Fifty & Fab
  • Blog
  • Search
  • subscribe
  • About
  • Resources
    • Shop my Look
    • Discounts
    • Menopause
    • Downloads
  • Contact Me
  • IN THE PRESS
  • Work with Me
  • The Legal Stuff
  • Guest Blogs

Sri Lanka | Train Journey Nuwara Eliya to Kandy

6/9/2018

0 Comments

 
This isn't the popular way around to do the journey and when I was researching all I could find was posts about travelling from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya BUT train tickets are notoriously hard to book in Sri Lanka and getting them at the train station is pretty chaotic, although not impossible.  If you want to travel first class or observation car then you need to book in advance and as soon as tickets are released - use an agent in Sri Lanka to do this (we used Paradiso Travels or there are specialist agents). 

​We missed the slot for our original plan to travel to Nuwara Eliya but it made no difference really.  The journey back to Kandy was just as stunning and I loved every minute of it.  So don't be put off!
Train in Sri Lanka tea plantations
Travelling the picturesque route through the tea plantations back to Kandy
We had two second class tickets booked, we couldn't even get seats booked together so that was a bit of a worry then our plans changed and our daughter was with us for this trip.  Queue lots of confusion to (a) pick up our booked tickets and (b) get a third ticket sitting near us.

All I can say is thank goodness we had our driver Vicky with us to help.  He knew the system and he spoke the language.  We'd have given up and got into the mini-van to travel back to Negombo!  I had no idea what was going on at the station!

I am so glad we persevered though.  It was totally worth it.  Although I suspect we did end up travelling on just two tickets.  But the carriage wasn't full and sitting together wasn't a problem.
woman taking photo out of train door sri lanka
I loved doing what the tourists do and hanging out the open train doors!!
But we did spend a large part of the journey doing what the locals do and hanging out of the doors and windows!  It was just too fascinating not to.  Too much of an experience not to do it.  My husband was rather concerned for our safety though.  But we had to get that ultimate photo for ourselves.
woman on train in sri lanka
Locals selling their wares at the stations in Sri Lanka
The trains are old, they are rickety, slow and basic.  The toilet facilities are holes in the floor - I didn't use them, I managed to wait for four hours!  But the carriages are clean and second class wasn't crowded.  Third class is very busy though and I suspect more than just people travel, I am sure there is the odd chicken or other animal!  The signalling system and controls are ancient but it all works although the odd derailment isn't so uncommon.  The journey is slow but then with views like that to see it doesn't really matter.
selling flowers at sri lanka train station
old trains in sri lanka
At some stations we had quite a long wait.  Locals would board the train selling their wares or appear at windows with baskets full of fresh produce balanced on their heads.  It was another good opportunity to watch daily life and I loved it.  Anyone that knows me personally and especially my family are totally shocked that I did this, and that I loved it, I am known for loving my comforts, for preferring luxury.  I have never been a traveller (in the backpacking sense) but for some reason I embraced it in Sri Lanka.  Okay I didn't backpack and I didn't stay in hostels but I did travel about and I did enjoy it!
lots of people hanging out of trains in sri lanka
There was a lot of activity at every station we stopped at!
view from train in sri lanka tea plantations
If you go to Sri Lanka, don't miss the experience of train travel.  We got off at a station just before Kandy and met our driver to do the final journey by road back to Negombo.

Love from
Michelle xx
​
Nanu-Oya train station in sri lanka
Starting our journey from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy
Nanu-Oya train station in sri lanka
The station nearest to Nuwara Eliya is Nanu-Oya

​Disclaimer:  This is not a sponsored post and only a very small selection of photos and details of what we saw, if you want to find out more then please do message me or get in touch with Paradiso Travels in Sri Lanka.

​
Do take a look at my other posts about my Sri Lanka itinerary (slowly adding to them) where I go into more detail about what we did and share my thoughts:

​​Sri Lanka | Where shall I start?
Sri Lanka | Three Week Itinerary
Sri Lanka | South Coast, Whale Watching and Elephants
Sri Lanka | Kandy and the Tea Plantations
Train Nuwara Eliya to Kandy

Negombo and Colombo
Helping good causes in Sri Lanka (Dogstar Foundation and Yawajeewa School)
29 really useful things you need to know when travelling to Sri Lanka
What to wear in Sri Lanka
sri lanka by train
Pin it for later!
Brilliant blog posts on HonestMum.com
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Michelle ...

    ​Welcome to Fifty & Fab – a lifestyle blog to inspire and empower women over 50. I’m passionate about sharing insights on health, menopause, fitness, beauty, and style, tailored just for you!

    Lifestyle blog, blogger Marlow, Buckinghamshire
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Beauty
    Being Fifty And Fab
    Days Out
    Embracing Life (in Midlife)
    Health And Fitness
    Lifestyle
    Menopause
    Style
    Travel
    Travel - Sri Lanka

    Picture
    Subscribe below to receive regular updates by email:
    Subscribe
    Hi, I’m Michelle and my blog Fifty & Fab is all about my journey into and through my 50s.  I started this blog in 2016 with the purpose of helping other women at this stage of life.  I’m delighted that my blog has grown to over 13k visitors per month.  Visit my Work with Me page and request my Media Kit for details of product reviews, blogging services and social media content creation.

    Join my mailing list (above) for regular updates and don’t forget to look at my social media pages too..

    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016


Email

[email protected]
  • Blog
  • Search
  • subscribe
  • About
  • Resources
    • Shop my Look
    • Discounts
    • Menopause
    • Downloads
  • Contact Me
  • IN THE PRESS
  • Work with Me
  • The Legal Stuff
  • Guest Blogs