The Demodara Railway Loop - A Sri Lankan Railway Marvel Hidden In The Mountains
Join us as we walk from the backpacker haven of Ella through lush jungle and green tea fields towards the railway engineering marvel of the Demodara Loop. The Demodara Loop sees a railway line spiral up towards the station, climbing a elevation too steep for regular tracks. Read on for a cheap, interesting day out from Ella, complete with the best spot to selfie snap Sri Lanka’s famous Nine Arch Bridge!
The Demodara railway loop is an unexpected treat in the mountains near Ella in the highlands of Sri Lanka. This little known engineering triumph sits in a beautiful location and is a fun and easy walk from the backpacker haven of Ella. Demodara also holds the secret to getting uncrowded train photo’s and a unique perspective over the iconic nine-arched bridge!
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Getting to the Demodara Loop - The Walk from Ella
After a few rain soaked days in and around Ella, we were getting a little stir crazy. There’s only so much time you can spend at the Chill cafe whilst staring at the rain.
We had heard about the Demodara railway loop during our visit to the Kadugannawa Railway Museum and hadn’t realised it was so close to Ella.
Looking at the train map, we could see that Demodara was the next station on from Ella so we decided to check it out. We made our way to Ella train station and quickly realised that trains running along this line were not as frequent as we had hoped. However, after a quick Google Maps search we could see that the station was still close by even if we went on foot, so we hatched a plan and, during a break in the weather, headed off for Demodara.
The walk to Demodara follows a small back road that winds through the countryside. Along the way you are treated to hillsides full of tea fields, great views across the surrounding mountains and lush woodlands. Dotted along the trail we also encountered small shops, waving tea pickers, the occasional tuk tuk and even a peacock.
The 6km walk took us just over an hour and was mainly downhill (obviously this was Ella to Demodara).
It was an easy walk, and a lovely way to see the local landscape. Maybe it was because we had been cooped up by the rain, or maybe it was due to us being in the backpacker bubble of Ella, but wandering down the sleepy backroads was like a breath of fresh air we didn’t know we needed.
For a rough route check out google here.
Approaching Demodara the temperature rose a little and the local agriculture changed with the tea fields changing to rice paddies. Demodara itself was slightly bigger than Google Maps had made us think and was made up of a collection of produce shops, bakeries and mechanics.
The train station is set slightly out to the other side of Demodara town. Walking up an incline we re-entered the tea fields, past the railway station and a sizeable tea factory and made our way to the viewpoint marked on GoogleMaps. The “viewpoint” was inside the tea estate and was not so much a defined viewing platform but as a bend in the road. Confusingly, the “Demodara Loop Viewpoint” didn’t actually have a view of the loop itself but rather an excellent view across the iron rail bridge (a pedant may argue that the bridge is still part of the loop).
Demodara railways station isn’t exactly Kings Cross, but it is much prettier!
After admiring the view, we decided to move down to the station. Behind the station building is a model of the loop and a small viewing platform that looks over the tunnel exit before the tracks loop around behind a hill. Also behind the train station was the ubiquitous tuk-tuk and tout mafia. As always they were very eager to explain (for a price) guide (for a price) or just not leave you alone (totally free). The touts were trying to escort us to another viewpoint up the hill. We did see that this was a thing on Maps.me but didn’t want to miss our train back to Ella, so we politely declined. Thankfully they weren’t too persistent and we got to lounge around with a great view whilst we waited for the train to make its appearance on the loop.
The Demodara railway loop was an elegant engineering solution to the difficult question posed by the challenging geography of Demodara.
This railway engineering marvel was born out of necessity, as during the construction of the extension of the line to Badulla, the steep ascent was found to be too much for the track and a novel approach was needed, so a 3000 foot (900 metre) rising loop was constructed in 1923.
To enter the station, trains have to perform a wide loop that goes through a tunnel under the station before circling back around, and climbing in a spiral to pull into the platform.
According to Wikipedia (we know we use such learned sources) local legend has it that Devapura Jayasena Wimalasurendra, the engineer responsible, was inspired after watching a local untie and retie a turban on his head.
Catching the train at Demodara - the secret way to see the Nine Arch Bridge
As we said at the start of this article, the train schedule is not like the London Underground and you do have to plan when and where you’re going. This is especially true on the Kandy to Ella line which is rightly world famous for its beauty and, consequently, any reserved seating on the trains sells out very fast.
