The Hill Country is best explored with a mixed logic: the train for panoramic sections, the private car with driver for off-rail transfers and the tuk-tuk for local moves at Ella and Nuwara Eliya.
The historic Kandy-Badulla railway crosses the entire Hill Country from north to south for 159 km. Main stations, in order: Kandy, Peradeniya, Hatton (alight for Dalhousie/Adam's Peak), Nanu Oya (alight for Nuwara Eliya, 8 km by tuk-tuk), Haputale, Ella and Badulla. Recommended departures: 8.47 or 11.10 a.m. trains from Kandy in high season. The Kandy-Nanu Oya section takes 4h, Nanu Oya-Ella 3h30, Ella-Badulla 1h30. Fares: reserved Class 1 USD 25, reserved Class 2 USD 15, unreserved Class 3 USD 2.
The car with driver-guide remains essential for off-rail connections (Nuwara Eliya-Horton Plains return, Ella-Yala for the next leg of the trip, Dalhousie-Hatton to rejoin the railway). Budget USD 50 to 70 per day all-inclusive. Hill Country roads are winding and slow: plan for 25 km/h on average.
Tuk-tuks are perfect for local moves: Ella to the Nine Arch Bridge (USD 3), Nuwara Eliya to Pedro Estate (USD 2), Haputale to Lipton's Seat (USD 10 one-way). Download the PickMe app (the local Uber equivalent) which works with metered tuk-tuks in all main towns.
Local buses link all towns for USD 1-2 but are crowded, slow and uncomfortable for long distances. Avoid except on a very tight budget or for a short one-off journey.
Read also
- Nuwara Eliya, Little England — Colonial bungalows, tea factory, lake and racecourse: the British capital of Ceylon.
- Ella, the Hill Country hot spot — Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam's Peak, panoramic cafés: the traveller hub of Sri Lanka.
- Sri Lanka — Complete country guide: visa, budget, regions and best time to visit Ceylon.
- The Cultural Triangle — Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Dambulla: the historical and Buddhist heart of Sri Lanka.