How to Go from Colombo to Kandy

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There are a myriad of different transport options when it comes to going from Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo to Kandy.  And whichever way transport method you choose it will be fun.  It’s a glorious trip, going from the heat and noise of the city up into the hill country of Sri Lanka.  And my favorite way to do this trip is to take a train, but a very special train.  It is a truly wonderful route to travel.  That’s not to say that going by road to Kandy from Colombo isn’t spectacular, because it is.  So really, you’re actually spoiled for choice.  Here’s our guide on going from Colombo to Kandy.

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The Best Way to Get to Kandy

By far the best way to go to Kandy from Colombo Fort is to take train 1009 in the observation class coach – sit on the right-hand side if you get a choice.

Book your train here

Where is Kandy?

You’ll find Kandy right in the center of the country, the last capital of the Ancient Kings, most people visit here for both the Temple of the Tooth and for the train journey to get here.   Kandy is located in Sri Lanka’s Central Province and the city is located in the middle of hills, many of which house tea plantations.

The Route from Colombo to Kandy

The train trip from Colombo to Kandy is one of the most popular scenic rail trips in Sri Lanka for a very good reason.  It is glorious.  And that’s why if taking the train to Kandy from Colombo is on your bucket list for Sri Lanka you need to book it as soon as possible.  There are also buses and vans and it’s also possible to fly to Kandy from Colombo, as well as self-driving and also taking a private transfer.  Transport in Sri Lanka isn’t expensive (our guide to Sri Lankan transport here gives an overview of the main transport options in the country).

How to get to Colombo from Kandy

You have a lot of options for travel from Colombo to Kandy, and if you’re doing the route both ways, then I recommend that you try the train one way and go by road on the return.  Or vice versa.  It’ll give you a completely different perspective.  The most popular way to travel this route is to take the train.  So I’ll start there.  It’s also my favorite way to travel in Sri Lanka.

The Colombo to Kandy Train

The 110 kilometer (68 mile) track from Colombo fort to Kandy is just a small part of the 1,508 kilometers (937 miles) of train tracks in Sri Lanka.  And those tracks were originally laid by Victorian engineers, who also blasted tunnels through the rock.  Kandy is located at an altitude of 500 meters (1,640 feet) above sea level, and so when you’re coming from sea level Colombo it’s a slow haul up, to the city that’s surrounded by the Hunnasgiriya and Knuckles mountain ranges.  It is rather lovely going in this direction, as you’re heading up into the cool of the hill and tea plantation country, that’s much more temperate than coastal Sri Lanka.

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There are usually up to 10 trains a day that go from Colombo to Kandy.  The first train of the day is at 05:55 and the last train of the day is at 19:30.  Trains to Kandy from Colombo tend to take around 2 hours and 30 minutes.

This is a scenic journey and you really want to do it in daylight.  Sri Lanka is close to the equator and sunrise and sunset don’t differ much throughout the year, so you can expect daylight hours from around 06:15 until about 18:30.  So discount the last train of the day.  Scenic train rides are no fun in the dark!

There are two types of tickets you can buy on Sri Lankan trains.  Reserved seat tickets and unreserved seat tickets.  And they’re exactly what it sounds like.  If you buy a reserved seat ticket (in first class, second class, or third class), then you will DEFINITELY get a seat.  But an unreserved seat ticket and you’re 99% likely to NOT get a seat.  Read about our trip from Colombo to Galle to understand what unreserved tickets get you.

Unreserved train carriage at Kandy

Tickets for reserved seats on Sri Lankan trains go on sale 30 days before the date of travel.  At 10:00am.  You’ll need to get your act together to buy one, as especially for this route, they sell out VERY, VERY quickly.  You can buy tickets for the Colombo to Kandy route here.

I recommend the Observation Car, as it has the BEST views.  If you can’t get that, then aim for second or third class reserved.  (they have windows that open, first class tends to be air-conditioned, with windows that don’t open, it doesn’t make for great photos).  If you buy your ticket through 12goAsia you should opt for a Flexible ticket,  which means that if the class of ticket you want is not available, then they’ll get you the “next best”.  Our guide to buying Sri Lankan train tickets is here.

Of course, you can always also buy an unreserved seat ticket.  You just need to arrive at Colombo Fort train station between 30 and 60 minutes before the train departure time and head to the relevant ticket counter.  Counters 2 & 8 are for Kandy at Colombo Fort.

Taking a Day trip from Colombo to Kandy

If you’re short of time, then Kandy is a reasonable day trip option from Colombo.   It’s a long day, and you won’t ride the train, but you will visit all the major attractions in Kandy and also visit a tea plantation and factory as well as visiting the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.   This is a great way to pack a LOT into a single day.   This is a great way to see Sri Lanka’s hill country with an English guide, and also understand much of the cultural aspects of visiting Kandy.  The tea industry employs about 4.5% of the Sri Lankan population, so visiting a tea factory is also a great way to understand more about the country.  You can check availability for a Kandy day trip from Colombo here.

Taking the Colombo to Kandy Minivan

After the train, (and a private transfer), then this is the best option for transport to Kandy from Colombo.  There are usually two minivans a day from Colombo to Kandy.  One in the morning and one in the afternoon, they are also available from the airport, so if you’re flying in and don’t want to get to central Colombo (about an hour minimum from the international airport), then this is a great option.

