Travel like a local – Just Me Travel

Do As a Local: Walk the Railway Line from Ella to Demodara in Sri Lanka’s Beautiful Hill Country. Sri Lanka’s Hill Country is renowned for its emerald-green tea plantations,…

Do As a Local: Walk the Railway Line from Ella to Demodara in Sri Lanka’s Beautiful Hill Country.

Sri Lanka’s Hill Country is renowned for its emerald-green tea plantations, misty mountains, and winding railway lines that cut through the landscape. While most visitors enjoy the famous train journey from Ella to Kandy – described as one of the most scenic in the world – from the comfort of a carriage, there’s another way to experience a section of this picturesque route – on foot, as the locals do.

Walking along the railway line from Ella to Demodara is a route that, though mentioned in some guidebooks, is far more frequented by locals than tourists and provides a unique insight into local life. It’s an adventure that leads you past quiet villages, small farms, family vegetable and fruit stalls beside the tracks, lush tea estates, and through a dark tunnel that opens onto the iconic Nine Arch Bridge. It’s a walk that offers spectacular scenery and a rare glimpse into everyday life in the Hill Country.

On our visit to Ella, my sister, brother-in-law, and I walked the railway line to Demodara. Join me as I share our story about travelling like a local in Sri Lanka.

While staying in Sri Lanka’s pretty hill town of Ella with my sister and brother-in-law, my sister decided that walking the 3 kilometres along the railway line from Ella to the iconic Nine Arch Bridge would be an adventure. From there, we would choose whether to walk back to Ella or continue a further 3.5 kilometres along the railway line to Demodara train station, catching the Kandy-Colombo train back to Ella.

Knowing the train schedules for the Kandy to Colombo line was vital to our preparation for this walk. For your own safety, check the Timetable/Schedule for the Demodara to Ella and Ella to Demodara train times because you don’t want to be caught in a tunnel with a train.

With all in agreement and knowing the expected time a train would likely cross the Nine Arch Bridge and what time the train departs Demodara, we set off after an early breakfast for our possible 6.5-kilometre walk.

We joined the railway line at a point behind our hotel, Mountain Heavens – about a five to ten-minute walk before reaching Ella Station.

Just after stepping onto the railway line, we were confronted with a large sign stating, “WALK ON THE RAILWAY LINE IS PROHIBITED”. I had a moment of panic when I saw this sign, but I took reassurance from the knowledge that the hotel manager and guidebooks had suggested the railway walk as a “must-do” in Ella. And some local young women were walking towards us on the railway line.

The sign advising that walking on the railway line is prohibited was located near where we joined the railway line.

I completely dismissed the ‘prohibited’ sign when, about five metres further down the line, there was another sign advising that walking the railway line was dangerous. Evidently, the authorities had given up telling people that walking the line was prohibited. I relaxed. ‘Dangerous’, I could handle. I noted that neither of these signs fazed my sister and brother-in-law.

Walking along the railway line, we soon established a rhythm as we bounced from sleeper to sleeper. Along the way, we greeted locals using the railway line to get from A to B on foot, admired the fresh fruits and vegetables for sale at makeshift stalls beside the railway tracks, and breathed in the views of tea bushes climbing the hills.

Walking along the railway line from Ella to Demodara offers panoramic views of lush tea plantations.

Remember that ‘dangerous’ sign we saw shortly after stepping onto the railway line? Well, ‘dangerous’ became a not-so-friendly companion again as we entered a tunnel where seeing any light at the other end was impossible. [Tip: Take a torch.] Blindly feeling my way through the tunnel with my feet on the railway track, I wondered aloud what we should do if a train came while we were in the tunnel. Luckily, my brother-in-law had been thinking ahead and consulted our hotel manager to find out when we might come face-to-face with a train from Demodara.

Feeling relatively safe in the knowledge I was not about to be squished by a train, the walk through the tunnel became a devil-may-care adventure filled with excess adrenaline running rampant through my body.

I might not have felt quite as safe and may have run out of adrenaline if I had known the tunnel opened directly onto the Nine Arch Bridge.

Two people walking on the railway line in a tunnel as it opens onto a bridge. — Exiting the tunnel onto the iconic Nine Arch Bridge.

A man and woman walk across a railway bridge that spans a deep gully. — Walking the railway line across the Nine Arch Bridge.

