Is the Train Running?
Where Ella's railway stands after Cyclone Ditwah — the suspended Kandy line, the service that is back, and the Nine Arches Bridge crossings.
The Nine Arches Bridge and the scenic train are why most people come to Ella, so the most common question is simply: is the train running? The short answer in mid-2026 is partly. The full Kandy–Ella line is still down after Cyclone Ditwah; a shorter service through Ella is back. Here is where each part stands.
Kandy–Ella–Badulla main line (the scenic route)
PausedSuspended since late November 2025 after Cyclone Ditwah damaged the line; the Deputy Transport Minister said in December 2025 that full restoration would take at least 18 months.
This is the famous upcountry leg through Hatton, Nanu Oya and Ella that travellers usually ride from Kandy. It is not running. Landslides and washouts across the network closed the line, and repairs to the Kandy side are still under way through 2026.
If you were planning to reach Ella by train from Kandy, that is not currently possible. People are getting here by road instead, or by joining the rail network further south. Treat any single reopening date you see online as provisional — the timeline has shifted more than once since the cyclone. Check the official recovery status before planning around it.