How to get from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya

There are 3 ways to travel the 165 kilometers (103 miles) from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya. You can choose between the bus, taxi and train. The journey takes 5 to 6 hours and the quickest way is by taxi. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by train with tickets starting at 3,470 LKR ($11.60).

Taking the train from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya might take a bit longer than the bus or car, but the scenic views make it all worth it.

Luckily, it’s a nice way to travel like a local and enjoy the scenic views of landscapes and villages you will pass by during the train journey.

Keep in mind that you have to reserve your seats with Sri Lanka Railways at least one month before your travel date when booking online. Fares start at 3,470 LKR ($11.60) on BookAway.

Reserved or unreserved seats?

Tickets for an unreserved 3rd class seat from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya are a lot cheaper and only cost 420 LKR ($1.40) and 275 LKR ($0.90) for 2nd and 3rd class seats.

These tickets are unlimited and you can easily buy them at the train station on the day of your trip. Check out Sri Lanka Railways website to see the schedules for 2nd and 3rd class seats.

Note that while unreserved tickets are unlimited, the seats are not!

You will have to fight your way to get a seat at the crowded unreserved cabins. And if you think you got one, there is a chance that locals will do their best effort to claim the seat from you.

That means standing in a crowded train for around 3 hours until you reach Kandy, where many passengers get off.

Instead of risking your supposedly scenic train ride, we suggest booking reserved tickets via a local agency when you are too late to book online. Some of them can get you reserved train tickets even a few days before your trip.

For more info and other booking options, visit our page on How to Book Train Tickets in Sri Lanka.

Where can I find the railway stations?

Trains depart from Fort Railway Station in Colombo city centre and arrive at Nanu Oya Railway Station, west of Nuwara Eliya city centre.

From Nanu Oya, you have the option to take either a tuk-tuk or a bus to the city centre. This trip to the centre takes around 20 minutes and you can find the tuk-tuks outside of the station for rates starting at 500 LKR ($1.70).

If you want to take the bus, you will have to walk about 50m to the bus stop, where buses pass every 20 to 30 minutes.

When taking the bus from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya, you have 2 options: taking the local bus or a more comfortable tourist bus.

We recommend taking the tourist bus because local buses make multiple pick-up and drop-off stops along the way. This means that the actual travel time to Nuwara Eliya on a local bus can be longer than 6 hours.

Taking a tourist bus costs a few dollars more but will save you an hour in travel time. In addition, these are more comfortable and cleaner buses.

AKMT Holidays offers 2 daily trips from Bastian Mawatha Bus Station in Colombo city centre to Nuwara Eliya Main Bus Station, which is also in the city centre.

Bus options from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya

If you are on a tight budget, you can also book an air-conditioned local bus for 545 LKR ($1.80).

Local buses are easily available to almost any destination from Colombo. Bus route #79 will take you to Nuwara Eliya in around 6h, depending on traffic.

We recommend taking an air-conditioned bus for this journey to make it a little more comfortable. Ordinary and semi-luxury buses are also available for 270 LKR ($0.90) and 410 LKR ($1.40) respectively, but these can get crowded and very uncomfortable for long journeys.

Bus route #79 departs from Colombo Central Bus Stand in the city centre and arrives at Nuwara Eliya Main Bus Station, which is also in the city centre.

When travelling in a group, you can also take a taxi from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya. This gives you the advantage of travelling door-to-door, without the need to worry about train or bus schedules.

The taxi from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya will cost around 15,000 LKR ($50) when you book with Uber, but fares can be slightly cheaper or more expensive depending on the availability.

If you want to do everything to find the cheapest rate, you can also check the taxi apps PickMe and TaxiGo. These are widely available in Colombo, but not very easy to book when you’re travelling long distances.

You can also order a private transfer online via BookAway for 42,000 LKR ($140).

Taxi options from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya