If you’re planning to a trip to Sri Lanka, then odds are you’re considering taking the train from Kandy to Nanu Oya. If you haven’t heard of Nanu Oya, but have caught this iconic train, then you probably caught it before you reached Ella; the stop is a few hours before in the middle of the tea plantations.
I have to say that this train journey was a highlight of my time in Sri Lanka, but it almost didn’t happen. Here is everything you need to go to make sure that you have an unforgettable journey.
Kandy to Nanu Oya by Train | Your Quick Guide 2025
How to Book
Booking tickets is relatively straight forward and you can do it online through the official website. A massive word of warning though; these sell out at an insane pace. Not only are you up against all of the other travellers, but local agents book up tickets for companies and you even have dodgy operations going on to try and make a profit.
You can only book up to one month in advance, but the website is quite straightforward. Alternatively, you can book through an external agent.
Different Ticket Options
With the train from Kandy to Nanu Oya you have a few options, all of which are clearly laid out by the website. I would strongly recommend First Class. The cost of this starts from 2,000 LKR (£5.00) direct on the website and includes a seat reservation.
I’d suggest this because you get air conditioning and a comfortable seat guaranteed. Before we booked, we had heard that you couldn’t ‘hang out’ of the train up in First Class, but this just isn’t true. There are fewer doors open, but you can still have all the fun.
Top Tip: If you can, select a seat on the left side of the train. The views are better and you’ll be able to see many of the waterfalls from the comfort of your seat.
The Journey: Kandy to Nanu Oya
The journey from Kandy to Nanu Oya by train takes about 4 hours. It leaves at two points in the day (we left at 08:47) and arrives in Nanu Oya just after 12:30. Make sure that you leave your hotel with extra time spare: the Kandy traffic can be mad!
Your first hour of the journey is through the suburbs of Kandy and out into the surrounding areas. After this, you’ll begin to climb and will shortly enter the cloud forest. I loved this part of the journey and it was my favourite part to hang out of the door. We were super lucky though as it was misty and rainy, adding a real mystical feel to the surrounding area.
After the cloud forest came the tea plantations. This is actually the Tamil area of Sri Lanka alongside the north and you’ll see plenty of communities here picking tea and getting on with their day-to-day lives. The views of the valleys are honestly breath-taking. I never got the fuss with the hanging-out business before we went. However, it really added to the experience and just made it magical.
Nanu Oya is a small little town and you won’t notice that you’ve entered it. When you arrive, go over the bridge and you’ll see a small road / car park there. From here, you can catch a tuk-tuk or taxi.
Final Thoughts | Kandy to Nanu Oya by Train
Kandy to Nanu Oya by train was one of my favourite travel memories in the past few years. We are massive fans of Interrail trips, mainly because we get to see the countryside. This took it one step further and highlighted a completely different landscape, all from a different point of view. Whilst obviously it is very touristy thanks to Instagram, I promise that you will love the experience… If you can get tickets!
I hope that you enjoyed my blog post and if you have any questions let me know. I always love hearing from you.
