18th Railway Tunnel of Pattipola

Sri Lanka General Railway is established by British and Sri Lankan engineers. There are many secret points are situated at up country Railway. There are 43 Railway tunnels in up country Railway. Ohiya station to Idalgashinna Railway station way has 13 Railway tunnels. Pattipola railway station is highest railway station of Sri Lanka. Longest tunnel is situated near Hatton Railway station and second longest Railway tunnel is situated at Kandy-Colombo Railway. Third longest Rail way tunnel is Tunnel 18.

Tunnel 18th is very especial one because every time it's very dark. Lot of bat lives in there. This tunnel is a bending one. Tunnel was made by 1919 and after some times it was repaired. On the tunnel there is a mountain called Nasdanda mountain. Near this tunnel there is another two Railway tunnels. One of them is very short and bend and other one is very long and direct not bend one.

Main important thing of Pattipola tunnel 18thTunnel is both sides of this tunnel is different. This tunnel divides Badulla and Nuwaraeliya districts, Border of Welimada and Nuwaraeliya Electorates, dry Zone and Wet Zone, Green forest zone and highest west gap zone.

When you through this tunnel from Ohiya side you feel some what hot and you can see the sunshine and see clear air. After you move Pattipola side you feel different than that. Now you feel very cool and you may cannot see sunshine and you can see the mist come and covered every places in there. However if you can feel changing whether zones like that, you're very lucky.

When you travel on a foot you can feel difference very closed than traveling by train. Sometimes you don't have permission to through tunnel because security reasons. There is a foot path to tunnel18 from Alawathugoda village. You can arrive it with two hour working through the forests and climbing mountains. Little Eucalyptus park also there.

Ma rath mal (scientific meaning - Rhododendron arboretum) is very beautiful tree and very beautiful flower and endemic to Sri Lanka and only grew at place which is higher than 5000 feet above sea level.