How to get from Colombo to Ella

There are 3 ways to travel the 205 kilometre (127 miles) distance from Colombo to Ella. You can choose between the bus, taxi and train. The journey takes 5 hours 20 minutes to 10 hours 30 minutes and the quickest way is by taxi. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by train with tickets starting at 1,940 LKR ($6.40).

The train route from Colombo to Ella is among the most picturesque rides in the world, especially the second half of the ride starting in Kandy. It should not be missed when visiting the Tea Country.

Sri Lanka Railways generally feature clean cabins with soft seats, comfortable enough for a 9-hour trip. Tickets are available on the day of your trip at the train station, with fares starting at 490 LKR ($1.60) for a 2nd class unreserved seat.

But because this is at least a trip that takes around 8 hours 45 minutes to 10 hours 30 minutes, we recommend that you book reserved seats online at least a month before your trip. Online tickets start at 1,940 LKR ($6.40).

First-class seats are air-conditioned with ticket prices from 6,500 LKR ($21.50) when booked online. Still, we prefer the open windows of second-class cabins, much better for sightseeing and photo-ops!

• Departs from Fort Railway Station in Colombo city centre
• Arrives at Ella Railway Station in the city centre

There are no direct buses operating from Colombo to Ella. However, there is a bus that can drop you off about 5 km away. From here, a short taxi ride will bring you to Ella.

From Colombo’s Bastian Mawatha Bus Stand, find bus #99 bound for Badulla. Cheaper ordinary buses are available, but we don’t recommend them for this journey of 6h. Instead, we advise that you take at least an airconditioned bus for 710 LKR ($2.30). This has several departures daily.

If you want a more comfortable bus option, you can also take the super-luxury bus for 4,150 LKR ($13.70). This bus departs at 23:00 daily. Ask your driver to drop you off at Kumbalwela Junction. You should arrive there around 05:00 the next morning.

At Kumbalwela Junction, you can hail a taxi to bring you to Ella, which is about 15 minutes away. With a metered taxi, the ride should cost just around 300 LKR ($1).

Since this is early in the morning, another option is to ask your hotel beforehand if they offer pick-up service at Kumbalwela Junction.

You can get a taxi from Colombo to Ella for 31,000 LKR ($100) if you book via BookAway.

Booking a taxi with Uber costs less at around 16,000 LKR ($53), but fares can be slightly cheaper or more expensive depending on availability.

If you want to do everything to find the cheapest rates, you can also check the taxi apps PickMe and TaxiGo. These are widely available in Colombo, but may not be easy to find for longer journeys.

Taxi options from Colombo to Ella