We had seen that if we walked to Demodara we could then catch the 11.45am train back to Ella which would mean we got to ride across the very famous Nine Arch Bridge, something you don’t get to do if you just ride from Kandy or Colombo to Ella. We bought two tickets (40 LKR for both tickets - £0.10 or $0.11) to do the short hop between Demodara and Ella train station.
We watched our train arrive through the tunnel and curve around the climbing loop. We then quickly scuttled from the viewing platform to the station platform. This scuttle proved to be totally unnecessary as the train progresses through the loop very slowly, so after our dash there was a fair bit of embarrassed loitering on the platform waiting for the train.
Our experience of the Kandy - Ella line mentally prepared us for a very crowded journey. However as the train pulled in we could see that outside of the observation carriage there was nearly no one onboard!
Uncrowded train photo’s
Hopping into a third class doorway, we had free reign of both carriage doors, uninterrupted views and of course perfect opportunities for train door selfie snappage!
The train line from Demodara to Ella follows a much higher route than our walking path had earlier, so we were treated to sweeping views over the tea fields, valley and mountain peaks beyond. The scenery was amazing and with the peaceful carriage we really relaxed and enjoyed the gorgeous surroundings.
Seriously this would be one of our best takeaway tips for Sri Lanka, the train to Kandy to Ella is extremely busy (because it is so beautiful) and the carriages are a constant queue for an opportunity to take “that” photo out of the door. Going one stop past Ella and taking the train back, it was just us and a couple of locals who presumably have had the novelty of train door selfies worn off for them. If you get on this section of the line, you not only get a quiet carriage, your ideal photo spot but also get to ride the train over the iconic Nine Arch Bridge.
As we headed closer to the famous bridge, the banks to either side of the railway line became busier and busier with a mixture of local life, waving children and high-fiving tourists. Driving over the Nine Arch Bridge, we could see the scale of its curve and the depth of the valley below.
As we pulled back into Ella railway station and hopped off the train we struggled to think of a better use of 10p and a morning stroll.
Tip: if you're travelling between Demodara to Ella, stand at the doors to the right of the direction of travel to get the best view of the Nine Arch Bridge.
If you are looking to stay in Ella check out what Hotels and accommodation are on offer with our handy travel map below:
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
This little post could be seen as part two of our anoraking adventures around the world. For part one check out our article on the Kadugannawa Railway Museum. For our thoughts on one of Sri Lanka’s most unexpectedly beautiful lines make sure you check out our blog on the Colombo to Kandy Journey. We have also now been to the National Railway Museum in Delhi check out our article here.
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Kadugannawa National Railway Museum - An Anorak Kind Of Day
A short journey from the ancient city of Kandy lies Sri Lanka’s National Railway Museum. Join us as we travel to Kadugannawa via bus to explore the highlights of the train museum.
As with many things on our adventures, it all started with YouTube. This time around it was Dale Phillips' YouTube channel which served as inspiration. Featured in one of his videos, was a ramshackled collection of memorabilia, rusted engines and colourful locomotives, these were all housed in the Kadugannawa National Railway Museum. We had explored the city of Kandy quite extensively (read our guide here) and fancied a day out.
How to Get to Kadugannawa National Railway Museum
Just a short train ride (or bus as we later found) away from Kandy we thought Kadugannawa would make for a fun excursion for the day. Rucksack packed, snacks acquired and dressed for the part in our snazzy anoraks we headed out. The anoraks were due to the rain, not just uniform for our day of train fancying.
Arriving at Kandy station with what we thought was ample time to buy tickets, we saw a vast queue of people snaking out of the door of the railway station. Realising that this queue was not moving, but time was quickly slipping away, we decided we wouldn’t be able to make the train and now would be the perfect opportunity to try out Sri Lanka’s famous/infamous public buses.
Just a quick note on the above - we later realised that the queue we saw was for third class tickets only. Inside Kandy railway station, there are other counters for first and second class tickets that have shorter, much faster moving queues. This is true at all major Sri Lanka railway hubs across the country.
After a stressful 40 minutes walking the length and breadth of the various bus stands (Kandy has quite a few) and ascertaining that Google Maps was a big fat liar, we found ourselves sitting comfortably on board the rickety chairs of the 690 bus service. We’ve found during our time in Sri Lanka (July to October 2022) that Google Maps is very unreliable when it comes to train times and nearly totally useless when it comes to buses. On this occasion, Google wasn’t even aware that the 690 bus existed, let alone the times it would be departing. If you are planning to travel by bus, we would recommend you ask at the bus station for the correct bus you need/times of departure.
