Sri Lanka Kandy

How to get from Colombo to Kandy

In this in-depth route guide, you’ll find the best ways to travel the 115 kilometre (71 miles) distance from Colombo to Kandy. By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly how to get there — whether you want to travel on a budget, reach Kandy as fast as possible, or enjoy the ride in comfort. We base our information on verified schedules, ticket prices, and on-the-ground insights from recent travellers.

Written by Maarten - Trip Planning ExpertReviewed by Ela - Senior Travel Writer

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What are the 6 ways to travel from Colombo to Kandy?

There are 6 ways to travel the 115 kilometre (71 miles) distance from Colombo to Kandy. You can choose between the bus, minivan, taxi, train, flight* and day trip. The journey takes 30 minutes - 12 hours and the quickest way is by flight*. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by train with tickets starting at 1,190 LKR ($3.90).

Transport

Duration

Pricing

Transport Options

Train

2h 20m - 3h 25m

From 1,190 LKR ($3.90)

Book Tickets

Bus

2h 30m - 4h

From 2,480 LKR ($8)

Book Tickets

Minivan

2h 40m - 3h 30m

From 5,200 LKR ($16.80)

Book Tickets

Taxi

2h 50m - 4h

From 13,000 LKR ($43.50)

Book Tickets

Day Trip

12h

From 22,000 LKR ($70)

Book Tickets

Flight*

30m

From 29,000 LKR ($92)

Book Tickets

Colombo to Kandy by Train

Duration: 2h 20m - 3h 25m

Costs: 1,190 LKR ($3.90)

Duration: 2h 20m - 3h 25m

Costs: 1,190 LKR ($3.90)

Sri Lanka Railways operates several trips from Colombo to Kandy every day.

Fares for a reserved seat start from 1,190 LKR ($3.90) for a non-airconditioned 3rd class train. A 2nd class train offers more comfortable seats with ticket prices from 1,320 LKR ($4.30). If you want an airconditioned ride, book a 1st class train seat with ticket prices from 1,980 LKR ($6.40).

We have to emphasize the word reserved because it can be really difficult to get a seat on Sri Lankan trains.

A train ride is both cheap and fast, making it the primary mode of transportation among Sri Lankans. An unreserved 2nd class train ticket from Colombo to Kandy costs only 500 LKR ($1.60) when you buy it at the train station. More often than not, the trains are standing rooms only.

Unless you’re up for that adventure for the 2.5-hour train ride, we recommend booking in advance a reserved train seat from Colombo to Kandy.

Top tip: You can best enjoy the scenic train journey in a 2nd class cabin, where you can open the windows and breathe in the fresh breeze of rural Sri Lanka. The windows don’t open in 1st class.

Sri Lanka Railways Train Schedule from Colombo to Kandy

Colombo Fort

Third Class Reserved Seats

Kandy

05:30

2h 43m

08:13

05:55

2h 52m

08:47

08:30

2h 33m

11:03

Sri Lanka Railway

From 1,190 LKR ($3.90)

Colombo Fort

Second Class Reserved Seats

Kandy

05:30

2h 43m

08:13

05:55

2h 52m

08:47

07:00

2h 38m

09:38

08:30

2h 33m

11:03

15:35

2h 33m

18:08

17:10

2h 34m

19:44

Sri Lanka Railway

1,320 LKR ($4.30)

Colombo Fort

First Class

Kandy

05:30

2h 43m

08:13

05:55

2h 52m

08:47

08:30

2h 33m

11:03

10:35

3h 25m

14:00

15:35

2h 33m

18:08

Sri Lanka Railway

1,980 LKR ($6.40)

Colombo Fort

Observation Class

Kandy

07:00

2h 38m

09:38

Sri Lanka Railway

1,980 LKR ($6.40)

Get Your Tickets

Colombo Fort Train Station

Third Class Reserved Seats

Kandy Train Station

05:55

2h 30m

08:25

07:00

2h 30m

09:30

08:30

2h 30m

11:00

15:35

2h 30m

18:05

17:10

2h 30m

19:40

Sri Lanka Railways

3,220 LKR ($10.40)