Minivans from Colombo to Kandy take about 3 hours and 30 minutes from downtown, or about 2 hours and 40 minutes from the airport to Kandy.  They usually seat up to about 12 people.  They’re generally a good way to travel to Kandy from Colombo if you can make the timetable work for you.

You can check availability and prices for the vans from Colombo to Kandy here.

The Colombo to Kandy Bus

Buses leave from Colombo Bus station (also known as the Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal by the Pettah Floating Market) and cost around 130 LKR.  They’ll take about 3 hours, but it’s likely to be a bumpy, jerky 3 hours, with lots of stops and starts.   These are the Central Transport Board (CTB) aka the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses and they’re government-run.   These buses don’t have A/C or reservable seats.

Local Bus in Kandy

These buses to Kandy from Colombo run from around 04:00 until midnight and leave usually every 15-30 minutes. Buses arrive in Kandy at the Kandy Bus Stand and the Kandy Clock Tower Bus Station, both of which are in the city center of Kandy.

For buses with A/C, you’ll pay more, but you can pre-book a ticket.  The A/C buses leave from Bastian Mawatha Bus Station and arrive at the Kandy Clock Tower Bus Station.  A/C buses to Kandy leave at 00:15, 10:00, 11:00,15:00 and 17:00.  You can book a seat on these A/C buses here.

Colombo to Kandy Flight

It’s a very short flight from Colombo to Kandy. And it’s very expensive for the time you’ll spend in the air. There are two airlines that service this route in Sri Lanka, Cinnamon Air and Sri Lankan Airlines.   The schedule changes with the season, and if this is something that you’re considering, then it’s best to book directly with them.

Flights between Colombo and Kandy take about 30 minutes.  But, you’ll be flying from the Bandaranaike International Airport, which is at least an hour’s journey from downtown Colombo. And you’ll be arriving at Victoria Reservoir, which is 25 kilometers (16 miles) from Kandy city center.

You can check timetables and availability with Cinnamon Air here and with Sri Lankan Airlines here.

Colombo to Kandy Private Transfer

Taking a taxi or a private transfer in Sri Lanka isn’t expensive.  And it’s often much more convenient, especially if you’re traveling with any amount of luggage.  There are several ways that you can book a private transfer.

The first is via Bookaway.  You’ll get a choice of different car types – even minivans which will take up to 8 people.  This also means you’ll be able to pay for your transport using a card.

You can book a taxi through your hotel.  All hotels and guesthouses in Sri Lanka have “house taxis” – people that they know and trust to be able to take you somewhere.  More than likely these are friends of friends or family.  You’ll 99% likely pay for this in cash, in Sri Lankan Rupees.

Then your next option for a private transfer is to use one of the Ride Sharing Apps in Sri Lanka.  Uber is in Sri Lanka and is popular amongst Sri Lankans and visitors alike.  If nothing else you’ll be able to see the cost of what a taxi should be.  We’ve used Uber in Sri Lanka, it works well, but it tends to be more expensive than the next option.

A more popular ride-sharing app in Sri Lanka is PickMe.  PickMe tends to be cheaper than Uber and usually has more choices.  You can choose to pay by card or with cash.  And you can opt for a car or a tuk-tuk (although for this route from Colombo to Kandy, you’re unlikely to find a tuk-tuk driver wanting to go all that way, so perhaps save that for more local trips!), but do use PickMe, it’s a great option.

Transport & Popular Routes in Sri Lanka

Map of Airports, Bus Stations, and Train Stations for going from Kandy to Colombo

You can also see the full map of airports, train stations, and bus stations from Kandy to Colombo here

Map of How to get to Colombo from Kandy

The quickest way to get to Kandy from Colombo

The quickest way to go to Kandy from Colombo is to take a private transfer.  All the public transport options require getting to either the railway station, the bus station or the airport, so you need to factor that in too.  You can check the price of a private transfer to Kandy here.

The easiest way to go to Kandy from Colombo

The easiest way to go from Colombo to Kandy is to take a private transfer.  You can check rates here.  Door to door transfers are much more convenient than getting to the railway or bus station, and private transfers are not expensive in Sri Lanka.

The cheapest way to go from Colombo to Kandy

The cheapest way to go from Colombo to Kandy is to take the local bus, these buses are not bookable, and you’ll need to get to the Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal in Colombo.  It’s near the Pettah Floating Market.

The best way to go from Colombo to Kandy

The train journey from Colombo to Kandy is one of the best train journeys to take in Sri Lanka, it’s a lovely ride up into the hill country, and I do believe this is the best way to travel to Kandy.  Book a reserved seat ticket here.

Travel Tips for Exploring Sri Lanka

Final Words on How to Go from Colombo to Kandy

It’s easy to get from Colombo to Kandy, you have a lot of choices as to the mode of transport that you can use.  The train is absolutely my favorite way to travel in Sri Lanka, but this route by road is also very scenic, so if you’re unable to buy train tickets, then taking a private transfer or a minivan are great second and third options.

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AUTHOR

Sarah Carter
Sarah Carter is an avid reader, writer and traveller. She loves hiking, sailing, skiing and exploring the world through food. She left a successful career in IT security and compliance in both the UK and US to travel the world with husband and partner in adventure, Nigel.

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