Sri Lanka - amazing island, where you can feed turtles on Hikkaduwa beach, walk through Ceylon plantations, conquer the peaks of Little Adam and Ella Rock Peaks, catch waves at Mirissa spots and enjoy train rides.

Railways are the most convenient, inexpensive and very picturesque option for traveling around the island. There are no traffic jams (from Kandy to Colombo there can be terrible traffic jams), you can get to almost any city, but, most importantly, the views that open up during the journey. From the open train window you will see the nature of the island with its hills, forests, plantations, beaches and villages where you can observe the life of the locals.

In this article we'll show you how to build a 14-day train itinerary to see the most... Beautiful places countries.

The trains have three classes of service. We recommend 2nd: in the carriages of this class the windows open, there is a fan and you can sit down. Ticket prices vary from $1.5 to $8. In 1st class, there are soft seats and air conditioning, but the windows do not open, and therefore you will not be able to get the maximum pleasure from the trip. It’s better not to get into the 3rd, you’ll drive standing, and they might even rob you.

Train schedules can be viewed on the national carrier's website.

Kandy

You arrive in Colombo. We would not recommend spending a lot of time in the capital: the city does not reflect the charm of the island. Go straight to the station and buy a ticket to Kandy. The drive is about three hours.

This city, once home to kings, is located in the very center of the island and is its cultural and religious heart.

Things to do

• Visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic, which is a whole complex that includes museums and temples. The divine tooth is kept in a golden box. If you plan your trip in August, you can go to Esala Perahera - the festival of the Holy Tooth. Music is playing, everyone is dancing, and dozens of decorated elephants are walking along the streets. The tooth itself is put on public display. Sri Lankans believe that such a ceremony will promote the affairs of the country.
• Climb the hill to the huge Buddha statue of Bahiravokanda Vihara and admire the panorama of the city.
• Walk around Kandy Lake. This artificial lake, about a kilometer long, appeared by order of the last king of Kandy, Sri Vikrama Rajasinghe, at the beginning of the 19th century. The ruler's harem was located on a small island in the middle of the lake. You will also see the monastery and royal baths. Around the pond you can see geese, pelicans and herons.
• Take a walk through the Udawattakele Nature Reserve to get acquainted with Sri Lankan flora and fauna: 300-year-old grapevines, mini rattan palms, orchids, vines, Ceylon macaques, porcupines, mongooses, emerald parrots and pigeons.

The cost of a train ticket from Colombo to Kandy in second class is $2. To have time to explore the city, we recommend staying one night.

Nuwara Eliya

From Kandy, take the train to Badulla and get off at Nanu Oya stop. The drive takes about 4 hours. From here take a bus to Nuwara Eliya. “Little England” in the forest thicket of the center of the island. Cute Victorian houses in the middle of plantations and mountain ranges.

Things to do

• Take a boat ride on Lake Gregory. This lake was designed by the British governor of Nuwara Eliya to supply the city with electricity, but quickly became a recreational area. Now locals and tourists have picnics here, ride swan-shaped boats, kayaks and bicycles, and stroll along picturesque paths.
• Take photos near one of the most high waterfalls St. Clair Island, which received the name “Little Niagara” due to its cascades of different heights.
• Take a walk through the highest botanical garden in the world - Hakgala.
• Sri Lanka is famous for its tea, so it's worth visiting local plantations like Pedro Estate to learn how it's produced.

The cost of a train ticket from Kandy to Nanu Oya in second class is $1.5. If you arrive early in the morning, you can leave in the evening, but it’s better to spend the night so that you can calmly see the garden, lake and waterfall one day, and devote the other to the plantations.

Hotels: a night in a hostel for one person will cost from , in a 3* hotel - from .

Ella

Photo: @florianreichelt / @backpackdiariez / Instagram.com

Back to the station. Today you will see one of the most beautiful roads of your life.

Take a ticket to Badulla (the final station), but get off at Elle. The drive takes about 3 hours, but it’s worth it, the views will be stunning. You can sit with your legs dangling in the doorway. It is better to plan a trip on a weekday, since on weekends there will be more local tourists and it will not be easy to find a convenient place.

Ella is a small town in the mountains, bustling with life. During the day, everyone disperses to the mountains to admire the panoramas, and in the evening they gather in local cafes and share their impressions.

Things to do

• Ella is a city for hiking. There are several routes here. The shortest one is to the Ravana cave, glorified in the ancient Indian epic “Ramayana”. According to legend, the king of India had a beautiful wife, Sita, and the king of Sri Lanka, Ravana, kidnapped her and hid her in this cave. From the top there are beautiful views of the mountains.
• Slowly walk to Little Adam's Peak. It will take 45 minutes and another 15-20 minutes to climb.
• If the Small Peak is a child's play for you and you prefer hiking on a more long distances, then Ella Rock will be a more serious mountain. Firstly, the distance is greater. Secondly, the trail is quieter and more unspoilt, unlike the well-maintained trail to Little Adam's Peak. The ascent and descent will take 4 hours, you can take a guide.
• Take a walk to one of the main attractions of the island - the Nine Arch Bridge, the longest in Sri Lanka. In addition, it was built without the use of steel, only using bricks, volcanic rocks and cement. The 92 meter high bridge is hidden among a lush forest. Hundreds of tourists gather around it and on it every day to take great photos.
• Ravana Falls is located 10 minutes from the city. If it's hot outside, it will help you cool down.

The cost of a train ticket from Nanu Oya to Ella in second class is $1.5. To enjoy the city, we recommend spending two nights there.

Hotels: a night in a hostel for one person will cost from , in a 3* hotel - from .

Matara

After Ella there will be a difficult journey to the coast. Unfortunately, there is no train to the coast from here, and making a return detour via Colombo is a waste of precious time. You can use Uber or take city bus No. 31 (Bandarawela-Matara) and soak up the atmosphere.

Things to do

• Take a walk along Cape Dondra, on which stands the temple of the god Vishnu. This is both a Hindu sanctuary and an active sea ​​port with a majestic white lighthouse.
• Sail to Crow Island. Take a walk among wildlife, if you are with children, go to the Crow Island Beach Park amusement park.
• Visit the Veherahena Temple. Residents built it underground to pray in secret from the colonialists, and later placed it outside big statue Buddha.
• Take a walk along the calm, unlike many others on the island, Matara beach.

The cost of a ticket for bus 31 from Ella to Matara is $2. It is better to leave early in the morning, as the travel time is five hours. An Uber ride will cost about $90, you can find travel companions and split the amount. It is better to leave early in the morning to be in Matara during the day, spend the rest of the day in the city and go to Mirissa late in the evening.

Mirissa

From the “climber-traveler” mode in this city, it’s worth switching to “surfer-sunbather”. From Matara there are buses to Colombo or Galle. Warn the driver to stop in Mirissa.

Sri Lanka is known for its ideal waves for surfers, so if somewhere in your dreams you have been cutting across the sea, now is the time to make your dreams come true.

After sunset, beach establishments lay out their fresh catch on ice. Your task is only to choose between crabs, a variety of fish and seafood.

Train to Mirissa from $1. It's better to live here for a couple of days.

Hotels: a night in a hostel for one person will cost from , in a 3* hotel - from .

Unawatuna

You can get there by bus going to Galle.

An ideal place to sunbathe, drink a king coconut, take “I’m on a gorgeous beach” photos and try Sri Lankan cuisine. If you have never stood on the surf, then this is the most suitable spot, since the waves are quite small. You can also go diving.

Bus to the city from $0.5. You can stay for a couple of days.

Hotels: a night in a hostel for one person will cost from , in a 3* hotel - from .

Halle

The walled city of Galle is famous for its fort, built by the Dutch and listed World Heritage UNESCO.

Things to do

• Walk along the wall of the fortress, take a photo of the lighthouse and clock tower against the backdrop of the raging sea.
• Look at Dutch architecture, wandering through the narrow streets inside the fort, looking into the souvenir shops.
• Visit the National Maritime Museum.
• Compare All Saints Church, Dutch Church, Meera Mosque.

The cost of a bus to Galle is $0.5. You will have time to see the city in a day, and in the evening you can go to the next city.

Hikkaduwa

If the prospect of lying on your board waiting for the perfect wave is not very exciting, we recommend going to Hikkaduwa. This is a Sri Lankan village favored by Russians. Here clean beach, clear water and palm trees bent over the water. Only pareo vendors and masseuses can disturb the atmosphere. It's better to go to a salon for a massage.

If you walk to the beach, you can see large turtles swimming to feed. They know that tourists are waiting for them here with prepared food and cameras, so they chose this place. For dinner, go to one of the restaurants and taste the freshest crabs.