Get Your Tickets

Colombo Fort Train Station

Second Class Reserved Seats

Kandy Train Station

05:55

2h 30m

08:25

07:00

2h 30m

09:30

08:30

2h 30m

11:00

15:35

2h 30m

18:05

17:10

2h 30m

19:40

Sri Lanka Railways

3,870 LKR ($12.50)

Get Your Tickets

Colombo Fort Train Station

First Class Reserved Seats

Kandy Train Station

05:55

2h 30m

08:25

07:00

2h 30m

09:30

08:30

2h 30m

11:00

10:35

2h 30m

13:05

12:30

2h 30m

15:00

15:35

2h 30m

18:05

17:10

2h 30m

19:40

Sri Lanka Railways

4,640 LKR ($15)

Get Your Tickets

Colombo Fort Train Station

Second Class

Kandy Train Station

07:00

2h 20m

09:20

Sri Lanka Railways

4,860 LKR ($15.70)

Get Your Tickets

Colombo Fort Train Station

Panoramic

Peradeniya Train Station (Kandy)

09:45

2h 40m

12:25

Sri Lanka Railways

5,200 LKR ($16.80)

Get Your Tickets

Colombo Fort Train Station

First Class

Kandy Train Station

15:30

2h 30m

18:00

Sri Lanka Railways

5,600 LKR ($18)

Get Your Tickets

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We recommend booking your tickets online through BookAway. Their site is intuitive, provides a clear picture of what you can expect, and offers great customer service. If you’re eyeing the best deals, you might occasionally find slightly cheaper tickets on 12Go.Asia.

Alternative trains from Colombo to Kandy

Apart from Sri Lanka Railways, three other companies operate trains on the Colombo-Kandy route. These are Royal Saloon, Ella Odyssey and Viceroy II.

Royal Saloon

Previously called Blueline Express, Royal Saloon offers the most luxurious train cabin on this route. It’s connected to Sri Lanka Railways but has its own train car (coloured yellow, red and blue).

Royal Saloon departs from Colombo four times every day at 10:30, 12:40, 15:30 and 19:20.

Aside from being airconditioned, the main advantage of the Royal Saloon train is its customer service. The rate of 6,500 LKR ($21) includes food and tea, which are served onboard.

Royal Saloon trains depart from Colombo Fort Railway Station and arrive at Kandy Railway Station.

Check Royal Saloon Train Tickets

Ella Odyssey

Ella Odyssey is a special train operating from Colombo to Kandy and all the way to Badulla. What makes this train different is that it stops or slows down at several tourist attractions along the way.

That’s great — if you’re travelling up to Ella. This train doesn’t make any tourist stop until after you get off at Kandy. So we don’t think it’s worth taking an Ella Odyssey train for this route. It’s more expensive, and it doesn’t really give you any advantage over taking a first-class train.

A train ticket for Ella Odyssey costs 6,900 LKR ($22). It departs from Colombo only twice a week: on Thursday and Saturday at 05:30 in the morning.

Viceroy II*

UPDATE: The last time we checked (October 2024), Viceroy II had suspended operations. Please click the link provided to see if anything has changed.

The Viceroy II is a whole other experience. It is a refurbished cabin that looks a lot like a Victorian saloon. With its posh chairs and dim lighting, you will feel like a British monarch travelling in Ceylon.

Note that Viceroy II only operates from Colombo to Kandy on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. A ticket costs 5,100 LKR ($16.40) and the journey takes 2 hours 45 minutes.

Departs at 09:45 from the Fort Railway Station in Colombo
Arrives at 12:31 at Peradeniya, a suburb located west of Kandy’s city centre

The risk of unreserved seats

There is a high demand for train tickets in Sri Lanka, especially for famous routes like this one. Fortunately, Sri Lanka has launched a new ticketing system where you can book train tickets up to two days in advance — that is, if tickets are still available for that route at that time.

If you miss that, you can also buy unreserved tickets at the train station on the day of your trip. Train schedules are available on the Sri Lanka Railways website. Note that because this is an unreserved seat, there is a huge chance you will be standing throughout this 2.5-hour journey.

If you don’t want to take that risk and are willing to pay a few more dollars, we highly recommend booking your reserved train tickets in advance online through 12go.Asia or BookAway. You can also book directly through the Sri Lanka Railways website but note that they require a local phone number to complete your booking.

Check out our page on How to Book Train Tickets in Sri Lanka for more info.

Check Ella Odyssey Train Tickets

Colombo to Kandy by Bus

Duration: 2h 30m - 4h

Costs: 2,480 LKR ($8)

Duration: 2h 30m - 4h

Costs: 2,480 LKR ($8)

The bus is a cheap alternative if you miss the chance to book a reserved train seat and don’t want to spend the trip standing on a crowded train.

We recommend taking an air-conditioned bus. Ordinary buses are too crowded, make a lot of stops, and can be quite uncomfortable for long journeys.

A ticket for an air-conditioned bus costs 350 LKR ($1.10). Look for Bus #1. You can expect to reach Kandy in about 4 hours.

Departure and arrival station

Buses depart from Bastian Mawatha Bus Station, across Pettah Floating Market in the city centre.

In Kandy, there are two bus stops: Kandy Bus Stand and Kandy Clock Tower Bus Station. These terminals are about 600m apart and are both located in Kandy city centre.

Alternative: Book your bus online to secure a seat

Duration: 2h 30m - 4h

Costs: 2,480 LKR ($8)

Duration: 2h 30m - 4h

Costs: 2,480 LKR ($8)

There are several local buses operating from Colombo to Kandy daily. But this route can also be quite busy on weekends and holidays.

If you want more reassurance that you’ll have a bus seat, you can book your bus ticket in advance. This is a bit more expensive but gives you peace of mind that you have a bus seat waiting for you.

Bus options from Colombo to Kandy

Makumbura Multimodal Centre

Standard

Kandy Bus Stand

06:30

2h 30m

09:00

Sri Lanka Bus Service

From 2,480 LKR ($8)

Bastian Mawatha Bus Station

Standard

Kandy Goods Shed Bus Stand

11:00

15:00

14:00

18:00

16:00

20:00

AKMT Holidays

4,830 LKR ($15.60)

Get Your Tickets

Colombo to Kandy by Minivan

Duration: 2h 40m - 3h 30m

Costs: 5,200 LKR ($16.80)

Duration: 2h 40m - 3h 30m

Costs: 5,200 LKR ($16.80)

A minivan ride from Colombo to Kandy costs around 5,200 LKR ($16.80). The minivan journey takes about 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes, depending on traffic.

Magical Sri Lanka is the sole company operating on this route.

What we like about this option is the free hotel drop-off service. This saves you the hassle and extra cost of finding your way from bus stations.

Minivan options from Colombo to Kandy

Colombo Bandaranaike Airport (CMB)

Standard

Kandy - Any hotel

10:00

2h 40m

12:40

15:00

2h 40m

17:40

Magical Sri Lanka

5,200 LKR ($16.80)

Get Your Tickets

World Trade Center

Standard

Kandy - Any hotel

09:00

3h 30m

12:30

14:00

3h 30m

17:30

Magical Sri Lanka

6,300 LKR ($20)

Get Your Tickets

Colombo to Kandy by Taxi

Duration: 2h 50m - 4h

Costs: 13,000 LKR ($43.50)

Duration: 2h 50m - 4h

Costs: 13,000 LKR ($43.50)

Taxi rates from Colombo to Kandy start from 13,000 LKR ($43.50) for a 3-seater car if you book via BookAway. When travelling in a bigger group, you can get a minivan that can fit up to eight people.

You can also order a taxi with Uber for around 16,000 LKR ($52). Fares can be slightly cheaper or more expensive depending on availability.

Hoping to find cheaper rates? You can try checking the taxi apps PickMe and TaxiGo. These are widely available in Colombo, but may not be easy to book for longer journeys.

Pro tip: Use the code “hpam1ue” or this link to order your first ride with Uber for free!

