Sri
Lanka / Transportation / Rail Travel
The Sri Lanka Government Railway has a well-developed
network servicing all important cities and tourist
destinations in the country. The three main lines
are from Colombo to Matara which follows the contour
of the west coast, The Main Line from Colombo to Badulla
via Nanu Oya with a line branching off to Kandy and
The Northern Line to Anuradhapura.
There
are three classes on the Sri Lankan Railway - 1st,
2nd and 3rd. Apart from night mail trains which have
sleeperette with fold down benches third class only
has benches. 2nd class has padded seats and sleeperettes.
There are three types of 1st class –a/c coaches, a/c
observation saloons which have large windows and a/c
sleeping berths.
Reservation
can only be made on first class, the Inter-city Express
or in 2nd class on the Ruhunu Express from Colombo
to Matara up to a maximum of ten days before the journey.
A return ticket can be booked up to a maximum of fourteen
days before.
For
Information and Reservations: Railway Information
Centre, Ban-daranaike International Airport, Katunayake,
Ph: 0315-260. Open daily from 0800 to 1630 hrs (except
1200 to 1300 hrs). Station superintendent Fort Railway
Station, Colombo, Ph.421281 Ext. 462.
Intercity
Express Train
Colombo
Fort to Kandy - Rs. 72.00 Kandy to Colombo Fort -
Rs. 72.00
Passengers
purchasing tickets on cash are entitled to the concession
of paying Rs. 108.00 for a return journey, valid for
period of 10 days or less. Special Reservations: Reserved
compartments are provided to parties whenever possible
on prior application to the Commercial Superintendent,
Sri Lanka Railways, Colombo 10, on payment of a reservation
charge of Rs. 15.00 per seat and Rs. 12.00 per third
class seat. Individual seats cannot be reserved.
Break
of Journey: Passengers travelling over 80 kilometers
are provided with the facility to break journey at
anyone intermediate station for 24 hours. However,
reservations for the resumed journey will have to
be made afresh and paid for.
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