One of Kandy’s bus stands
When you board a Sri Lankan bus, you do not buy the ticket then and there. Instead you take your seat and wait for the designated ticket seller to come around. This can happen pretty much at any point in your journey. When the ticket seller does come around, just let them know the stop you’re getting off at and you will be sold a ticket and generally looked after. For those travelling with big bags, get on the front of the bus (there are entrances both front and rear) and place your big bags on the shelf next to the driver. Don’t be too alarmed if the bus ticket seller moves them as he may need to put them under the bus. There are also shelves above the seats for smaller bags. When we’ve used the buses the ticket sellers have signalled to us to let us know when it is our stop and even helped us with the bags.
Whilst we waited to leave Kandy, and slowly started steaming in our own sweat, the bus was inundated with vendors selling all manner of goods. From the snacky variety - papaya to samosa, the drinky variety - tea to Coca Cola and then to bizarre variety - a colouring book in case you felt like brushing up on your art skills? Perhaps you need a new necklace (definitely genuine gold)? Or maybe now is the time you really should invest in laundry soap? Don’t worry the Sri Lankan bus vendor has you covered! Privately wondering if there really is a bus born market for detergent, we paid for our tickets - 242 LKR for two of us ( £0.59 or $0.66).
The bus left the busy streets of Kandy and wove past the Royal Botanic Gardens before heading into the hills and valleys of the surrounding area. After about 45 minutes to an hour and a slightly numb bum we arrived at Kadugannawa town.
Visiting The Kadugannawa National Train Museum
The railway museum is right next door to Kadugannawa railway station. Opened in 2014 and replacing the original Colombo museum, Kadugannawa National Railway Museum was built to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s railways. It’s a compact little museum, spread over a train shed, a platform and two outside areas.
Wandering in off the street we bought our tickets paying 1000 LKR for two tickets (£2.42 or $2.76). The tickets were presented by a little old man and were actual railway tickets that he plucked out of an old set of sorting shelves. We were immediately joined by a lovely attendant who was to show us around the museum. Our guide was very eager for us to clamber upon, take photos and interact with the museum's many exhibits. We had a fun time being shown around the inside of the museum, taking photos sat in and upon trains and having a spirited and interesting demonstration of the token system that stops trains running into each other on the mountainous single track lines of Sri Lanka.
We found the token system to be fascinating (we are interesting and cool people honest)! The system in place, seems to be the closest thing to ‘idiot proof’ that we can imagine. Seeing as this arrangement stops oncoming trains from meeting other trains, this is probably just as well. The way it works is that each station has a machine that accepts or gives out a metal token. This is passed to the train driver going up or down a single line. The machine cannot be reset without a token. A train going up a line collects a token from the first station, travels up the single track and delivers the token to the next station. No other train can go on the line whilst the token is out, and the machine cannot be forced to accept or deliver tokens without the correct tokens being inserted. When riding the trains, you will often see these tokens being passed from driver to platform and vice versa in the form of a big loop of leather with a metal token hanging off it like a pendant. This safety system has been in place for years, and despite all its parts looking antiquated now, has never needed an update.
The vintage (but still functional) token signalling system.
Also inside, was a massive model railway where they had combined, in a sort of greatest hits display, the highlights of the Sri Lanka rail network. It was like the Hornby set of your dreams with trains running over the Nine Arch bridge through model towns and tunnels and round the spiral of the Demodara loop (check out our article on the Demodara Loop here).
Outside our guide left us our own devices and we spent a good amount of time clambering in and out of old engines, carriages and steam locomotives. In one of the carriages, there is a 10 minute video giving a brief (but probably sanitised) history of the Sri Lankan railway network. Another carriage also houses a coffee shop but this was not open when we were there. In the time we had in the museum we were the only visitors, and we didn’t see any other tourists getting off the trains at Kadugannawa. This may explain why the coffee shop wasn’t open.
After some time walking the railway track, looking at the old signalling levers and debating how structurally sound some of the older, more decayed carriages were, we felt we had seen what there was to be seen. We had been in the museum for about an hour, but felt that if you were a train buff you could easily spend more time exploring the exhibits.
Train knowledge acquired, geek levels overflowing and with many photos of Ellie the train driver we donned our anoraks (we felt we now earned them) and jumped back on the bus to Kandy.
We know the journey to the museum took about as long as we spent in the museum, and we also know that trains aren’t everyone's cup of tea (there not really ours normally) but we do feel that the National Railway Museum was well worth our time, and provided with a great little practice run on the Sri Lankan bus network. It was super easy to get there from Kandy with both buses and trains going there. Google Maps (as it would throughout this trip) made it look like a much more complicated journey than it was.
