The great journey of the Belyaevs. Rail transport in Sri Lanka

When we were planning our trip to Sri Lanka, we learned that one of the main attractions of the country is the train! Yes, yes, an ordinary train. More precisely, an English train, since the railway, stations and trains themselves were built under the British. Since then, they have been working properly to this day, being the main transport of Sri Lanka.

The main advantage of traveling by train in Sri Lanka is the beautiful views from the window and immersion in the daily life of the locals. We decided to take the advice of taking a Sri Lankan train. And now I will tell you about everything you need to know in order to carefully plan such a trip - I will share the train schedule in Sri Lanka, a map of trains and their routes, and, of course, my impressions. Is it even worth traveling by train in Sri Lanka? Read all the details in the article.

A trip to Sri Lanka is unthinkable without the opportunity to ride a Sri Lankan train. Trains in Sri Lanka are not an attraction, but a real means of transport for the people. It is suitable for everyone because of its low cost and the ability to choose the level of comfort.

Trains in Sri Lanka come in three classes: 1st class is more expensive and much more comfortable than the rest. Mostly, foreigners travel in first class carriages. The difference between 2nd and 3rd class carriages is small; they are best suited for budget travelers. Local residents usually go there too.

Most tourists board a train in Sri Lanka solely for the opportunity to see the incredibly inspiring views from the train window. Basically, they prefer one direction - to the mountainous country to drive past the tea plantations. But the trip from Colombo to Galle is also wonderful - the railway line runs along the coast and you can admire the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lankans use the railway not only to travel by train between cities, but also to run errands between small villages. In the photo - Ella, Sri Lanka

And to other attractions of Sri Lanka, tourists prefer to travel in comfortable buses (VIP class, not the public buses of Sri Lanka, which are just as uncomfortable and dirty as trains) or on rented transport with a driver or on their own.

Compared to trains in Myanmar, where railway transport was also organized by the British, the train in Sri Lanka is more reliable (and new trains have appeared in recent years!). During our trip we were unable to board the train. He just didn't come. As we later found out, this is a common occurrence there. This almost never happens in Sri Lanka. Trains are slow, but still run on schedule.

Boarding the train to Kandy
Inside an old 3rd class carriage

Railway map of Sri Lanka

A train map in Sri Lanka will be very useful to understand your travel route.

Railway map of Sri Lanka (clickable)

As can be seen from the diagram, four railway lines radiate from Colombo throughout Sri Lanka: to Matara, to Jaffna, to Avisavella and to Peryanagavilla. The remaining branches begin their journey in other major cities of the island of Ceylon. The most famous route that is of interest to tourists is a train journey from Kandy to Badulla through the mountainous country.

In addition, a branch line departs from Maho to Batticaloa (this is an eastern resort town), stopping along the way at the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. So you can definitely get by train from Colombo to Polonnaruwa, which is one of the peaks of the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka.

Read also:

To find out which train is most convenient for you to travel in the desired direction, it is best to check the train schedule in Sri Lanka. Knowing the exact Sri Lanka train schedule, you can easily change from one train to another and get inexpensively to almost anywhere in the country.

A convenient schedule for all directions is shown in the diagram. It also says next to each city how long it will take to get from it to Colombo. The prices for tickets for all classes of carriages are also indicated: 1st, 2nd and 3rd. In my opinion, this is a very convenient scheme.

Sri Lanka trains have their own website - http://www.railway.gov.lk/ However, it is not particularly useful for travelers, since it is impossible to buy tickets online. But you can learn how to transport goods by train and read about the history of the railways of Sri Lanka.

Helpful information. You can view the current train schedule in Sri Lanka

How to buy a train ticket in Sri Lanka

Train tickets in Sri Lanka are in most cases easy to purchase just before the train departs. It's very simple. You need to arrive at the station in advance, go to the ticket office, pay for the ticket and board the train in an empty seat (if there is one). All this applies to 2nd and 3rd class carriages. If you do not board at the departure station, you will most likely have to ride standing.

You can buy 1st class train tickets in Sri Lanka in advance. Ticket sales begin 30 days before the intended travel date. It is not possible to book online. You can only buy it while in Sri Lanka. In Colombo you need to come to Colombo Fort at office 17. In other cities and at other stations the same rule applies. You can also call by phone and reserve a seat in a 1st class carriage, but only in the direction Colombo - Kandy. It is worth keeping in mind that 1st class tickets sell out very quickly.

How to book a train ticket in Sri Lanka?

You need to call 365 from your local Mobitel SIM card (the national provider of Sri Lanka) and book a seat on the train for the desired date and time. Soon you will receive an SMS with your number. When you arrive at the station, this number will need to be shown to the station manager or directly at the Mobitel office. You will be immediately given a ticket (M-ticket). The money for the ticket will be debited from your mobile account.

