Demodara Railway Loop

The Demodara Railway Loop, near Demodara station between Ella and Badulla on the hill country line, is one of the most unusual railway engineering features in Asia. To manage an exceptionally steep descent, engineers designed a complete 360-degree loop in which the track passes through a tunnel, curves around, and crosses over the tunnel entrance at a higher level — a train effectively crosses above itself at two different elevations on the same piece of track. The viewing point above the loop reveals the full geometry of the spiral cut into the steep hillside. The loop is best observed from above by walking from Demodara station (10 minutes on foot), or from below in the valley. Arriving by train from Ella is the most atmospheric approach: the loop creates a disorienting sensation inside the carriages as the train spirals through the tunnel before emerging above where it entered.