Sri Lanka Railways

Sri Lanka Railways | Taking the train is a great & inexpensive way to get around, the train journeys are real cultural experiences and the most scenic routes will be highlights of your visit - in particular the wonderful journey from Colombo to Kandy and up into Tea Country and the coastal train ride from Colombo to Dutch colonial Galle.

Sri Lanka Railways ( SLR ) is a government department functioning under the Ministry of Transport. It is a major transport service provider and is the only rail transport organization in the country. British visitors will find the stations, signal boxes and old red semaphore signals very familiar! On this page you'll find a beginner's guide to taking the train around Sri Lanka.

Train times & fares for key routes...

Colombo - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Elle - Badulla

Colombo - Galle - Matara: The Coast Line

Colombo - Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, Trincomalee

Colombo - Anuradhapura - Talaimannar/Jaffna

Colombo commuter: Negombo, Mount Laviniya, Kalutara, Puttalam, Avissawella

Train travel guide & how to buy tickets...

How to check train times & prices

Interactive route map

How to buy tickets

Colombo Fort station & how to find your train

Luggage, food & other tips

What are Sri Lankan trains like?

A journey in pictures from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya

Watch the video: Colombo to Tea Country by train

Other Sri Lanka travel information

Useful country information - visas, currency, time zone, etc

Suggested hotels in Colombo, Kandy, Galle...

Travel to or from Sri Lanka by sea from India

Flights to Sri Lanka