What is the Kandy train observation car?

The observation car is this specialised first-class carriage, attached to the extreme rear of a few intercity trains, and it has a huge panoramic window that covers the entire back wall. Passengers get this uninterrupted 180-degree view of the tea plantations that slide backward, along with mountains and bridges, as the train starts climbing up into the hill country.

Tickets for the observation car are extremely sought after, and they have to be booked exactly 30 days beforehand, because they disappear within hours. Unlike second and third class, this carriage is fully air-conditioned and comes with seat assignments plus comfortable plush seating. The windows cannot be opened, though, so serious photographers sometimes favour reserved seats in second class, since those windows can be opened and they can capture sharper pictures.