Advice. Very often, travelers leave the train station upset because they heard that the train is crowded and there are no tickets. However, this only means that all 1st class seats have been purchased. Tickets for 2nd and 3rd class are still on sale. It's just that many Sri Lankans still can't believe that the white misters will ride with them.

Magnificent views from the Kandy-Nuwara Eliya train

What cities can you visit while traveling by train in Sri Lanka?

Any trip to Sri Lanka begins in Colombo or Negombo, the closest cities to Baidanarayke International Airport. Let's start getting acquainted with the country from its capital - the city of Colombo. More precisely, from Colombo Fort, the main station of the country, from where trains depart in all directions.

Colombo Fort on the map

Northern direction: Kandy - Anuradhapura - Jaffna.

If you travel to the north of Sri Lanka, it is worth getting off the train at to visit the colonial city around the lake and the famous Temple of the Tooth Relic. Very close by is located, which we personally really liked for its rich collection of various plants - trees and flowers. And of course, it is also worth it to get off at the station and spend one day in the ancient city. End station - Jaffna- the capital of the Tamils, may be of interest to those tourists who study all aspects of the life of the country.
From Colombo Fort you can also go towards Negombo and to Peryanagavillu station. Train intervals are every hour.
A relatively small section of the railway was built from Colombo to Avisawellu. Trains run here several times a day.
A new line starts from Medavacchia station - to the island Mannar. The train runs twice a day.

Train to the east coast of Sri Lanka: Maho - Polonnaruwa - Batticaloa and Trincomalee

From the northern line that goes to Jaffna at the station Maho you can go east, to the coast. On the way to the resort Batticaloa the train stops at . And in Gal Oya you can change trains to Trincomalee, where you can sunbathe on almost virgin beaches, which, in comparison, have their own unique flavor.

The most popular train route from Kandy to Ella in the hill country

Most tourists travel around Sri Lanka by train along this route – from to Ella. Although the final station of this route is the city. Why is everyone ignoring Badulla? The colonial city does not outperform Nuwara Eliya in terms of legend and the number of tea plantations and loses to Ella in picturesqueness. Although there is one nearby, and it’s still worth going to Badulla for it.

So, the train starts from Kandy and travels along the route: Hutton(exit for Sri Pada, Adam's Peak) - Nanu Oya (this is the name of the station next to Nuwara Eliya, you need to get off here) - Ohia(exit for visiting Horton Plains Park) - Ella - Badulla.

This is how your train journey from Kandy begins
Our travel companion is a Sri Lankan baby

Tourists hang from the running boards to take photos of the beautiful views

We had already been roasting on the beaches of Sri Lanka for a week when we realized that the equatorial heat was simply tired of us. I wanted to freshen up.
The owner of our guesthouse advised us to go on a trip to the mountains…. By train!

We were lucky - the train was brand new with comfortable seats. After only half an hour of travel, the train entered the mountainous part of Sri Lanka, and incredible views opened up before us. Endless tea plantations wrap around the mountains with emerald spirals of tea bushes like a fluffy blanket. Tropical green mountain ranges cascade down to rice-growing valleys. Sometimes, through the long gorges, glimpses of the ocean could be seen in the distance.

The doors and windows on the train were wide open; the train was moving along a lonely mountain track at an average speed of 10 km/h. I walked up to the open door of the carriage and enjoyed the views. Clouds slowly floated beneath my feet, tea pickers waved their hands welcomingly, bright yellow kingfishers flew past, and eagles soared in the distance. The vegetation varied depending on the altitude at which the train was moving: from equatorial jungle to coniferous forests.

But what amazed me most was when our train drove past a real waterfall. He was so close that you could stick your hand through the doorway and feel the splash of water. In total, on this trip we observed about 10 waterfalls at various distances from the road. And the number of ancient tunnels built by the British into which our train dived was simply countless.

From Kandy to Badulla it is only 110 km, but we drove for 6 hours. This was a complete excursion to the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka, and we only paid 2 dollars for it.
By the way, about tickets. There are 3 classes of carriages in Sri Lanka. The most expensive is first class, usually with air conditioning; tickets for it are always given with seats. Third class is similar to our train with the same tickets without seats: those who do not have enough space have to stand. Second class is quite comfortable, it’s not so hot in the mountains, and air conditioning is not really needed. Tickets for the second class may be without seats, as in the third class, or they may have reserved seats.

They are trying to sell tickets to all tourists in first class and second class with a reserve. But these tickets are generally 10 times more expensive than second class tickets without a reserve. In our opinion, it only makes sense to buy such expensive tickets if you are traveling from Colombo. Otherwise, in cars without a reserve, you will stand pressed by the crowd to the toilet doors. But after an hour of travel, the crowd of people almost completely subsides, and the train arrives in Kandy half empty. So from Kandy you can safely take a second class ticket without a reservation and enjoy the cheapest railways in the world.

