Sri Lanka Nuwara Eliya

How to get from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

In this in-depth route guide, you’ll find the best ways to travel the 75 kilometre (47 miles) distance from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly how to get there — whether you want to travel on a budget, reach Nuwara Eliya 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 4 ways to travel from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya?

There are 4 ways to travel the 75 kilometre (47 miles) distance from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. You can choose between the bus, shared minivan, taxi and train. The journey takes 2 hours 45 minutes to 5 hours 25 minutes and the quickest way is by taxi. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at 180 LKR ($0.60).

Transport

Duration

Pricing

Transport Options

Bus

From 180 LKR ($0.60)

Book Tickets

Train

3h 30m - 5h 25m

From 1,190 LKR ($3.90)

Book Tickets

Shared Minivan

3h 40m

From 6,300 LKR ($20)

Book Tickets

Taxi

2h 45m

From 14,000 LKR ($45.50)

Book Tickets

Kandy to Nuwara Eliya by Bus

Duration: 4h

Costs: 180 LKR ($0.60)

Duration: 4h

Costs: 180 LKR ($0.60)

Although neither as comfortable nor as scenic as taking the train, taking a bus is a cheap way to travel like a local from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya.

Intercity buses operate daily, with buses leaving every 30 minutes. Tickets cost 180 LKR ($0.60) for an air-conditioned bus and 250 LKR ($0.80) for an ordinary bus.

Buses depart from Goods Shed Bus Stop, a short tuk-tuk ride from Kandy city centre. They arrive at Nuwara Eliya Bus Station in the city centre.

Tourist Bus from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

Not keen on local transport? AKMT Holidays offers two daily bus trips from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. A one-way trip costs 4,640 LKR ($15) and takes about 4 hours.

Although more expensive than a local bus, taking a tourist bus is a good alternative for its comfort, cleanliness and speed. Passengers of local buses often complain about dirty seats and uncomfortable journeys. Brown Tours is also a trusted company and receives good reviews.

You can easily book a tourist bus ticket online through BookAway or 12Go.Asia.

Departs at Goods Shed Bus Stand, just outside Kandy city centre
Arrives at Nuwara Eliya Main Bus Station in the city centre

Bus options from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

Kandy

Ordinary

Nuwara Eliya

Several trips daily

Local Bus

180 LKR ($0.60)

No Online Tickets

Kandy

Air-conditioned

Nuwara Eliya

Several trips daily

Local Bus

250 LKR ($0.80)

No Online Tickets

Kandy Goods Shed Bus Stand

Standard

Nuwara Eliya Main Bus Station

10:00

14:00

18:00

AKMT Holidays

4,640 LKR ($15)

Get Your Tickets

Kandy to Nuwara Eliya by Train

Duration: 3h 30m - 5h 25m

Costs: 1,190 LKR ($3.90)

Duration: 3h 30m - 5h 25m

Costs: 1,190 LKR ($3.90)

Nuwara Eliya is a popular destination in Sri Lanka for its temperate climate and rolling tea estates. But you can get a close look at these plantations and their farmers even before you set foot in the city if you take the train from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya.

You can buy tickets at the train station on the day of your trip. But most probably only unreserved seats will be available, with fares starting at 170 LKR ($0.50).

Because this is such a busy route, you might want to book reserved seats online at least a month before your trip. Train ticket prices start at 1,190 LKR ($3.90). The 1st class cabin is air-conditioned, but we prefer the open windows in 2nd class—tickets are cheaper, and the seats are perfect for photo ops!

Trains depart from Kandy Railway Station at the city centre and arrive at Nanu Oya Railway Station, 10 km west of Nuwara Eliya city centre.

From Nanu Oya, you will have to take a tuk-tuk or a bus for 20 minutes to get to the city centre. You can easily find a tuk-tuk outside the station and they normally charge 500 LKR ($1.60). Taking a bus is a lot cheaper at 20 LKR ($0.10). But you will have to walk about 50 m to the bus stop and the buses run only every 20 to 30 minutes.

The ride from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya is picturesque anywhere you look, but we think it is best to sit on the right side of the train for this journey. You can check the train schedule below.

Train Schedule from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

Kandy

Third Class Reserved Seats

Nanu Oya

08:13

3h 49m

12:02

08:47

3h 46m

12:33

11:03

3h 30m

14:33

Sri Lanka Railway

From 1,190 LKR ($3.90)

Kandy

Second Class Reserved Seats

Nanu Oya

08:13

3h 49m

12:02

11:03

3h 30m

14:33

Sri Lanka Railway

1,580 LKR ($5.10)

Kandy

Observation Class

Nanu Oya

03:30

5h 24m

08:54

Sri Lanka Railway

2,630 LKR ($8.50)

Get Your Tickets

Kandy

First Class

Nanu Oya

08:13

3h 49m

12:02

17:20

3h 59m

21:19

Sri Lanka Railway

2,630 LKR ($8.50)

Kandy Train Station

First Class

Nanu Oya Train Station

15:55

4h 40m

20:35

22:00

4h 40m

02:40

Sri Lanka Railways

4,860 LKR ($15.70)

Get Your Tickets

Peradeniya Train Station (Kandy)

Panoramic

Nanu Oya Train Station

12:25

3h 35m

16:00

Sri Lanka Railways

5,200 LKR ($16.80)

Get Your Tickets

Show 1 more operator(s)

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.