The Nine Arch Bridge, also known as the Bridge in the Sky, is one of the most iconic and photographed landmarks in the Hill Country. This engineering stone marvel spans a lush, green valley filled with tropical vegetation and tea plantations.

The Nine Arch Bridge is an impressive viaduct that lives up to its iconic status.

We had timed our arrival at the Nine Arch Bridge in time to watch the Kandy-Ella train cross the bridge – a picture-postcard moment that draws photographers and travellers worldwide.

Visiting the Nine Arch Bridge is touted as a must-do attraction in Sri Lanka. You can get to the Bridge by taking a tuk-tuk from Ella or walking through the jungle. Or do as the locals do and walk along the railway line. Take the path less travelled.

The Kandy-Ella train coming from Demodara approaches the Nine Arch Bridge.

Trains in Sri Lanka are not known for running on time, with at least 50% experiencing delays. However, the expected Kandy-Ella train was on time and came down the line just after we crossed the bridge. Stepping off the tracks, I enthusiastically waved to the driver and all the passengers to convey our expert timing.

The Nine Arch Bridge is the midway point between Ella and Demodara stations. Having gotten this far, we decided to continue our walk along the railway line to Demodara to catch the train back to Ella. I was on a mission now, to reach Demodara Station in time to catch the train, as I was not walking the 6.5 kilometres back to Ella.

We made it to Demodara Station 35 minutes before the train’s arrival but weren’t allowed to purchase our train tickets immediately, being told to wait until 10 minutes before the train was due. No explanation was forthcoming as to why this was so. However, as Demodara was such a pretty station, with its many potted flowering plants lining the platform, we were happy to wait to be ‘allowed’ to buy our train tickets. When I returned to the ticketing window, I thought I had misheard when I was told that three one-way tickets from Demodara to Ella cost 30 Sri Lankan rupees (the equivalent of 30 Australian cents – ten cents each). I was so impressed with how cheap the trip was that I paid for my sister’s and brother-in-law’s tickets.

A man and a woman sit on a bench on a train station.

Waiting at Demodara Station for the train back to Ella.

We got on the train, only to find it practically empty. This was not what I had expected, which made choosing a seat difficult due to too many options. Which seat would give me the best view of the scenery as it passed by outside the window? Ultimately, I chose to stand in the doorway like a local.

Although short-lived, the train ride was fun and the highlight of my day. Anyone would think I had never ridden a train before!

The train on the Nine Arch Bridge approaches the tunnel we had so recently walked through.

Guidebooks promote the walk along the railway line as a must-do activity in Ella. However, we encountered no other tourists besides those on the bridge. Is it too far off the beaten track for most tourists? We were the only non-locals walking the line.

To my surprise, the walk was effortless. I had expected the railway line to climb the hills around us, but it was flat all the way, and I soon fell into a rhythm as I loped from sleeper to sleeper. The endless views of tea plantations, tropical vegetation, valleys, villages, and mountains made for a delightful walk. And the company was great too – not a single disagreement!

One of the villages we viewed from the train on the ride from Demodara to Ella.

If you’re looking to step off the typical tourist trail, walking the railway line from Ella to Demodara is a simple but unforgettable way to do it. It’s not polished or packaged – it’s just real, everyday Sri Lankan life, with tea-scented air and friendly waves from locals.

While tourists ride the train or hire a tuk-tuk to see the iconic Nine Arch Bridge, we approached it the local way – on foot, through tea fields and tunnels, accompanied by birdsong and fresh mountain air.

Heading back to Ella on the train, we reflected on our experience of a side of Sri Lanka many tourists miss – a peaceful, authentic journey shared with friendly locals, far from the usual tourist bustle. This walk was a testament to the magic of stepping off the well-trodden path and embracing the unexpected. If you’re seeking an adventure that combines scenery with genuine cultural immersion, I can’t recommend this railway line walk enough. It’s an opportunity to truly travel like a local and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog post in January 2019 and updated it in September 2022. I have again updated it for accuracy, thoroughness, and relevance.

Disclaimer: This post contains no affiliate links. All views and opinions are my own and non-sponsored. All photos are my own and remain the copyright of Just Me Travel.

Given Ella Station’s ‘prohibited’ and ‘dangerous’ signs, would you have walked the railway line?

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Author’s Note: Please check the latest travel restrictions before planning any trip and follow government advice.

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