One piece of advice for travelers and tourists is to avoid traveling in Sri Lanka by public transport in mid-April, when the country is on holiday for the local New Year. Transport is very rare, and there are a lot of local people who go to the mountains to relax.
Have a nice trip!

If you want to travel around Sri Lanka by train, and at the same time you are interested in the most colorful and popular destinations, then you need to buy train tickets in advance. After all, there are many more people wanting tickets than there are tickets for such popular destinations as Colombo - Kandy and Kandy - Yella. If you don't think about buying tickets in advance, you could end up in a crowded third-class carriage or pay several times the actual price for a ticket.

From this article you will learn:

What you need to know about Sri Lanka trains

On Sri Lankan trains, carriages are divided into classes - from cheap third class to relatively expensive first class.

Tickets in third class carriages sold in unlimited quantities. Therefore, it cannot be that all third class tickets are sold out. But it may turn out that an incredible number of passengers will be packed into the carriage. Tickets for third class carriages cannot be purchased in advance. They are sold only before the train departs at the railway ticket offices at the train station or at the railway station.

Third class carriage on the Colombo - Galle train

Second class carriages Available on most trains and popular tourist destinations. Second class carriages can be of two types: unreserved (tickets cannot be purchased or booked in advance) and reserved (tickets can be purchased in advance).

First class carriages only available on a few trains. All first class tickets can be purchased in advance, and not only can you, but you must. First class carriages run along the most interesting and beautiful routes; the number of seats is limited (there is no standing room). Therefore, tickets are usually sold out several months in advance.

How to buy a train ticket in Sri Lanka in advance

Let's start with the difficult method. If you are already in Sri Lanka, you have a SIM card from the local mobile operator Mobitel or Etisalat and your level of English allows you to talk on the phone, then you can call the short number 365 (for a fee) and book tickets for yourself. The cost of the ticket and the cost of the call (per-minute billing) will be deducted from the phone balance. You need to pick up tickets at the mobile operator’s office (not in every office, but only where such a service is available).

A more reliable way to buy train tickets is to do it online, through the Internet. You can find out the train schedule and buy tickets in second and first class carriages for the most popular and beautiful routes in Sri Lanka on the website. At the time of writing this article, the following directions were available:

The Golden Triangle of Sri Lanka is an area of historical and cultural attractions:

Highlands of Sri Lanka:

What to take with you on a train trip

drinking water and food (they may sell food on the train, but don’t expect to be able to eat it),
clothing in case of low temperatures due to air conditioning or wind (it can be very fresh on mountain routes),

Railways in Sri Lanka were built by British colonialists in the 19th century. (and have not undergone significant modernization since then), however, this does not prevent them from remaining one of the most inexpensive and convenient means of transport on the island.

Railway communication in Sri Lanka is carried out on several lines ():

Coastal line(Coast line) - runs along the western coast of the country from Puttalam in the north, through cities such as Negombo, Colombo, Kalutara, Bentota, Beruwela, Alusgama, Ambalangoda, Hikkaduwa and Galle to the southern tip of Sri Lanka (Weligama and Matara).
Mountain line(Hill country line) - runs from the capital Colombo to Kandy and further to such settlements as Hatton (), Manu Oya (), Haputale, Bandarawela, Eliya and Badulla.
Northern line(Northern line) - goes from Colombo, through Kurunegala to Anuradhapura and Vavuniya, ending at Omanthai. Two additional branches of this line go to Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa, as well as to Trincomalee.

Types of trains and carriages in Sri Lanka

Passenger carriages on trains in Sri Lanka are divided into 3 classes, depending on the level of comfort, additional services and fare prices. Second and third class carriages differ slightly. In the first case, there is the possibility of advance reservations (though not always), softly upholstered seats and less chance of crowding due to lack of seats.

First class carriages are equipped with air conditioning, Wi-Fi and power sockets. Places are available for advance reservation. Many of them have chic vintage interiors that transport passengers to the beginning of the 20th century. The so-called observation cars (which are located at the rear of some trains) have a large rear window allowing for panoramic views.

The class or type of carriages on Sri Lankan trains is indicated by letter markings:

A - second and third class carriages, not reserved
B - restaurant or dining car
C - second class carriages, reserved
D - second and third class carriages with reclining seats, reserved
E - first class observation car, reserved
F - first class sleeping car, reserved
G - air-conditioned first class carriage, reserved

Depending on the distance and the equipment of different classes of carriages, trains in Sri Lanka are also divided into several types. In addition to Intercity Trains and Express Trains, the island has several private trains (Special Trains), equipped with luxury carriages and designed for rail tours around the country.

If you are planning to book train tickets for your trip
in Sri Lanka before arriving in the country, this can be done by agreement with
one of the local travel agencies or with the help of your hotel.