Essential information for Visiting the Kadugannawa National Railway Museum
Where is the Kadugannawa National Railway Musem?
Here! - Easily accessible from Kandy by both bus and train.
How much do tickets to Kadugannawa National Railway museum cost?
Entrance to the museum is 500LRK per person.
How long do i need to spend there?
Up to you of course! We, who have zero train knowledge or special interest spent around an hour there. If you are into trains, or the coffee shop is open, you could spend a while longer!
Is the Kadugannawa National Railway Museum worth the trip?
We hate this question but google seems to love it so - YES we very much enjoyed the journey to and our time at the museum. Like we have said, we are not “into” trains or anything it was just a fun day out riding the buses and seeing the old trains.
Thanks for reading.
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
If you find yourself in Ella make sure you check out the engineering railway marvel that is the Demodara Loop.
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The Train to Kandy - An Unexpected Journey
Often overshadowed by the Kandy to Ella train, the train journey between Colombo and Kandy is a treasure not to be missed. Read on to hear all about our experience.
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Train journeys vary massively in enjoyability, ranging from the insufferable (we’re looking at you London Underground summertime commutes) to the sublime. Sri Lanka is famous for having one the most beautiful journeys in the world - the legendary Kandy to Ella train. After our fun, but crowded and hot journey from Colombo to Negombo, we were not expecting much from our travel day from Colombo to Kandy. The line has not got the fame of its glamorous sister, but it is safe to say we were surprised by what awaited us….
It was finally time to leave Negombo. The elections had come and gone and things had remained (largely) peaceful, so leaving our safe poolside retreat of St Claire’s we set off. Our destination, the ancient capital of Kandy.
The first problem we encountered was the lack of a train between Negombo and Kandy. Frustratingly, we needed to double back on ourselves and return to Colombo before catching the train through the mountains to Kandy. So resigned to a long, cramped and hot travel day, we slouched off, bags on our backs to Kattuwa railway station.
We arrived at a nearly empty platform, Kattuwa railway station is hardly Kings Cross! Consisting of a single platform, the station is surrounded by jungle with what appears to be an overgrown line running alongside it. The train tracks themselves seemed to be more popular with local people, goats and occasional Tuk Tuks, than with scheduled trains. However the platform quickly began to fill up with Saturday shoppers, families and commuters waiting for the train to Colombo. Two tickets to Colombo set us back the vast sum of 110 LKR (25p or $0.31).
The bustling Kattuwa railway station
When the train pulled alongside the platform, the usual rugby scrum ensued. Pushed by the currents of the crowd, me and John got separated. I was wedged next to a lovely old lady and her three bags of coconuts (I have no idea how she carried these as they were nearly the same size as her) and when I turned to find John, he was awkwardly half hanging out of the train door using his backpack as an anchor. With us precariously aboard, the train set off bound for Colombo.
An hour and a half later, our bodies having been tessellated amongst people and produce (John through a combination of yoga poses and gymnastics had managed to get himself more firmly on board), we arrived back in the hustle and bustle of Colombo Fort railway station.
We had about 40 minutes to buy tickets, purchase snacks and find our train. As we’ve mentioned before in our previous post, all ticket counters are easily identifiable with the destinations and classes displayed above the ticket counter window (counter 8 for Kandy). Two second class tickets (500 LKR, £1.16 or $1.39), two bottles of water and some assorted fried snacks later we were ready to board.
When taking a train in Sri Lanka, all carriages are labelled clearly with what class they are (this was explained to us when we attempted to get on a first class carriage by accident). You can also spot the first class carriages as they are the only carriages without their windows open (due to the air conditioning).
We jumped aboard the correct carriage of our train, luckily it was already waiting in the station on the platform opposite the ticket counters. Due to the heat of the day we wanted to have window or door seats (nothing to do with a desire to take a selfie out of train doors honest!) so we jumped on, stowed our baggage and staked claim to our doorway position. We were surprised by how empty the train was and congratulated ourselves on securing a comfy doorway to lounge in for our 3 hour and 20 minute journey. More fool us…
After leaving Colombo Fort, and for the next hour and a half, each station we stopped at pumped in more and more people, until we were both wedged in a complicated crush of armpits, knees, elbows and various produce. The temperature for the day was also 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 Fahrenheit), things were not looking great.
Thankfully, as we steamed further away from Colombo, we exhaled passengers at each station. Like a lung breathing out, the crush lessened with less and less people boarding the train. Having clung to our doorway position through the tides, we sat down in the open air and finally started to relax into our journey.
