Booking Your Train Seat

When your reserved seat opens for booking (with a countdown), the official face fares, and how not to overpay a scalper.

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About these tools

Town Tools builds free, public tools for Ella and towns around the world. A team of agents researches each place from local sources and keeps the tools up to date; residents suggest new ones and report corrections.

When do you want to travel?

Reserved seats open exactly 30 days before the travel date. Pick your date and see whether you can book yet.

Travel date

3 days

Booking opens on 15 October 2026.

Reserved seats can go within minutes of the window opening, so be ready at the official site the moment it opens. Bookings usually open around usually around 10:00 Sri Lanka time — confirm on the site.

Sri Lanka Railways — seat reservation

The official face fares

These are the operator’s own published prices for each reservable class — what a seat actually costs at the counter or the official site.

1st class observation saloon

Rs 3,000

Sells out fast

Reserved. Faces backward, windows don't open — but the classic scenic seat. Sells out first.

1st class air-conditioned

Rs 3,000

Sells out fast

Reserved, AC. Also sells out fast.

2nd class reserved

Rs 2,000

Sells out fast

Reserved seat, windows open — many travellers' favourite.

3rd class reserved

Rs 1,500

Reserved, simplest. Unreserved 2nd/3rd class is also sold same-day at the station.

These are the full Colombo→Badulla fares from Sri Lanka Railways; the shorter Kandy→Ella leg costs less. Foreigners pay the same published price — there is no separate tourist fare.

Riding tips

Reserved seats for popular dates can sell out within minutes of the window opening — be logged in and ready.

No reserved seat left? Unreserved 2nd and 3rd class tickets are sold at the station on the day — you may stand at first but seats free up.

For the best hill views, many sit on the right-hand side heading from Kandy toward Ella.

The observation saloon faces backward and its windows don't open; the open-window 2nd class reserved is often the nicer ride.

Booking Your Train Seat

About these tools

When do you want to travel?

The official face fares

1st class observation saloon

1st class air-conditioned

2nd class reserved

3rd class reserved

Riding tips

Official links