Taxi options from Colombo to Kandy

Economy

Economy Car 3 PAX

Price per person = 4,500 LKR ($14.50)

Real Lanka Holidays

13,000 LKR ($43.50)

Get Your Tickets

Standard

Standard Minivan 8 PAX

Price per person = 1,780 LKR ($5.70)

Real Lanka Holidays

14,000 LKR ($46)

Get Your Tickets

Economy

Economy Car 3 PAX

Price per person = 5,100 LKR ($16.40)

Real Lanka Holidays

15,000 LKR ($49)

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Standard

Standard Car 2 PAX

Price per person = 7,700 LKR ($25)

Magical Sri Lanka

15,000 LKR ($50)

Get Your Tickets

Standard

Standard Minivan 8 PAX

Price per person = 2,110 LKR ($6.80)

Real Lanka Holidays

17,000 LKR ($55)

Get Your Tickets

Standard

Standard Car 2 PAX

Price per person = 8,900 LKR ($29)

Magical Sri Lanka

18,000 LKR ($58)

Get Your Tickets

Economy

Economy Car 3 PAX

Price per person = 7,900 LKR ($25.50)

Travel Lanka

24,000 LKR ($77)

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Economy

Economy Car 3 PAX

Price per person = 7,900 LKR ($25.50)

Travel Lanka

24,000 LKR ($77)

Get Your Tickets

Standard

Standard Minivan 5 PAX

Price per person = 5,700 LKR ($18.50)

Magical Sri Lanka

29,000 LKR ($93)

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Standard

Standard Minivan 5 PAX

Price per person = 6,300 LKR ($20)

Magical Sri Lanka

31,000 LKR ($100)

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Standard

Standard Car 2 PAX

Price per person = 16,000 LKR ($52)

Lanka Holidays

32,000 LKR ($105)

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Standard

Standard Minivan 4 PAX

Price per person = 9,100 LKR ($29.50)

Lanka Holidays

37,000 LKR ($120)

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Show 7 more operator(s)

Colombo to Kandy by Day Trip

Duration: 12h

Costs: 22,000 LKR ($70)

Duration: 12h

Costs: 22,000 LKR ($70)

When you only have a day to spare in Kandy, there is also an option to join a day trip from Colombo. Rates start from 22,000 LKR ($70) per person for a group tour of 12 hours — this can be cheaper if you’re travelling in a big group.

A Colombo to Kandy day trip typically includes:

Roundtrip transfers
A visit to the sacred Temple of the Tooth
A stop at the Royal Botanical Gardens
Sightseeing from a viewpoint in Kandy
A tea factory tour

It’s worth noting that a day or two is enough to explore Kandy. But we don’t recommend going back to Colombo immediately after. From Kandy, you can travel south to the town of Ella. The train ride from Kandy to Ella is said to be one of the most scenic in the world!

Book a Day Trip with GetYourGuide

Colombo to Kandy by Flight*

Duration: 30 minutes, excl. transfers

Costs: 29,000 LKR ($92)

Duration: 30 minutes, excl. transfers

Costs: 29,000 LKR ($92)

UPDATE: The last time we checked (October 2024), we could not confirm whether Sri Lankan Airlines still operates daily flights from Colombo to Kandy. Please check the link provided to see if anything has changed.

The flight looks like the fastest option at only 30 minutes of travel time. However, both Colombo and Kandy airports are outside the city centre, making the total travel time at least 2 hours.

Sri Lankan Airlines operates one flight daily, with a 10:30 departure. You can get a ticket for 29,000 LKR ($92).

Flights bound for Kandy depart from Diyawanna Oya, 10 km southeast of Colombo city. These arrive at Victoria Reservoir, 25 km southeast of Kandy city centre.

Check Flights on Skyscanner

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.

Rounding it up

We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Colombo to Kandy. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.

PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!

Frequently Asked Questions about Colombo to Kandy

What is the distance from Colombo to Kandy?

The distance from Colombo to Kandy is 115 kilometre (71 miles).

What is the fastest way to get from Colombo to Kandy?

The fastest way to get from Colombo to Kandy is by flight* and takes 30 minutes.

What is the cheapest way to get from Colombo to Kandy?

The cheapest way to get from Colombo to Kandy is by train with ticket costs starting from 1,190 LKR ($3.90).

About the author(s)

Maarten

Based in Bali, Maarten’s passion for travel is undeniable. In 2016, he decided to quit his job as a stock analyst and started doing what he always dreamed of: travelling through South East Asia and helping other people plan their trips. When he is not working on Gecko Routes, you’ll find him surfing in the ocean or exploring the best gems of Indonesia.

Ela

Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.