Ceylon, known as Sri Lanka since 1972, is the land of tea, cinnamon and smiles. To my greatest delight it has a relatively well-developed railway network and is therefore practically begging to be explored by train. Since 1858, there has been a railway company which was first used by British colonial masters for the transport of goods. Since the 1980s, Sri Lankan Railways has taken over the operation of the island's railway network. I have already heard so much about train travel in Sri Lanka and I can't wait to tell you about it in the next few lines. In this post, I'll be talking about a part of the Coastal Line, which - as the name suggests - runs along the coast. More precisely, from Colombo to Matara (I will get off in Galle and tell you about the trip to Weligama in another article). With that in mind: Have fun reading!
Colombo
Our journey starts in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo. I just landed two days ago and was able to settle down in a really nice hostel, far from the hustle and bustle, in district 5. To reach Colombo Fort Station, it's best to take an Uber or have the hostel organize a Tuktuk. Although the distance between hostel and station is only 8 km, traffic is quite unpredictable, so I happily left more than an hour before departure.
Timetables, train classes and ticket prices
On my trip with the Coastal Line there were altogether 2 classes; 2nd and 3rd class. In Sri Lanka, there are also trains which offer a 1st class, but these are rather sparsely sown. The Coastal Line for example only serves one train per day that offers a 1st class.
Another special feature is, that on some trains it is possible to buy a 2nd or 3rd class ticket with seat reservation for an extra charge. Unfortunately this was not possible with the Coastal Line either. If one gets his hands on a 1st class ticket, the seat reservation is already included.
The pricing of Sri Lanka's trains is without doubt unbeatable. For my nearly 3-hour trip from Colombo to Galle, I paid the equivalent of 1,20 € for the 2nd class. Tickets for the 3rd class are available for an absolute bargain of 0,90 €.
The ticket for my train trip, which I will tell you about today, I simply bought in person at the station, 30 minutes before departure. But there are countless possibilities to get your hands on a ticket. For more information about that, read my blog post "[How to train travel in Sri Lanka]"(https://rail.cc/en/blog/sri-lanka-train).
Timetable
There are a total of 10 connections between Colombo and Galle with Beliatta being the terminus, six of which run daily and four only on weekdays.
The only train of the Coastal Line, featuring a 1st class, leaves daily at 15:05 and arrives in Galle at 16:53. It's the Dakshina Intercity Express Train, which has only been operating since 2019. Reservations can be made either online, by phone or at the station in person, a few days in advance.
The other 5 daily train connections leave at 06:35, 10:30, 14:19, 15:44 and 18:50 and reach Galle within 2-3 hours, depending on the type of train. You can check these as well as the current timetables.
Trains only running on weekdays, leave at 16:44, 17:29, 17:34 and 17:55.
By the way, it is rather normal that trains are delayed here, so don't get impatient if the train of your choice is not ready on time. If you want to continue your journey via Galle in the direction of Beliatta, you should definitely check out the Sri Lankan Railways website to find out more about possible connections.
A little tip in advance; almost all trains of the Coastal Line start their journey from Maradana Station, not Colombo Fort, which can be a big advantage when trying to get a seat. Just check the website of Sri Lankan Railways to see if your chosen train departs from there and maybe you'll be able to board a little more relaxed than me :) Of course the above mentioned departure times will change. By the way, the two stations are only 3 km apart.
Colombo Fort Station
Half an hour before departure, I arrive at the main entrance to Colombo Fort Station. A quick glance - a beautiful building, but before I devote myself to my usual photo documentation, I want to get tickets and get a first impression of the building. Unfortunately, at this moment in time, I don't know, that, to leave the station you have to hand in your ticket at the exit and can't get back inside. Therefore, I am terribly sorry not to be able to show a photo of the station building, so I will try to give a particularly detailed description.
Colombo Fort station is a bright white, almost sumptuous colonial style building. It is - like most station entrances - quite long, with the centre crowned by a clock beneath an arch structure. The front of the building shows the name of the station in black writing (in Sinhala and English, possibly also in Tamil, but I am not a typography expert). If you walk along the sides, you will find numerous stalls selling all kinds of snacks, drinks, etc.
As soon as I step out of my tuktuk, a gentleman comes running towards me, shouting "Information?!" Sure, we’re standing right in front of the tourist information office. And with my German winter paleness, I naturally stick out like a sore thumb. However, I decline the offer, since I want to get a picture for myself - it really can't be that difficult and I have heard of many "tourist guides" who kindly help you out and then expect some sort of payment. And indeed - it's really not that difficult. At the main entrance, there are some ticket counters on the left side, above which there are some big information boards that tell you exactly for which route and class you can buy tickets, and how much they cost.
Photo: Entrance to the train station / The not-so-much-needed information booth / Well marked Ticket booths / Entrance to the main station
I don't have to look far, since counter 1 has my destination, Galle, written on it. There's hardly anyone lining up and I'm - poof, first in line. I'm very unprepared for this and while I am trying to dig out some money from my pockets, I ask for two tickets to Galle. The not very talkative Sinhalese behind the window just gestures me, to hand over the money now. Hectically I slap a 1000 Rupee note on the counter, get my change and two purple cardboard tickets. Mission Accomplished.
