Day 5 of the 12-day Alps-to-beach itinerary: scenic rail to Nuwara Eliya, for Swiss travellers

Day five begins at Kandy railway station, generally with an early departure to make the most of the day's rail journey and daylight for the views. The full Kandy-to-Ella line runs roughly six to seven hours end to end, but this particular 12-day itinerary uses only the partial stretch as far as Nanu Oya, the stop closest to Nuwara Eliya, rather than continuing all the way to Ella on this leg (Ella itself is reached later in the route, by road, on day seven).

The train climbs steadily out of Kandy, passing through small stations, tea estate villages and increasingly dramatic terrain as altitude builds. Reserved seats on this line sell out well in advance during peak season, so tickets need to be secured weeks to months ahead through a local operator rather than left until arrival in Sri Lanka.

Platforms at Kandy station can be busy, particularly on a morning when several trains are scheduled close together, so arriving with time to spare rather than cutting it fine is worth building into the day. Carriage classes vary, and reserved second-class seating with a fan is the most commonly booked option for this leg, offering a reasonable balance of comfort and authenticity for a first-time rider.

The scenery along this stretch moves through tea estates draped over steep hillsides, patches of pine forest, and ridgelines that are frequently wrapped in mist, particularly in the morning. Small stations along the way, some barely more than a platform and a sign, add to the sense of travelling through a working landscape rather than a purely scenic corridor built for tourists, with schoolchildren, farmers and local commuters boarding alongside the visitors riding purely for the view.

Windows generally open on standard carriages, and many travellers spend part of the journey standing near open doorways for photographs, something worth doing cautiously given the train's age and the terrain outside. The pace is unhurried by design, part of the appeal rather than a drawback, though it does mean the journey takes considerably longer than the distance covered would suggest.

Swiss travellers who know the Glacier Express or the Bernina Express naturally reach for the comparison, and there is a genuine kinship in spirit: both are scenic mountain railways that turn the journey itself into the destination. But the comparison only goes so far, and it is worth being honest about where it breaks down, since setting expectations correctly beforehand makes the actual ride easier to enjoy on its own terms.

This partial stretch of the Kandy-to-Ella line is considerably shorter than a full Glacier Express run, the ride is slower and rougher on some sections of older track, and standard carriages do not come with the panoramic glass roofs that define the Swiss trains. What the Sri Lankan line offers instead is a fraction of the cost, a genuinely different cultural texture, tea pickers visible in the fields, local passengers boarding at rural halts, and a landscape that, while sometimes likened to the Alps in mist and colour, is tropical hill country rather than anything geologically or architecturally similar.

Nanu Oya station sits roughly 30 minutes by road from Nuwara Eliya, and this short final transfer completes day five's journey after disembarking the train. The road climbs a little further still, and the change in air temperature from Kandy is noticeable almost immediately, cooler and, particularly if arriving in mist or light rain, considerably damper too.

Luggage transfer is generally arranged in advance by a driver-guide meeting the train at Nanu Oya, since managing bags through a moving train and a station platform is not something most travellers want to handle alone after a long rail journey.

The short drive up to Nuwara Eliya passes more tea estates and a scattering of small vegetable farms, since the surrounding region grows a considerable share of the country's cool-climate produce alongside its tea. It is a gentle final stretch after several hours on the train, and most travellers are glad to stretch their legs a little before settling into a vehicle again.

Nuwara Eliya sits at an elevation of roughly 1,868 metres, and the change from the Cultural Triangle and even Kandy is immediate: daytime highs generally run roughly 16 to 20°C, and evenings can drop noticeably cooler, sometimes near or below 10°C, particularly between December and February. A warmer layer packed for exactly this stretch of the trip earns its place in the suitcase here.

Arrival evening is generally kept simple, checking in, a warm dinner, and settling in to the noticeably different climate and atmosphere after the long rail day. Day six brings a full day around Nuwara Eliya itself, including tea estate visits and an optional early excursion to Horton Plains.

Many properties in Nuwara Eliya have fireplaces or heaters, a genuinely useful feature rather than a novelty at this elevation, particularly for anyone travelling in the cooler months. It is worth confirming this detail when booking accommodation for this stretch, since not every property is equipped for it in the same way.

Book seat reservations well ahead of time, ideally through a local operator who can track current timetables and availability, since schedules and available carriage classes do change from year to year. Pack snacks and water for the journey, since onboard catering is limited, and bring a light jacket even for the train itself, since temperatures drop noticeably as the altitude increases.

Lankan Stays & Trails books this rail leg separately from the road transfers that make up most of the itinerary, coordinating luggage handling at Nanu Oya so the change from train to road feels seamless rather than logistically stressful.

A power bank is worth carrying for the journey, since outlets are not standard on older carriages, and a phone or camera used constantly for photographs over several hours can run low well before the final stretch into Nanu Oya.