From Kandy to Ella by train
January 2023
From Kandy to Ella, 7-hours I shall never forget.
Tropical heat and suffocating air filled with an amalgamation of smells and plethora of nationalities, ages, shapes and sizes, consumed the 7-hour journey from Kandy to Ella by train.
Jam-packed like sardines, hundreds boarded the train at Kandy railway station to join the already full carriages on their journey. With no seats to spare, walkways became home to us hundreds as the train departed the station.
Being the most popular route for tourists in the entirety of Sri Lanka, glances and nods of mutual discomfort yet appreciation were shared between us – as after all, many onlookers were left at the station unable to find an empty gap to fill. Although inconvenient, to be on the train at all was fortuitous.
Not only our bodies to fill said gaps, but also luggage of 30kg split between two bags each had to find a place to lay. With my rucksack stored overhead, my 20kg backpack stood strong in the doorway at departure, yet weak on arrival following the impossible prevention of the crush and crumble as passengers squeezed by in the hope for more air.
After being stood for an hour, rattled and bumped elbows and shoulders grew sore as the train ran over Sri Lankan landscapes. As if by magic, the two local women sat in the seats beside our standing place, showed signs of departure. They gathered their things into bags and became unsettled. Us all reading one another’s minds, they kindly offered us their seats and we swapped places. Two or three stops later, they departed, and the rest of our journey was beyond comfortable in comparison to what it so easily could have been if we chose a different carriage door to board.
Suffering looks of jealousy from our nearby passengers that were too so desperate for a seat, we indulged and could finally enjoy the views this famous journey had to offer. Rolling hills, tea plantations and 50-shades-of-green surrounded us for the remaining 6-hours. Views that would simply never tire.
Embracing the atmosphere now became enjoyable from the safety of our seats, with karaoke singers passing through the carriages back and forth in attempt to make some cash, alongside local food vendors selling pakora, and lentil patties, popcorn and chilled drinks from baskets on top of their heads. Endless sounds, smells and sights for the senses to indulge, both inside the carriage and out.
Going from Kandy to Ella by train really is a journey like no other in both Sri Lanka and the wider world – and one not to miss if given the chance. The experience should be embraced, whether stood, or chosen as a lucky one to sit – floor or seat.
From Kandy to Ella, 7-hours I shall never forget.
Wild Rose Travel 