How To Reach Nuwara Eliya

Founded by Samuel Baker who is also famous for his exploration of the Nile, Nuwara Eliya is often referred to as ‘Little England’. Nuwara Eliya is considered as one of the most important tea plantation sites in the island country of Sri Lanka. Connected very efficiently to the city of Colombo, reaching Nuwara Eliya is a fairly easy task. The best way to reach Nuwara Eliya is by taking a flight to Colombo and then catching a cab from there to this highland paradise. Read on to find out about other means at your disposal.

Nuwara Eliya does not have an airport and the closest airport to the place is located in Colombo, about 180 kilometres away. Visitors can land in Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo and take either road routes or the railway to reach Nuwara Eliya. Colombo itself is connected to all major cities in the world either directly or by a series of connection flights that stop usually at some or the other Indian city. Sri Lankan Airways is one of the major air carriers available to travellers.

While Nuwara Eliya does not have a railway station, visitors can take the train to Nanu Oya which is located about 10 km from the place. Nanu Oya is connected to Colombo through the Main Line that connects Colombo to Badulla. Considered as one the most picturesque journeys in the country, the route is full of mesmerising sights ranging from lush green tea gardens to tall mountains. The journey from Colombo to Nanu Oya usually takes up to 7 odd hours unless there is a delay due to bad weather. There are taxis available at Nanu Oya that will take you to Nuwara Eliya and while taxis usually charge around 200-250LKR, buses that ply on the same route charge about 25LKR. There are also three-wheeled tuk-tuks that will take you to Nuwara Eliya.

Nuwara Eliya is connected to Colombo by two routes, one via Kandy and one via Hatton. While the roads are not in the best conditions, the drive to Nuwara Eliya can be truly rewarding. Nuwara Eliya is located about 175 km away from Colombo. Visitors can also use the bus services, either via Hatton or Kandy. There are several intercity buses plying from Colombo to Hatton and Kandy almost every hour and there are buses from Hatton and Kandy that will take you to Nuwara Eliya. The bus journeys are much faster than the train journeys but the bus rides to Nuwara Eliya can be a bit bumpy. The rate and timings differ based on the type of service but the prices are quite nominal. Tourists can also take taxis from Colombo and the prices differ on the type of service.

The town of Nuwara Eliya is quite small and one can get to most places by foot. If going far and walking is not an option, then there are the multi-coloured tuk-tuks that will ply to any destination in Nuwara Eliya. While one can get around in the town with ease and in no time, it is advised to not plan for trips more than 60 kilometres away as it can take a really long time, given that roads are narrow and very bumpy.