Sit back, relax, and watch the passing parade of stunning scenery. Numerous scenic train journeys across the globe will astound your mind and capture the precious moments of daily life outside the window. No hassles about navigating your way through unknown territory, lugging your precious baggage from one vehicle to another, or having to pee on the side of the road if the occasion arises. Train travel is hearing the rhythmic clackity-clack of the wheels on the tracks, or the quiet whisper of a fast-moving bullet, giving you a sense of pure adventure with a laid-back vibe.
Established in the mid-1800s, Sri Lanka's railway was initially a vehicle for transporting tea from the plantations to the capital city of Colombo. Today, trains mainly transport people, in fact, over 3.7 million people daily. Despite the steam trains of yesteryear having been replaced with diesel locomotives, the colorful carriages still evoke a mystical air with hints of their aromatic past of tea and spices as they sweep through landscapes of verdant hills blanketed in tea plantations intermittent with lush tropical thickets, acres of farming fields and temples decorated elaborately. The trains clang their way over impossibly high old bridges with yawning valleys and gushing waterfalls or weave in and out around the mountainous tracks when small villages appear and disappear. It's a slow-motion picture of Sri Lanka's legendary culture and scenic beauty, sometimes under brilliant blue clear skies or hanging misty clouds that threaten rain bursts.
A train adventure begins when you step onto the platform—quaint and old, which echoes the past as they were built during the British colonial era. Hand-painted signs show the timetable—no high-tech biz here to jolt you back to the right century. Your train ticket is a small cardboard affair that the white-uniformed train inspector will stamp. His job also includes whistle-blowing when a train arrives and departs. Sri Lanka's railway system isn't always on time. It's not the quickest way to get to your destination. Still, the old saying 'it's the journey, not the destination' is quite apt when referring to train travel in Sri Lanka.
At weekends, the trains overflow with humanity. You can buy tickets for same-day travel, and it's an option to pre-buy a first-class seat ticket, which you can do up to 30 days before traveling. A note on first-class seat arrangements; shut windows and doors with super cold air-conditioning blasts throughout the carriage. Or do as the locals do; buy a 2nd or 3rd class ticket to hang out the open doorways and windows to experience the snapshots of the exotic world the train chugs through. It will put your senses in a whirl of passing aromas of turmeric and curry leaves when street food vendors hop on to sell their home-made curries with rice and papadums, the scent of fresh air whipping your hair around in a flurry, and the sweet earthy perfume of the countryside where frangipanis grow in wild disarray.
Sri Lanka's iconic train trip is from Badulla, the capital city of Uva Province in the central hills, to Colombo on the west coast—about 11 hours in total, if you don't get off anywhere in between—but what would be the point in that? Divide the ride up into sections and linger in the towns along the way:
Ella to Badulla (1 hour)
This is the famous section where you will cross over the unbelievable Nine Arch Bridge, an amazing remnant from the British Colonial era. It's a stone bridge that rises 24 meters from the valley below. It was built solely by local labor 100 years ago. Due to a lack of metal and steel due to World War 1, the bridge was built from wood, concrete, and stone. For a true taste of local flavor, off the beaten track, Badulla is amongst Sri Lanka's oldest towns.
Ella to Nanu Oya (2 - 3 hours)
Rattle around endless tea plantations where tea pickers with large sacks on their backs dot the hillsides of Sri Lanka's highlands. This journey to Nanu Oya is the nearest train station to what was considered the most important tea-growing region of Nuwara Eliya, nicknamed 'Little England' because of its past history as a retreat from the heat during the colonial era. This is where you can gawk at Sri Lanka's widest waterfall, St Clair's Falls, and visit Horton Plains National Park. For the intrepid soul who likes to hike, you can take the trek to what's known as 'The World's End', where breathtaking lookout points on a clear day give views to the Indian Ocean's coastline. Unfortunately, if it's foggy, you will be met with a wall of mist. If time permits to pamper yourself, jump off at Haputale and spend some time at the tea plantation established by Sir Thomas Lipton in 1890 of 'Lipton' tea fame. It's an easy tuk-tuk ride from the train station. For an Instagram moment, hop off the train at Idalgashinna, between Haputale and Nanu Oya, to get bragging rights for stepping onto the tiniest but picturesque train platform.
Demodara to Kandy (7 hours)
Stunning scenery all the way on this leg of the journey as you wind around dense forests, through valleys where mountains rear their heads, and through small charming villages to arrive at the old stronghold of the city of Kandy, where the Temple of the Sacred Tooth is located. Three hours by car from Kandy will have you at the magnificent Sikiriya, the ancient palace built 1,500 years ago. To appreciate Kandy's long and mystical history, arrive in Kandy midyear when the mind-boggling elephant parade occurs on its streets—The Kandy Esala Perahera—lasting ten days; the festival coincides with the Esala full moon. Linger in this UNESCO World Heritage Site town where school children are dressed like professional cricket players and join the locals on their strolls in the afternoons around the placid central Bogambara Lake constructed by the last Kandyan king in 1807. Kandy is a sacred city of spiritual significance.
Other train rides of note include Badulla to Colombo Fort (10 - 11 hours), which weaves through mountains, numerous tunnels, and bridges along a 291 km route from the capital of Sri Lanka eastward to Badulla. There is also the train ride from Colombo to the historic Fort Galle that runs along the southwest coast.
Gail Palethorpe, a self proclaimed Australian gypsy, is a freelance writer, photographer and eternal traveller. Check out her website Gail Palethorpe Photography and her Shutterstock profile.
