Key hubs
Nuwara Eliya airport and railway station
- Airport
- Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo (CMB), is the main gateway; the road journey to Nuwara Eliya takes many hours, so check current timings
- Railway station
- Nanu Oya (NOA), about 10 km from town on the Main Line; take a tuk-tuk, taxi or bus for the final stretch
- Getting around
- A car with driver is simplest for the sights outside town; tuk-tuks and taxis work locally, and the town centre is walkable
How to reach Nuwara Eliya by air
Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo (CMB) is the main gateway; the road to Nuwara Eliya takes many hours, so allow a full travel day or an overnight stop. Check current flight schedules from Indian cities with your airline.
How to reach Nuwara Eliya by train
Nanu Oya station (NOA) on the Main Line is the railhead, about 10 km from Nuwara Eliya. The Podi Menike and Udarata Menike express trains stop there. Continue by tuk-tuk, taxi or bus for the last stretch.
How to reach Nuwara Eliya by road
Nuwara Eliya is reached by road from Kandy, about 75 km and about 2 hours by one source, and from Colombo via the Main Line corridor, which takes much longer. The road toward Kandy passes tea estates and Ramboda Falls.
Getting around Nuwara Eliya
Tuk-tuks and taxis serve the town, and the centre is walkable. A car with driver is the easiest way to reach Pedro, Hakgala and Seetha Eliya, and the only practical way for Horton Plains in the pre-dawn hours.
For parents and senior travellers
Easy transfers to and in Nuwara Eliya
- Hire a car and driver for Hakgala, Pedro and Seetha Eliya rather than relying on tuk-tuks on steep roads.
- Carry travel insurance and your regular medicines; the major hospitals are in larger cities like Kandy.
- Ask the airline or railway for wheelchair or porter assistance when you book, not on the day.
- Pre-book the pickup from the airport or station, so nobody has to negotiate with drivers after a long journey.
- Choose arrivals in daylight where you can, and keep the first afternoon free to rest.