With our legs hanging out the carriage, the landscape began to change. The palm trees, farmland and towns fell away as the train climbed higher and higher into the green hills. The line appeared to have been cut directly into the side of the mountains and as it curved and climbed we were treated to increasingly spectacular views. The teenagers next to us brought some rambutan (think a hairy lychee) from a passing seller and instantly offered us some. Generosity on Sri Lankan trains, and public transport in general is amazing, especially when coming from a cold and uptight London. Munching on rambutan the train stopped at a signal station. The line we were on consisted of a single track, and so we patiently waited amongst the greenery and towering trees whilst the signal master manually changed the lines over to let the other train pass by.
Emboldened by our new teenage friends, we brought some train snacks from a basket wielding seller. For 100 LKR (23p or $0.31) we munched down on crispy, fried spicy little hockey pucks of vegetables. We offered them to our carriage companions but they politely refused, and in a display of lunch one-upmanship pulled out their delicious looking biryani packed lunches. We were offered part of their lunch, as well as two other strangers' lunches that day and even though we were full of fried snacks we were blown away by how hospitable everyone was towards two sweaty English people with oversized backpacks taking up most of the carriage room.
As we climbed higher, the views from the doorway just kept getting better and better. A sheer drop on our side of the train led to panoramic 180 degree views across breathtaking forests and jungles, all the way to distant hazy mountains. Sat in our doorway, in a constant state of near disbelief, we must have looked a bit like goldfish to our neighbours. Slack jawed and gaping in the face of the surrounding beauty.
As we pulled into Kadigamuwa railway station, another set of teenagers boarded the train. Phones out and Tik Tok dances aplenty, they were ready to film their new viral video out of the train door. For the next few stations we relinquished our door seat (it was that or become part of the video). Eventually and unbidden, a couple of friendly men pointed out to the Tik Tok teens that they had usurped our space, and if they were quite finished with their video they should give the doorway back to the two tourists who had defended it since Colombo. The unrequested help, and the generosity are frequent occurrences in Sri Lanka, everyone is so eager to help, and are so proud to show off their beautiful country. The Tik Tok teens were full of unnecessary apologies and eagerly pointed out landmarks and waterfalls as the train passed.
Another high point of the train ride were the tunnels. Without exception, when pulling into the darkness screams, whoops and shouts of encouragement would echo through the tunnel. Then when the train burst back into the light, the carriage would erupt in clapping and cheers. As the tunnels sometimes came every 30-40 seconds this became very funny, as the cheers from the exit of one tunnel would quickly merge with the screams of entering another.
After its dramatic turns through the mountains, the train descends to follow alongside the Nanu Oya river before pulling into the mountain ringed ancient city of Kandy. Our expectations were low for this journey, as this was a long travel day on an unknown line. We had big bags, and we knew that, due to the ongoing crisis, the train would be exceptionally busy, so we expected a cramped, uncomfortable and hot journey. The train did deliver all of these things, but they were blown out of the water by the beauty of the landscapes, the kindness of perfect strangers and the feeling of freedom as we hung out, feet dangling off of our carriage doorway. We would highly recommend taking this train line as it's a beautiful way to get between Colombo and Kandy. We know there are also buses, some of them faster than the train, but if you have the time, this was a spectacular journey, and one of our favourite travel days we’ve ever had.
We had now left the coast and Capital behind us and had arrived in Sri Lanka’s green Central Highlands.
How to Get the Train To Kandy
As we have mentioned, the train to Kandy from Colombo can be booked at the train station. However, reserved seated tickets sell out very fast (it is the Colombo to Ella line after all) Frequently the tickets will sell out shortly after they are posted for sale - around 30 days before departure. For us backpackers we didn’t mind the uncertainty and discomfort of the last minute unreserved ticket but bear in mind we were travelling when there were barely any tourists in the country. Sri Lanka is now open and tourism has picked right up, we would recommend booking in advance with someone like 12Go, it is not 100% guaranteed but it is one of the best ways to get your foot in the door for a reserved seat! Book your ticket here.
Certain hotels and travel agents may be able to secure you a ticket but be aware of scams and do not rely on last minute bookings!
If you are looking to book the famous train ride from Kandy to Ella in advance make sure you check out Get Your Guide:
We love journeys, just being moved through a landscape that is not the familiar, is an adventure in itself. Sri Lanka is full of incredible journeys to be made and the Colombo to Kandy train is certainly one of them.
Thank you for reading.
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie