 293KM. The time depends on the weather conditions and the type of train. The Sri Lankan most famous train is “The princess of hill country” this is the main train of this line she is the queen of Sri Lankan railway.

You can plan your tour in a different way no need to get one train to Colombo to Badulla, spending nearly 12-14 hours.

Take a train to Colombo fort to Kandy approximately 3 hours. in this train you enter the of central Hiland. You can experience how the environment changes from coastal lowland view to central highland mountain view. The best part of this journey is starting from Rambukkana station to hill country capital Kandy station. The train started to climb the mountain. you enter the tunnels. at the end of the tunnel, you can see incredible views. you feel like this climbing is never ending. After a long climb, the train enter the official gate of hill country kadugannawa station. Now train is entering the hill country. now train enters hillcountry capital Kandy, in a smooth 25-to-35-minute journey.

You feel like the journey is over. but the journey begins now.

Viewpoints & Stations

Colombo Fort

Ihala kotte

• Meeyan Ella is a waterfall with a rich history

Kdugannawa

• Colonial-era station

• Railway museum

• Dawson tower

Kandy

• Temple of the Tooth Relic

• Kandy Lake

ROUTE 2: Kandy to Ella - the World's Most Famous Scenic Train Ride

The Kandy to Ella railway journey is really beautiful. It goes through the highlands of Sri Lanka. The Kandy to Ella railway journey takes you past a lot of tea plantations. You will also see mountains with mist on them. The Kandy to Ella railway journey has tunnels and waterfalls too. The Kandy to Ella railway journey is one of the train rides, in the world.

Highlights Along the Route

Viewpoints & Stations

Nanu Oya

• Gateway to the town of Nuwara Eliya, known as "Little England"

• Visitors can explore tea factories

• Gregory Lake

• cool mountain scenery.

Hatton

• The jumping-off point for climbing Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada).

Haputale station

• A perfect stop for mountain views and hiking adventures.

• Lipton's Seat

• Panoramic views across tea plantations.

• Best visited early morning.

Idalgashinna

• Known for having one of the most scenic railway stations in the country, with valleys dropping away on both sides of the tracks!

Ella

• One of Sri Lanka's most popular tourist destinations.

• Nine Arches Bridge

• Little Adam's Peak

• Ella Rock

Also you can take Ella odysseytrain Ella odyssey is a new luxury train service runs daily between Kandy Railway Station and Demodara Railway Station. It stops at the most popular tourist attractions from Kandy to Demodara.

ROUTE 3: The Ocean Express: The Coastal Line (Colombo to Galle & Matara)

The Southern Coastal Line goes along the Indian Ocean for the whole way giving you a great view of nice beaches little fishing villages, old forts from the colonial times and lots of coconut trees.

This train ride is really special because the sea is so close to the train that you can almost touch it from the window. There are some parts where the train track's just a few metres away from the water. The best time to take this train ride is in the afternoon when the sun is setting and it makes the ocean look like it is made of copper and gold. The Southern Coastal Line is a way to see the Indian Ocean and all the nice things, along the way.

Viewpoints & Stations

Mount Lavinia

ROUTE 4: THE CULTURAL LINE difference: The Northern Line (Colombo to Jaffna)

The Northern Line is not a train ride it is like going through the history of a place. This route was closed for a long time almost thirty years because of the fighting in Sri Lanka. When it opened again in 2014 it was a deal for the country it brought people together.

When you take the train from Colombo and go north you see a lot of things total distance is 400KM . The city gives way to special places, in the North Central Province then you go through the Vanni region which is still healing and finally you get to the Jaffna Peninsula where the people are mostly Tamil and have their own way of life.

The Northern Line takes you to two Sri Lankas the train connects them. You see kinds of buildings people speak different languages the food is different people have different beliefs and the whole landscape is different. This is what makes the Northern Line so special.

Viewpoints & Stations

Kurunegala