Ella Odyssey

The Ella Odyssey train was introduced by Sri Lankan Railways in 2022. Traversing the same route as the standard train from Colombo to Badulla and vice versa, the twice-weekly Ella Odyssey has an elevated level of comfort and incorporates longer stops at key points along the route, including the Nine Arches Bridge, the Demodara Loop and Adams Peak. This is a fantastic experience to add to your holiday if the days of operation fit your schedule, though if they don't, then the standard train is great fun too. 

The Ella Odyssey sets off from Colombo at 5.30 am and reaches Badulla at 4 pm; we suggest incorporating the train into your itinerary from Kandy, where you can board around 8.30 am. From here, you’ll journey east towards the hills and depart at Hatton, Nanu Oya, Haputale, Bandarawela or Ella, depending on the location of your chosen hotel. The 4-hour stretch between Nanu Oya and Badulla has particularly gorgeous views of tea plantations, mountains, and waterfalls. At Ella, you'll pass over the Nine Arches Bridge, one of the most photographed sites in Sri Lanka. Towards the end of the line, the Demodara Loop is fascinating as the train completes a loop around a hill, passing under itself.

Though we've described the route from west to east, you could travel in reverse, beginning your train experience in Badulla at 10 am, and taking the train west towards Kandy, arriving around 4 pm. There are some benefits to the reverse route, the timings are slightly later, and it also tends to attract fewer tourists, so you'll have a better chance of sitting in the seats of your choice and being able to stretch out.

In 2023 Experience Travel Group arranged a trip on the Ella Odyssey for journalist Adrian Bridge – his inspiring article was published in The Telegraph and is featured here. It's bound to make you want to jump aboard and head for the beautiful hills of Sri Lanka.