15213 FRIDAY LESSON 835- Nondescripts Cricket Club Swimming Pool
http://www.mountlaviniahotel.com/front/index.php
Mount Laninia
Colombo - Ph. 011 2732299
Kandy
Laxmi Guest House
Anuradhapura
Sri Sarananda Perivemi
Colombo to Kandy by Train
Kandy to Dambulla by Bus
Dambula to Anuradhapura - by Bus
Anuradhapura to Colombo - by Train
Important Monasteries
KELANIYA
GANGARAMA
Hotel Windsurf -
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The Hotel Windsurf is very centrally located in Mount Lavinia, the beach resort suburb of Colombo.
Only 50 m away from the Mount Lavinia beach and close enough to the Galle Road, Colombo’s main road, for easy access without the noise and traffic that comes with it. |
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A
perfect place for your stay in Colombo as well as a ideal gateway for your explorations of Sri Lanka’s Coasts and hill country. |
The Hotel Windsurf consist of 18 rooms and a idyllic beach hut.
All rooms are en-suite with hot water and air-conditioned.
The owner of the Hotel
Windsurf, Mr. Rajapakse, offers a lot of indoor and outdoor activities
for his guests including access to the adjoining tennis court and, as
the name indicates, windsurfing facilities.
http://www.go-lanka.com/Kandy/lakshmi/lakshmi_guesthouse_kandy.html
Lakshmi Guesthouse (Palm Garden II)
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The Lakshmi Guesthouse (Palm Garden II) is a favorite place for the young and/or independent travelers to Kandy. |
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Located close to the city center, the Lakshmi Guesthouse (Palm Garden II) is an ideal starting point to explore Kandy and the sourrounding hill country.
French and English speaking management.
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The eleven rooms of the Lakshmi Guesthouse (Palm Garden II) cater for all needs and budgets.
The Lakshmi Guesthouse (Palm
Garden II) offers many services including an in-house Internet cafe,
motor bikes rentals and a full range of tours and excursions.
The Lakshmi Guesthouse (Palm Garden II) restaurant is well known for their local and Western cuisine.
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view rates |
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The Lakshmi Guesthouse, Kandy is 136 km from Sri Lanka’s international airport and 116 km from Colombo.
The roof-top beer garden of the Hotel Windsurf offers great views over the Mount Lavinia beach.
All travel arrangements can be planned and booked with the friendly help of Mr. Rajapakse.
view rates | |
The Hotel Windsurf, Colombo is only 30 km from Sri Lanka’s international airport and 3 km from Colombo’s main railway station.
If your Destination not here, Click Here to Request it |
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iPhone iPod, Android App Available for This Site
You can get a train from Colombo to Anuradhapura. 22:00…arrives 03:17 08:45…arrives 14:10 13:45…arrives 18:48 16:20…arrives 20:10. Cost is 1st class ….520 rupees. ……. 2nd class…..290 rupees. ……..3rd class…..160 rupees. I don’t know if there’s a direct bus from Negombo but you can get Again, I don’t know the bus fare but much cheaper than the train. Safety,,,, many people swear off the buses because of safety worries
CMB Bandaranaike Airport Taxi Service OptionsJump to: Official Bandaranaike Airport Taxi Service | Unofficial Taxis | Bandaranaike Airport Taxi Rates | Taxi Scams | Pirate Taxis
Travel info: Sri Lanka Travel Advisories β’ Other Sri Lanka Destinations β’ Sri Lanka Tipping Protocol β’ Sri Lanka Visa Requirements
To help with your Bandaranaike Airport Official Bandaranaike Airport Taxi ServiceArrive or Depart Stress-Free at the Bandaranaike Airport — Book your safe and convenient private Bandaranaike Airport car service transfer from only USD 13. Please see the Private Bandaranaike Airport Car Service Transfers Booking Section below for more details.
Bandaranaike Airport taxi photo There Otherwise, the official Bandaranaike Airport taxi service provided
Bandaranaike Airport Taxi Rates & Fares to the City CentreTransfers from Bandaranaike Airport by taxi using the official Bandaranaike Airport taxi service are listed below.
Bandaranaike Airport taxi fares to:
Private Bandaranaike Airport Car Service with Meet and Greet Service
Bandaranaike Airport Taxi Service ScamsSome More Bandaranaike Airport Transfer & Airport Connection Options
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Rout KANDY to COLOMBO FORT |
Arrival to KDT | Departure from KDT | Reaching to FOT | Train Starting from | Train Runs to | Available days of the week | Type of the Train | Train No | