Buying sold out train tickets from scalpers at the station
7 Answers from travellers
Do not buy it. This is a scam. To stop scalpers, Sri Lanka Railways now prints the passengers ID or passport number on reserved tickets. If the ticket inspector on the train checks the ticket and it does not match your passport, you will be heavily fined and kicked out of the reserved carriage. Just buy an unreserved 3rd class ticket at the counter for 200 LKR.
Get to the station an hour early and stand right where the unreserved carriages stop to get a seat.
Half the time the tickets they sell you are forged on cheap paper anyway. Do not trust them.
If you cannot get a reserved seat, take a bus to Nuwara Eliya instead, then take the train from Nanu Oya to Ella. It breaks up the trip.
Scam Watch: kandy
TukTuk or tour drivers take you to "gem museums" or "government-certified" gem shops. They receive huge commissions (up to 40%) on anything you buy. Prices are inflated 3-10x the actual value.
Men approach tourists near Temple of the Tooth offering to be guides. After the tour, they demand large "donations" or guide fees (5000-10000 LKR).
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