Viceroy II

Another train option that you can’t book with BookAway but only on 12GoAsia is the more luxurious Viceroy II. Its tickets cost a bit more than a 1st class cabin at 5,800 LKR ($18.80). But with an air-conditioned train, soft seats, wi-fi on-board, and pleasant lighting, you will have a comfortable 3.5-hour journey.

Its bar is fully-stocked, but drinks are a bit more expensive. Best to bring your own food and drinks for the journey.

Viceroy II operates from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Departs at 12:35 from Peradeniya, a suburb located west of Kandy’s city centre
Arrives at 18:27 at Nanu Oya Railway Station, 10 km west of Nuwara Eliya city centre
Tickets cost 5,800 LKR ($18.80). You can book your Viceroy II ticket at the link below.

Buying tickets at a local agency or at the train station

If you missed that 1-month limit for booking trains, you can still try to book reserved seats with the help of an agency. You will find a lot of them when you arrive in Sri Lanka, but you can also try an earlier booking online. Note that agencies charge a higher price, but they give you a better chance of securing a ticket.

Visit Sri Lanka Tours is a highly-recommended agency that can help you book your tickets even a few days prior to your preferred date. The nearer the date, the lower the chances. But they promise to give you a full refund if your desired tickets are unavailable.

A cheaper option is to try buying tickets directly at train stations. You can book any route at any train station, so we recommend that you buy all your needed tickets at once. Note that chances for unreserved tickets are quite low when buying on the same day.

If you want more info about booking your train tickets in Sri Lanka check out our page on How to Book Train Tickets in Sri Lanka.

Warning for unreserved seats to Nuwara Eliya

If you’re really keen on taking the Sri Lanka Railway from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, the last resort is to buy a ticket for an unreserved seat at the train station on the day of your trip.

Tickets for a 3rd class seat cost 95 LKR ($0.30) while 2nd class seats cost 170 LKR ($0.50). Apart from being cheap, these tickets are unlimited, so you wouldn’t have a hard time buying them.

But don’t be fooled by their price! Although the tickets are unlimited, the seats are not. You will be lucky to get a seat at all as the train cars will be full of locals taking advantage of the cheap fare.

Standing in a jam-packed train for more than 3 hours can get uncomfortable and will take away your focus from the beautiful view outside.

Kandy to Nuwara Eliya by Shared Minivan

Duration: 3h 40m

Costs: 6,300 LKR ($20)

Duration: 3h 40m

Costs: 6,300 LKR ($20)

Magical Sri Lanka offers a scenic minivan ride from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya — with a twist. Along the way, you’ll make brief stops (5-20 minutes) at some of the area’s tourist spots, including:

Ramboda Waterfalls
Ramboda Falls View Point
Tea Estate and Tea Factory
Gregory Park Lake in Nuwara Eliya

The trip costs around 6,300 LKR ($20) and includes free hotel pickup and drop-off. This saves you the hassle and extra cost of finding your way to and from bus stations.

Shared Minivan options from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

Kandy - Any hotel

Scenic

Nuwara Eliya - Any hotel

07:00

3h 40m

10:40

Magical Sri Lanka

6,300 LKR ($20)

Get Your Tickets

Kandy to Nuwara Eliya by Taxi

Duration: 2h 45m

Costs: 14,000 LKR ($45.50)

Duration: 2h 45m

Costs: 14,000 LKR ($45.50)

A taxi from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya costs around 7,000 LKR ($22.50) if you book via Uber, but fares can be slightly cheaper or more expensive depending on availability.

If you want to do everything to get the cheapest rates, you can also check the taxi apps PickMe and TaxiGo. But, unfortunately, these apps have limited availability outside the capital city, Colombo.

If you are unable to book with any of the above options, you can also book a taxi via BookAway starting at 14,000 LKR ($45.50).

Taxi options from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

Standard

Standard Car 2 PAX

Price per person = 7,100 LKR ($23)

Magical Sri Lanka

14,000 LKR ($45.50)

Get Your Tickets

Standard

Standard Minivan 5 PAX

Price per person = 5,200 LKR ($16.90)

Magical Sri Lanka

26,000 LKR ($85)

Get Your Tickets

Rounding it up

We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. 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 Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

What is the distance from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya?

The distance from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya is 75 kilometre (47 miles).

What is the fastest way to get from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya?

The fastest way to get from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya is by taxi and takes 2 hours 45 minutes.

What is the cheapest way to get from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya?

The cheapest way to get from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya is by bus with ticket costs starting from 180 LKR ($0.60).

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.