The cost of a train ticket from Galle to Hikkaduwa in second class is $0.5. How long you stay here depends on your thirst for relaxation and vacation days.

Hotels: a night in a hostel for one person will cost from , in a 3* hotel - from .

Trains in Sri Lanka: schedule, map

To travel long distances, the local population actively uses mainly two types of transport - buses and railways. The total length of railway tracks in the country is 1,447 km.

The railway, like buses, in Sri Lanka are very inexpensive and popular view transport. There are only three species in the country public transport: railway, public and private buses.

Sri Lanka train schedule

The current train schedule can be found online on the Sri Lanka Railways website. Pay attention to the type indicated in the schedule: it may be express or local- the speeds of these types of trains are different and a short route covered by an express train in 1.5 hours can take 3 hours by a local train. But there are also advantages - local trains stop at all stations, and express trains often pass by small railway stations.

Map of railway lines of Sri Lanka

Complete map of the railway lines of the island of Sri Lanka. The railway service covers a number of popular tourist destinations: the entire south-west coast to Matara, Kandy, Peradeniya (Royal Botanical Garden), Nuwara Eliya (the railway station is called Nanu Oya), Pinnawela (Rambukkana railway station), Hatton, Ella and further to Badulla, Jaffna, Mannar, Kalpitiya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, etc. From the main transport hub countries - the city of Colombo, you can reach most of them by rail major cities countries. Unfortunately, the railway branch to Hambantota has not yet been completed; only its first section to Beliatta was opened in 2019.

Resolution: 2000*3000.

Open the map of Sri Lanka railway lines in a new tab.

Online railway map of Sri Lanka

When planning a trip to the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka, remember that the train connection is through Colombo, i.e. It is impossible to get from the resort town on the coast to Kandy without a transfer to Colombo.

Also be careful with the departure times of trains at peripheral stations: trains may not only be late, but also arrive 15-20 minutes earlier than scheduled. Allow this waiting time to avoid unpleasant situations.

Sri Lanka railway routes

1. Colombo - Matara (southwest), runs along the entire popular tourist resort southwest coast to Matara. A branch to Kataragama (near Yala Park), covering resorts such as Dickwella and Tangalle, is planned but not yet built. For 2019, the Matara - Beliatta (south) section was opened, which runs along south coast islands, is the first segment of the Matara - Kataragama road.
2. Colombo - Puttalam (northwest), the branch runs along the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka, passing through the resort towns of Negombo, Marawila, and Chilau. There is a kitesurfing center close to Puttalam resort village Kalpitiya.
3. Colombo - Avissawella (centre) relatively short railway line towards the center of the island.
4. Colombo - Jaffna (north) runs all the way to the north of the country, ending in Jaffna. The line was badly damaged during civil war, were destroyed, but have now been restored, in the areas of the cities of Vavuniya and Killinochchi.
5. Colombo - Mannar (north) goes to the northwestern part of the country, along the Mannar Peninsula, from which Adam's Bridge begins (a chain of islands to the Indian city of Rameswaram).
6. Colombo - Mihintale (north-central part) towards the north of the island, through the city of Anuradhapura, which is part of the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka. The city of Mihintale is the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
7. Colombo - Badulla (centre) goes to the central highlands of the country. Extremely popular with tourists because... passes through many attractions of the mountainous part: the Peradeniya-Nuwara Eliya section of the route is famous for its landscapes (mountains, tea plantations), Hatton (Adam's Peak), part of the route runs through National Park Horton Plains, Bandarawella, Ella (mountains, waterfalls, plantations), Demodara (Ella-Demodara bridge), to Badulla.
8. Colombo - Matali (centre) the railway branch goes to the center of the country, a popular destination among tourists, passing through the city of Kandy, which is one of the cities Cultural triangle Sri Lanka and the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, passes through the Pinnavelu elephant nursery (Rambukkana).
9. Colombo - Trincomalee (east) goes through the center of the country to the northeast. Resort town Trincomalee is popular with tourists from May to September, during the season. The railway line is taking over tourist city Avukana, where the attraction of Avukana and Habarana (tree houses) is located.
10. Colombo - Batticaloa (east) passes through the center of the country, to the north-east of the island, splits off from a line to Trincomalee at Gal Oye and ends at Batticaloa. Popular with tourists traveling to resort towns Kalkuda and Passikuda.

Train interchange stations

Junction stations connecting railway branches are mostly completely small towns, this should be taken into account when planning your route.

Sri Lanka's railway routes are not particularly diverse; it is much faster and more comfortable to travel around the country by bus. But there is one case when it is worth sacrificing comfort and using the services of the ShRW; don’t worry, the mesmerizing mountain landscapes will not let you regret it for a minute.

Of course, you shouldn’t be too much of a fan of trains, unless you’re traveling first class, otherwise you risk tiring your body quite a lot. We will start our journey from Bandarawela station and will move towards Nuwara Eliya, after a short stop we will go further to Kandy.

This is what a typical one looks like railroad station, looks like a train station in some nameless town in the Wild West, except that the lush vegetation and the absence of Clint Eastwood are a little confusing:

The interior is very ascetic: ticket offices (open half an hour to an hour before the train arrives), a controller and a board with a schedule:

Carefully placed handrails will prevent you from getting lost on the way to the ticket office:

After each train departure, a new schedule is manually posted on the board and the departure time is set:

Each station has a boss; he can be recognized by his white uniform and concentrated look:

Well, let's go look at this very mountainous Sri Lanka:

Our train is gaining altitude:

The number of tea plantations increases in direct proportion to this:

Waterfalls are often found in the mountains:

Sri Lanka is an agricultural country, and if the coast of the island is an all-Lankan health resort, then mountainous areas can safely be called a granary, all food is grown here:

Cabbage, carrots, potatoes...

Small reservoirs are built to irrigate fields:

There is also a place for landscape design in the mountains; for ease of cultivation, the following terraces are cut:

The considerable number of tunnels adds a special charm to the route:

And the carbon monoxide spreading in them:

There are beautiful narrow tunnels, but control yourself and don’t lose your head:

Don't deny the pleasure of feeling like a hare:

The truth is that all the places are occupied by other people:

By the way, speaking of hares, they are caught by conductors in the uniform of people's commissars, who check the availability of a ticket and its compliance with social class.

After checking your ticket, do not rush to get rid of it; there is one more level of protection; the ticket must be returned at the exit from the station:

If it is lost, you will need to pay a fine for the loss of inventory:

Trains are very often late, especially in the mountains, this is due to the wear and tear of the railway deck, which is in a state of permanent repair. So you can drive and drive, and then stand for about 30 minutes and wait until the repair work on this section is completed, although, most likely, they will simply lay down the rails for you so that they can be immediately dismantled later:

The beautiful floor of Sri Lankan trains:

It is very difficult to stay hungry on the train; food vendors run regularly.

Almost all railway routes are single track:

Therefore, at stations you often have to wait for an oncoming train to miss each other:

Specific arrow translation:

Road to Kandy:

By the way, there is no direct train to Kandy; you will need to change trains at Peradeniya station; the same ticket is used.

Now let's talk a little about classes; on long-distance flights there are three classes: 3, 1, 2. On different trains, first class can be: a sleeping compartment (for two people), a seated compartment, with air conditioning in the carriage or with a preliminary seat reservation. Second class is usually seat place, with fans and without prior seat reservation (recommended for short trips, no more than 2-3 hours). Third class - seats with a huge amount local population in the wagon.

The cost of each class is almost double the previous one.

This is what the second class carriage of the Colombo-Kandy train looks like:

And this is a second class carriage from Negombo to Colombo:

Have a good trip and smooth rails!

Sri Lanka has excellent public transport!

The most common and inexpensive are Trains, Tuk-Tuks and Buses.

Of course, no one canceled the opportunity to rent a car or motorcycle.
Motorcycles are very popular here.

But driving yourself in Sri Lanka is very difficult due to the local driving culture.
Everyone goes as they want and where they want.

The site is quite confusing.
Therefore, I will try to tell you briefly what’s what.

Here is the railway station in the city of Kandy.

Inside, like in any other station, there is a ticket office. There you can find out about any train and tariffs for every taste.

Everyone is waiting for the train on the platform

From the center of Sri Lanka, Colombo, you can get to any destination for no more than 380 rupees.
This is equal to approximately 95 Russian rubles.

Passengers have the opportunity to choose a carriage class with a suitable level of comfort.

The closer to the end of the train, the better and more comfortable the cars.
Below is a table with fares based on the class of carriage.

As well as a map of train routes between cities.

There is only one track going to the mountains where I went, i.e. There is practically no chance of crossing paths with an oncoming train. Only if at stations.

I had purchased the most comfortable seats in advance. Their cost was 1250 rupees, or about 300 rubles.

Only one such carriage was located at the very end of the train.

Everything in the carriage was simply gorgeous!

1) Comfortable seats with all kinds of adjustments, a footrest and a table.
The seat can be turned in the direction of the train by pressing a special lever.

2) Air conditioning
3) Several LCD TVs
4) Nice LED ceiling lighting
5) 220 volt sockets

In general, we had everything we needed in terms of comfort!

My final station was the small town of Ella, located high in the mountains.

The length of the route is 180-200 km. It took about 7 hours to cover this distance.
Yes for so long.

All because the road passes among picturesque mountains, tunnels and plains of Sri Lanka.
The maximum speed of the train was 20-30 km/h. And in some places 5-10 km/h.

But I was not at all tired on the way.

Not only was the carriage comfortable, but the view outside the window was incredibly beautiful!
Sometimes the view from the window amazed my imagination!

At first it rained a little and it was cloudy.

Trains stop briefly at stations.
You have a maximum of 5 minutes to enter the carriage. Or even less.

Along the way, every 5 minutes you could see small waterfalls.

And also mountain rivers.

Tea plantations accompanied me all the way!

Sometimes the train passed along picturesque highways.

Slowly rising above the clouds, the train was enveloped in fog!

Then the bright sun came out! There was no end to the plantations!

The train continually climbed the mountain, descended, and went around them from the side. It was like some kind of attraction!

In places it felt like I was on a cliff. And the train is about to fall into the abyss. But no. All OK.

Periodically, the train passed through mountain tunnels!
Insanely cool!

I suggest you just look at this incredible beauty of nature!

We passed very beautiful waterfall in the distance.

There are controllers on the train who keep order so that no one breaks the rules or tries to move from a cheaper carriage to a more expensive and comfortable one.

In general, like in any other country.

So, having reached the town of Ella, it was already completely dark. It was about 7 pm.

That's the end of my train journey! It was comfortable and incredibly beautiful!
I can safely say that this is the most amazing train journey of my life!!!

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 train tickets must be purchased 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 on 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 local SIM card mobile operator Mobitel or Etisalat and your level of English allows you to have conversations on the phone, then you can call the short number 365 (paid) 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 there is a similar service).

A more reliable way to buy train tickets is to do it online, through the Internet. Find out the train schedule, buy tickets in second and first class carriages for the most popular and beautiful routes for Sri Lanka can be found 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:

Northern Sri Lanka:

West Coast of Sri Lanka:

Photos of carriages on the website for purchasing train tickets

A big plus of the site is the presence of the Russian language, photographs of cars, links to the location of stations on the map. Therefore, buying train tickets in Sri Lanka is easy and simple, but you need to remember several important nuances:

• Tickets are available for purchase at least 32 days before the trip (from October 2018 they promise to reduce it to 5 days),
• The ticket voucher received after payment must be exchanged for a full train ticket at the company office in Colombo or order delivery of a ticket to your hotel in Colombo(delivery costs $10).
  • Office address: Colombo, shopping mall Welikada Plaza (at the corner of the intersection of Sri Jayawardhanapura Parliment and Old Rajagiriya Street), office No. 17 Stef Lanka on the first floor (inside the building, near the stairs). Coordinates on the map: 6.9092441,79.8954407
  • The office is located far from the center of Colombo, so it is better to order tickets delivered to the hotel.

Instructions for purchasing train tickets online

On the website, select the destination you are interested in (it is better to enter the names of cities in English), the date of your trip and the number of passengers. Children under 3 years old travel on the train for free; for a child over 3 years old, a regular “adult” ticket is purchased.

To search for tickets, you can use the form, which, for your convenience, I have embedded in the article:

After clicking the "Find tickets" button, you will be able to see all available train tickets (or a message about their absence, if we forgot about the 32-day limit or all tickets have already been sold out).

What you should pay attention to when buying train tickets:

• train departure time (remember that you still need to get tickets in time),
• duration of the trip,
• type of carriage and amenities (air conditioning, toilet),
• conditions for receiving and canceling already paid tickets.

What information should you pay attention to when purchasing train tickets?

If everything suits you, click the “Buy” button and carefully fill out your contact information. You can pay for tickets at any time by bank card or through the PayPal payment system. After payment, a voucher with confirmation of the purchase of a train ticket will be sent to the e-mail you specified.