The Sri Lankan railway has been in existence since the 19th century, being first built by the British to transport tea,coffee and other produce to Colombo to be shipped to various destinations. 

Experience the remains of the by gone era in these  “time machines” witnessing breath taking views and historical locations.

Rail tours offer you opportunities in seen the country and experiencing the true flavor of Sri Lanka…

The "Viceroy Special" is a 75 year old private train and the only steam train still in operation in Sri Lanka. The train has two air-conditioned observation saloons furnished in period style, with 64 plush reclining seats and individual adjustable tables. A public address system is available for guides to describe details of the journey or for suitable music to be broadcast. Each saloon has an adjoining smokers' lounge and a modern toilet.

Once in Sri Lanka, trains are a cheap, safe and enjoyable way to get around.  Trains link the major cities and have several classes:

• 1st class sleeper.  1st class sleeping-berths are available on a few overnight trains.

• 1st class observation car.  Available on the best daytime trains on the scenic route from Colombo to Kandy and Badulla.  The observation car is normally at the rear of the train (or sometimes behind the locomotive) and has comfortable (if slightly grubby...) armchairs facing a large window looking back along the track.  Seats must be reserved before departure.  The 1st class observation car is highly recommended.

• 1st class air-conditioned seats car.  Only available on one or two trains.

• 2nd class seats, available on all trains.  These come in several versions, depending on the train:  (1) unreserved seats, where you buy a ticket, hop on and sit in any available seat, (2) reserved seats where you must make a reservation and you get an allocated seat, and (3) reserved 'sleeperette' reclining seats which are available on most overnight trains.  2nd class seats are the recommended option on trains with no 1st class.

• 3rd class seats, available on most trains.  These come in several versions, depending on the train:  unreserved seats, reserved seats, and reserved 'sleeperette' reclining seats.  3rd class is very basic and gets very crowded, and it is not generally recommended for visitors.

Train times...

Colombo - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Badulla

Colombo - Galle - Matara

Colombo - Polonnaruwa & Trincomalee

Colombo - Anuradhapura - Vavunia

The timetables on this page show the principal trains on the most popular routes.  There are many other trains, stations and rail routes in Sri Lanka, but note that trains no longer operate to Jaffna or Talaimannar.  You can check routes and train times at the new Sri Lanka Railways website, www.railway.gov.lk, or in the Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable.  There is also train information at www.slrfc.org/sri-lanka-railways-time-table.html or http://colombofort.com or www.reddottours.com.  

How to buy tickets...

It's easy to buy tickets when you get to Sri Lanka.  There is a special ticket window for tourists at Colombo Fort station.  Reservations for trains with reserved seating such as InterCity Express trains open 10-14 days in advance.  Other trains (shown as having 'unreserved' seats) don't require a reservation, you just buy a ticket on and hop on.  Seats in the 1st class observation car from Colombo to Kandy can get fully-booked from time to time, so book a few days ahead if you can, but you may well find seats available on the day of travel.  If you really, really want to pre-book a train before you get to Sri Lanka, and are prepared to pay booking fees on top of the fare, try an agency such as www.reddottours.com.

Security...

The trains are fine, but there are some areas of Sri Lanka where Tamil Separatist terrorists make any form of travel inadvisable.  See www.fco.gov.uk for UK foreign Office travel advice.

This scenic train ride is THE  way to reach Kandy, 121 km by rail from Colombo.  The ride onwards to Badulla, into the hill country, is also wonderful, and probably the best train ride in Sri Lanka.  Travel in the 1st class observation car is recommended, and if possible on an InterCity Express train.

Colombo ► Kandy ► Nuwara Eliya ► Badulla
Km	Notes:	3	O,2,3,R	ICE	O,2,3,R	2,3	2,3	ICE	2,3	2,3	Sleeper
0	Colombo (Fort) depart:	-	05:55	07:00	09:30	10:35	12:40	15:35	16:55	17:45	20:15
121	Kandy arrive:	-	|	09:34	|	13:52	15:58	18:08	19:42	20:58	|
121	Kandy depart:	03:30	|	-	|	-	-	-	-	-	|
207	Nanu Oya (for Nuwara Eliya) arrive:	09:33	12:30	-	15:25	-	-	-	-	-	03:18
246	Haputale arrive:	11:49	14:07	-	17:02	-	-	-	-	-	05:05
292	Badulla arrive:	14:10	15:55	-	18:50	-	-	-	-	-	07:10

ICE = InterCity Express = 1st class observation car with reserved seats, 2nd & 3rd class reserved seats.

O = 1st class observation car with reserved seats;

2 = unreserved 2nd class seats; 

3 = unreserved 3rd class seats;

R = buffet/restaurant car;

Sleeper = 1st class sleeper (2-berth compartments), 2nd & 3rd class reserved reclining seats, 2nd & 3rd unreserved seats, buffet car.

Nuwara Eliya ('City of lights') is a colonial hill station 2,000 metres above sea level, surrounded by tea plantations  It's easy to reach by train.  The station is Nanu Oya, 6 km from central Nuwara Eliya, with plenty of taxis and auto-rickshaws available.  It's also possible to walk.

You can check train times using the official Sri Lanka Railways website, www.railway.gov.lk.

Badulla ► Nuwara Eliya ► Kandy ► Colombo
Notes:	2,3,R	ICE	2,3	2,3	O,2,3,R	ICE	2,3	O,2,3,R	3	sleeper
Badulla depart:	-	-	-	-	05:45	-	-	08:50	12:00	18:20
Haputale depart:	-	-	-	-	07:48	-	-	10:51	14:38	20:33
Nanu Oya (for Nuwara Eliya) depart:	-	-	-	-	09:27	-	-	12:27	16:58	22:33
Kandy arrive:	-	-	-	-	|	-	-	|	21:38	|
Kandy depart:	05:00	06:15	06:35	10:25	|	15:00	15:30	|	-	|
Colombo (Fort) arrive:	08:16	08:55	09:45	13:40	15:40	17:38	18:55	19:28	-	05:35

 

Fares
One-way adult fares..	3rd class reserved seat	2nd class reserved seat	1st class observation car
Colombo-Kandy by InterCity Express	Rs.100  (56p/$1)	Rs.150  (£1/$2)	Rs. 300  (£2/ $3)
Colombo-Kandy by normal train	Rs.61  (34p/70c)	Rs.114  (80p/$1.60)	-
Colombo-Badulla	Rs.142  (90p/$2)	Rs.268  (£1.80/$3)	Rs. 580  (£3/ $6)

Above:  Travelling by train in Sri Lanka is a great way to see the scenery...		Above:  The 1st class observation car, at the rear of the train, with window looking back along the track.

Photos above courtesy of Bill Wood of Massachusetts.

Traveller's report...

Traveller Graeme Thorley reports "I thought the observation car to Kandy was okay although it requires you to travel backwards (in my case at least) which is not to everyone's taste. It also got incredibly hot (36°C at one point) due to the large window and there were only a limited number of seats that had a really good view. Rather irritatingly on my outbound trip two of these were occupied by people who slept for most of the trip..! The other point is that the carriage was occupied almost entirely by Westerners - this might be considered a good thing but personally I felt it left me more remote from the travelling experience.  On the train to Anaradhapura several locals stopped to chat, practise their English, exchange complaints about the delays etc. I also bumped into one of the families I had met on the train whilst sightseeing (they recognised me) and we had another chat. I find that sort of thing an important part of travelling."

Also see www.bootsnall.com for a good account of this trip...

Above:  The Colombo-Kandy 1st class observation car, at Colombo Fort station.  Photo courtesy of Graeme Thorley		Ordinary 2nd class seats on a Sri Lankan train.  Photo courtesy of Graeme Thorley

A great way to reach the cities of Galle and Matara, by train along the coast...  2nd class is the recommended option, as 3rd class gets too crowded.  The Colombo-Galle fare is only about Rs.65 (£0.50/$1) one-way in 2nd class for the 116 km.  Colombo to Matara is about Rs.90 2nd class.

Colombo ► Galle ► Matara
Km	Notes:	2,3	2,3	2,3	2,3	2,3	2,3	3	3	3
0	Colombo (Maradana) depart:	06:30	-	-	13:40	15:40	16:40	17:10	17:50	18:45
2	Colombo (Fort) depart:	06:35	08:35	10:30	13:45	15:45	16:45	17:15	17:55	18:50
116	Galle arrive:	09:48	11:18	13:02	16:46	18:07	19:12	20:34	20:38	22:55
159	Matara arrive:	11:17	12:27	14:26	18:25	19:15	20:25	-	22:07	-

Please double-check train times locally.

