Kandy is 116 km northeast of Colombo by the A1 highway, a drive that takes three to four hours in normal traffic. The train journey from Colombo Fort station is considerably more comfortable — the air-conditioned intercity express takes about two and a half hours and runs several times daily. The scenic railway line continues east from Kandy through the tea hills toward Nuwara Eliya and Ella, one of the great train journeys in Asia; book in advance for observation car seats.
Buses from Colombo's Bastian Mawatha bus stand are frequent, cheap, and faster than the train in good traffic but considerably less comfortable. Private minivans can be hired in Colombo for a direct transfer. From the hill country (Ella, Nuwara Eliya), the train west toward Kandy is the obvious choice.