The Sri Lanka Guides

Ella Train Partially Running Again After Cyclone Damage

· 2 min read Travel News
Scenic train passing through the hills near Ella, Sri Lanka

Contents

  1. What is and isn’t running
  2. What this means in practice
  3. Booking and checking current status

Travellers planning a hill country rail journey through Sri Lanka need to know that the iconic Kandy–Ella train route is only partially back in service after damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah earlier this year. The situation has improved significantly since April, but a full end-to-end journey between Kandy and Ella is not yet possible.

What is and isn’t running

The Nanu Oya to Badulla section — which includes Ella station, the famous Nine Arch Bridge viewpoint at Demodara, and Haputale — reopened on 20 June 2026 following months of repair work on the track and infrastructure damaged during the cyclone. Trains are running on this stretch and the service is operational.

The Kandy to Nanu Oya section — which passes through Hatton and the tea country plateau — remains closed. Sri Lanka Railways has not confirmed a reopening date for this stretch, though full reinstatement of the entire Colombo–Badulla main line is targeted for the end of 2026.

What this means in practice

If you are planning to travel from Kandy to Ella by train — one of the most popular rail journeys in South Asia — you cannot do so as a single train trip right now. The most common workaround is to take a bus or hired car/tuk-tuk from Kandy to Nanu Oya (approximately two to three hours), then board the train at Nanu Oya for the remaining stretch through to Ella. This still gives you the scenic section of the journey, including the tea estate views from Nanu Oya to Haputale.

Travellers coming from Colombo via the coast, or starting from Ella and heading towards Badulla and back, are unaffected — those services are running normally.

Booking and checking current status

Tickets for the operational Nanu Oya–Badulla section can be reserved through the Sri Lanka Railways online booking portal. Given the ongoing repair work, we recommend checking the official schedule within 48 hours of travel, as engineering closures have occasionally caused short-notice adjustments.

Our getting around Sri Lanka guide has full detail on how the rail network operates, how to book tickets, and alternative transport options for the hill country route. If you are planning a broader trip, our one-week Sri Lanka itinerary has been updated to reflect the current state of the Kandy–Ella connection.

The rail restoration is progressing steadily. For most travellers, the Ella section of the journey — which runs through the most dramatic highland scenery — is now accessible again. The Kandy connection is the main piece still outstanding.