2 = unreserved 2nd class seats; 

3 = unreserved 3rd class seats;

You can check train times using the official Sri Lanka Railways website, www.railway.gov.lk.

Matara ► Galle ► Colombo
Notes:	3	3	3	2,3	2,3	2,3	3	2,3	2,3	2,3	2,3
Matara depart:	-	-	-	04:20	05:20	05:50	-	09:30	-	13:10	14:05
Galle depart:	03:30	04:15	04:40	05:35	06:30	07:30	09:00	10:55	13:45	14:30	15:45
Colombo (Fort) arrive:	07:00	07:41	08:02	08:13	08:58	10:05	13:12	13:20	16:34	17:14	18:37
Colombo (Maradana) arrive:	07:07	07:46	08:10	08:20	09:05	10:12	13:35	-	16:40	-	18:45

 

 

Fares
One-way adult fares..	3rd class reserved seat	2nd class reserved seat	1st class seat
Colombo-Matara	Rs.80  (50p/$1)	Rs.149  (90p/$1.80)	-

2nd class is recommended on this route, as 3rd class is too crowded.  The Colombo-Trincomalee fare is only about Rs.180 (£1/$1.80) one-way 2nd class for the 296 km.

Colombo ► Trincomalee							Trincomalee ► Colombo
Km	Daily:	2,3,R	2,3,R	Sleeper	Sleeper		Daily:	2,3,R	2,3,R	Sleeper	Sleeper
0	Colombo (Fort) depart:	08:45	08:45	19:15	22:00		Trincomalee depart:	07:00	-	19:00	-
227	Galoya arrive:	14:09	14:09	00:24	04:20		Batticaloa depart:	|	05:50	|	20:15
260	Polonnaruwa arrive:	|	15:16	01:18	|		Polonnaruwa depart:	|	08:06	|	22:21
350	Batticaloa arrive:	|	17:33	03:27	|		Galoya depart::	09:30	09:30	21:55	23:20
296	Trincomalee arrive:	16:05	-		06:25		Colombo (Fort) arrive:	15:50	15:50	04:15	04:52

Please double-check all train times locally.

Sleeper = 1st class sleepers (2-berth compartments), 2nd & 3rd class reserved reclining seats, 2nd & 3rd unreserved seats, buffet car.

You can check train times using the official Sri Lanka Railways website, www.railway.gov.lk.

Fares
One-way adult fares..	3rd class reserved seat	2nd class reserved seat	1st class sleeper berth
Colombo-Trincomalee	Rs.114  (64p/$1.30)	Rs.272  (£1.50/$3)	Rs. 487  (£3/ $6)
Colombo-Batticaloa	Rs.135  (75p/$1.50)	Rs.320  (£2/$4)	Rs. 578  (£3/ $6)

Trains link Colombo with Anuradhapura and Vavunia.  However, since 1990 trains no longer operate as far as Jaffna or Talaimannar Pier (previously the ferry terminal for India) because of the security problems in that area.

Colombo ► Vavunia

Vavunia ► Colombo

Km

Daily:

1,2,3,R

2,3

2,3

ICE

Sleeper

Daily:

2,3,R

ICE

2,3

1,2,3,R

Sleeper

0

Colombo (Fort) depart:

05:45

10:40

13:45

16:20

21:30

Vavunia depart:

03:15

05:45

-

13:15

22:00

205

Anuradhapura arr/dep:

10:55

16:05

19:00

20:07

03:30

Anuradhapura arr/dep:

05:00

06:37

08:40

14:15

23:40

254

Vavunia arrive:

11:50

-

20:10

21:10

05:00

Colombo (Fort) arrive:

10:00

10:20

14:00

18:58

04:45

ICE = InterCity Express = 1st class car with reserved seats, 2nd & 3rd class reserved seats.

1 = 1st class air-conditioned seats car with reserved seats;

2 = unreserved 2nd class seats; 

3 = unreserved 3rd class seats;

R = buffet/restaurant car;

Sleeper = 1st class sleeper (2-berth compartments), 2nd & 3rd class reserved reclining seats, 2nd & 3rd unreserved seats, buffet.

You can check train times using the official Sri Lanka Railways website, www.railway.gov.lk.