You have different ticket options for your train journey to Ella:

• 1st Class Tickets: Seat guaranteed, good chairs, closed windows, doors, and air conditioning.
• 2nd Class Tickets with Reserved Seats: Seat guaranteed, good chairs, closed doors, and fans.
• 2nd Class Tickets: No guaranteed seat, windows and doors can be opened, many people, and fans.
• 3rd Class Tickets: No guaranteed seat, hard benches, windows and doors can be opened, many people, and fans.

In our experience, it can be a challenge to secure seats for this train ride, especially if you start looking for tickets at the last minute. Here are several options to arrange your tickets:

Option 1: Go to the Kandy train station and purchase your train tickets up to 30 days in advance. Ask for tickets with seats at the station.

Option 2: Buy tickets through the official Sri Lanka Railway website. You often pay more for a ticket here than you would at the station.

Option 3: Buy tickets well in advance with reserved seats via Bookaway. You pay more, but you get a guaranteed seat during the journey.

Option 4: Go to the Kandy station around 7:45 AM and buy tickets at the counter. There are always tickets available for 2nd and 3rd class, but without guaranteed seats. Fortunately, the beautiful view more than makes up for it. In our experience, a seat often becomes available over time.

Option 5: Take a taxi or bus to Nuwara Eliya, a small town between Kandy and Ella. Here, you have a beautiful view of the tea plantations. From here, you can also take the train to Ella, which takes about 4 hours. This part of the train ride is the most impressive, and since the journey is shorter, it's less inconvenient if you have to stand for a while.

1. Check this site for the current departure times.
   
   
2. If you don’t have a reserved seat, it’s best to avoid weekends, as the train can get very crowded with locals.
   
   
3. Keep your train ticket safe! It will be checked during the journey and upon arrival.
   
   
4. Bring enough toilet paper for when you need to use the toilet on the train.
   
   
5. Split the train journey into two parts and make a stopover in Nuwara Eliya.
   
   
6. The train journey goes through the mountains. It’s much colder, misty, and it often rains in the mountains. Bring a jacket or sweater and long pants just in case.
   
   
7. Be cautious of tunnels and signs when hanging out of the train door!
   
   
8. Sit on your backpack or suitcase if you don’t have a seat.
   
   
9. Be aware that train delays are common, sometimes even for several hours.
   
   
10. You can also take the train from Ella to Kandy.
    
    
11. Don’t stress too much in advance if you don’t have reserved seats. Just go with the flow; it will work out!