Sri Lanka train booking and prices

How do you book train tickets in Sri Lanka?

Quick answer: Book reserved seats on the official Sri Lanka Railways site, seatreservation.railway.gov.lk, from 30 days before departure until 2 hours before. You need an account and a passport number for each passenger, and you can book up to 5 seats at once. A 5 per cent fee is added. If you have no reservation, buy an unreserved ticket at the station on the day.

Sri Lanka's trains are cheap, slow and scenic. The hard part is getting a reserved seat on popular hill-country trains, and knowing which sections are running after Cyclone Ditwah damaged the Upcountry line in late 2025. This guide covers booking and prices for all lines. For the hill route itself, see our Nanu Oya to Ella train guide and Kandy to Ella train guide.

Which trains can you book online?

The official reservation FAQ says you can reserve Observation, air-conditioned saloon, 2nd class and 3rd class seats on intercity, express and slow trains on these routes (SLR reservation FAQ):

The route list is what the booking system covers, not a promise that trains run. A route that is in the system can still show "no seats available" if trains are not running on your date. The FAQ suggests trying another date, fewer passengers, different stations, or an mTicketing station counter.

How do you book online, step by step?

From the official FAQ, checked on 19 October 2026:

1. Create an account on seatreservation.railway.gov.lk with a valid email address. Add a local mobile number if you have one, to get an SMS copy.
2. Search your train by date and stations. You can toggle a return journey in the same booking.
3. Enter every passenger's NIC or passport number. You cannot finish the booking without them.
4. Pay by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club, Discover or LankaQR. A 5 per cent convenience fee is added to the total.
5. Get your e-ticket by email. The seat is only confirmed once payment goes through. If you take too long at the payment stage, the seat can go to someone else.
6. Travel with the e-ticket on your phone or printed, plus the same passport. The station does not issue a paper ticket for online bookings.

Rules that catch people out:

• Up to 5 seats per booking.
• No seat choice. Seats are allocated automatically.
• Full-section fare. If you board or leave part-way, you still pay the fare for the section you booked. The FAQ's own example is getting on or off at Bandarawela on a Colombo to Badulla train.
• Return trips with different numbers of passengers, or a different boarding station, need a separate booking.
• Not transferable. The ticket is tied to the NIC or passport used.

How much are train tickets in Sri Lanka?

These are basic fares from Colombo Fort in Sri Lanka Railways' fare table dated 4 July 2022, the newest one published on railway.gov.lk when we checked on 19 October 2026 (SLR fare table, PDF). Use them as a guide. The price shown when you book is the one you pay.

Several of these stations have no direct train from Colombo right now, including Kandy, Hatton, Nanu Oya, Haputale and Ella. We show them so you can compare costs, not because you can buy the ticket today.

How much is the Ella Odyssey?

The Ella Odyssey is a special tourist train with its own, higher fares. On the hill section it runs on Wednesdays only under the timetable in force from 20 June 2026 (SLR notice, PDF). The railway's fare sheet lists these prices for reserved seats (Ella Odyssey fares, PDF):

The fare sheet has no date, so treat these as a sample. On a Wednesday, the Odyssey leaves Nanu Oya at 1.00 pm and reaches Ella at 3.21 pm. On other days, the regular trains 1005 and 1015 cover the same stretch.

What is the difference between the train classes?

The June 2026 notice for the Nanu Oya to Badulla section says its trains carry first-class (air-conditioned) and second-class reserved seats, bookable online. Unreserved second and third class tickets are sold at station counters on the day.

What are the cancellation and refund rules?

From the official FAQ, checked on 19 October 2026:

In every case, the service charge is not refunded. You cancel at an mTicketing station counter, not online, and you must show a copy of the passport used for the booking. If your card is charged but no ticket arrives, the FAQ says to use the site's "Contact Us" form with the payment issue type, your reference number and the last 4 digits of the card.

When should you book?

• Hill-country trains in busy months: as soon as the 30-day window opens.
• Wednesdays on the hill section: trains 1015 and 1016 do not run and the Ella Odyssey runs instead, at its higher fares. Check which train you are booking.
• During the October and November rains: keep a road backup. Landslips near Kadigamuwa delayed Colombo trains on 16 and 17 October 2026, as our Colombo to Kandy train guide explains.

If trains are full or not running, our getting around guide compares buses and drivers, and the trip cost guide puts train fares next to other transport.