Photo: Proud owner of my first train ticket
Without looking around all that much, I walk straight towards the tracks, where I pass a kind of barrier where you show your ticket. The nice man standing there, signals me with his five fingers, that my train will leave on track 5. Quickly, I find myself right by the tracks.
Colombo station is one of the largest transshipment stations in Sri Lanka and has a total of 10 tracks, which are connected by a bridge. At each platform, there are a few orange plastic benches where you can sit down while waiting for your train. Everywhere, there are sellers scurrying around, selling cold drinks and snacks for the trip (I quickly grab some delicious samosas for the equivalent of 1,50 €). By the way, you will often encounter them later in the train, so don't worry if you forgot to bring supplies, you will neither starve nor die of thirst - even without an on-board restaurant.
Photo: Vendors at the station / Yummy samosas / Quick snap of our track before exploring
After parking my travel companion with all my luggage at track 5, I go back to the main entrance to take some pictures of the station from the outside. Unfortunately I have to realize - as mentioned before - that you can only get out if you hand in your ticket, so I - and you - have to be satisfied with interior views only. On the track near the main entrance, there are all kinds of newsagents, a café, a waiting room for men (I couldn't find the one for women), some offices and the railway supervision. A large, illuminated digital display hangs prominently above the entrance, showing all arriving and departing trains with their respective tracks and indicating whether it is a slow train (S) or an express train (E). Today must be my lucky day - I have booked an express train - as it will turn out later, I did not.
Photo: View from the bridge
Photo: View from track no.5 / Bridge, connecting the tracks / Having a look at the main track / Big board with all the trains / Some old pictures to look at while waiting / Exit only! / A little warning...oops
Full of eager anticipation and after being satisfied with my photos, I head back to my track. My train should arrive here in about 10 minutes. While I wait, I glance at the passing trains with great amazement. Each of them seems to be a little different. The classes are represented by numbers and certain colours. According to my naive belief, red seems to be 3rd class, blue 2nd class, and, well, I couldn't find a 1st class. Maybe it's yellow or something.
Photo: The “German” way of reserving a seat
Announcements at the station are broadcasted in three languages, including English. One of the trains seems to be completely out of service today, but since none of the locals waiting at my track are making their way home, I guess I'm not affected (even though our train has mysteriously disappeared from the big display). With a 15 minute delay it finally approaches. Desperately I try to spot a 2nd class car - which I paid for, after all - but all cars are red. In addition, Colombo Fort seems not to have been the starting station of this train, because our vehicle is already full to the brim.
So I squeeze in with my huge backpack and very quickly lose hope for one of the much sought-after seats. Thus, I make do with half a square meter in the door area, where a Sinhalese has already chosen the open door as a seat for himself.
Photo: Train finally arriving / Guess, we’re sitting here now
The train
My train is already a little long in the tooth, but at least relatively clean. In the 3rd class, there are no seats, but benches arranged opposite to each other and covered with red faux leather, providing space for 3 adults, 6 children, 4 goats, and a unicorn. Okay, joking aside, apart from the goats and unicorns, my information was roughly correct. Of course these benches cannot be adjusted and there are neither tables nor power sockets, let alone Wi-Fi (haha!). Instead, there are open windows, which definitely make for a better "air conditioning" than the three tired fans per wagon. Above the benches there is a rather generous luggage rack, where even large backpacks can find room.
Photo: All the seats are taken / Rather a suggestion of an A/C
The visit to the toilet was very surprising for me, as contrary to all expectations, it was actually quite clean. But instead of toilet paper, you will find a - I call it "Bum-Gun". And while you are doing your business, you can even get hypnotized by an obviously intended hole in the floor while staring at the rails rushing by. There is also some kind of "metal mirror", but who wants to look at themselves in this heat anyway?
Photo: Could be worse / small sink, no soap / something to do while on the loo
The 2nd class, which, as we will find out later on, was very much existent on my train, provides grey faux leather seats that are arranged 2 by 2. They offer a little more comfort, can recline a little and even have a footrest. There are also small fans, which do just as little work as in the 3rd class.
There was no 1st class on my train. It is only reserved for a few trains and train routes and must be reserved well in advance. Since I will still undertake a few more train journeys in Sri Lanka, chances are good, that I can report about it in a follow-up blog. Stay tuned!
Let’s go!
With a delay of 30 minutes, our puffing vehicle rolls off. I have to refrain myself from laughing when I take a look at the "air conditioning" in 3rd class. Three pathetic, tiny fans hang from the ceiling and desperately try to swirl the hot air around. The fan closest to me went belly up long time ago, so I lean towards the door to catch some breeze. I spend the first 15 minutes of the ride, disgruntled, resigning myself to my fate, which I will actually make friends with a little later. The Coastal Service bears its name for a reason, and thus, the cityscapes of Colombo quickly give way to sea, beach and roaring waves. What a view! I am kissed by luck, as the Sinhalese footboard-rider gets out at the next station and I can also experience the adventurous feeling of freedom of riding a train on the footboard. And I have to say, I like it very much! However, I would like to ask you not to imitate me. In fact, it can be very dangerous if you don't hold on properly and are a bit afraid of speed. If one leans out of the door in the wrong moment, the journey can be over sooner than you'd think. Nevertheless, it was a great experience to travel like the locals.
Photo: My "seat" / Vendors coming through
The ride is anything but "smooth", it jerks and judders and actually almost throws me out the door a few times. One is almost put into a kind of travel trance by the more or less even up and down and sideways movements of the train. I don't need any other kind of entertainment, I just let the landscape pass me by and enjoy the feeling of freedom.
Photo: Ocean view at its best
Photo: Mount Lavina Station / Passing little beach houses / more beach houses / Awesome train grafitti / Random stop / Can’t get enough of this
When the "pineapple man" comes along and I buy a bag of freshly cut pineapple for about 50ct, my luck is perfect. We drive past sea bays, small wooden huts, workshops, fishing villages, whole and half boats, a ruined building with a completely intact pool area and cross countless railroad crossings.
Photo: Drying clothes the efficient way
To my astonishment (I am still a Sri Lanka novice after only 3 days in the country), the Sinhalese turn out to be quite a talkative people. Several times I am addressed very friendly on how I like the train trip in the 3rd class and what a great seat at the door I got. I even meet a Sinhalese living in Munich, who shows off his German language skills and gives me some tips for my next destinations. Surely an experience that one does not necessarily make in the 2nd class! :)
Photo: Little boy, loving the camera / Enjoying the view as much as I am / Sneaky young man!
Arrival in Galle
Unfortunately, the stops are not announced (I'm pretty sure there aren't even any speakers on the train), so as a Sri Lanka newbie, you can get quite lost. Furthermore, the times given on the timetables are not reliable at all, so I would like to recommend the App MapsMe to everyone at this point, with which you can download an offline map of the respective country in advance and then check your location via GPS. The train stations are also conveniently marked. Of course, you can also just ask the locals, which might be a bit difficult, as the city names are pronounced differently in Sinhala.
With a 1-hour delay - I can't explain with the best will in the world how this train should manage the distance just covered in only 2 hours - we reach Galle, a bigger city in the south. I get off and walk along the train towards the exit. And lo and behold: I discover the 2nd class! One of the 10 carriages has a big yellow number two painted on its side. While I laugh about myself, I try to have a peek into the car, which is exclusively occupied by tourists. But I do not feel the slightest bit of remorse, as my adventurous trip was truly a lot of fun. Directly after that, by the way, there is an apparently empty luggage car that I would like to learn more about on my upcoming train trips through this wonderful country.
Photo: Bye-bye train!
Photo: Galle station / finding the exit / Second class! / Fancy looking railcar
On leaving the station I pass through a small gate where, as expected, a tiny man is collecting the tickets of each passenger. There seems to be no ticket control on the train.
Photo: Looks familiar
As soon as I step out of the small station, I am already besieged by wildly shouting tuktuk drivers. But of course I already have different plans and decline, because I want to get a "hassle-free" Uber ordered. Unfortunately, this luxury is not available at the moment, and so I hope that the one tuktuk driver, who probably already suspected this and had placed himself inconspicuously next to me, doesn't want to cheat me. My destination is the Yoho Milkyway Holiday Resort in the neighbouring city of Weligama. He seems to know immediately where it is, and we negotiate the price to 800 LKR (which by the way is more than 10 times the price of the train ride). An absolutely fair price, because an Uber would have cost me more. The good man also seems to be especially motivated, because on the trip to my place for the night, he starts chatting merrily with me and my travel companion, shows us the fish market, the fort, a more or less secret beach as we pass by, and efficiently brings us with all our luggage - I wonder how all this fit into a tuktuk - to our destination.
Photo: Galle station entrance / Galle ticket booth
Unawatuna
When you read things about Unawatuna, everybody seems to praise the "secret" Jungle Beach, the colourful reefs for snorkelling and the cosiness of the village. Unfortunately, there is not much left of all this nowadays. Thankfully, our holiday resort was far away from all the hustle and bustle, near a lagoon, so we could relax there in our bungalow. But there was one thing that I was absolutely thrilled about, and that is the Cooking Class of the Sea Waves Restaurant. Thus, those who should ever find themselves in the proximity of Unawatuna should not miss this experience. 5 curries, 1 dhal and an aubergine salad, which is out of this world, shopped, cooked and eaten in only 3 hours :)
Photo: Awesome outdoor kitchen / Look, what we made!
Verdict
Wow. What a journey! After my initial displeasure had quickly turned into enthusiasm, I can only say: Do it! The route along the coast is unique, and the feeling of a soothing breeze on your face is indescribable. Train travel in Sri Lanka has a great reputation for a good reason and is considered a somewhat insider tip among holidaymakers. Sure, no air conditioning and limited seating doesn't sound too tempting at first, but with the right attitude it can become the highlight of your trip, close contact to the locals included :)
I hope this very, very, very, very long post has contributed to your entertainment and you will also check out my other Sri Lanka blogs. Thanks for reading and see you next time!
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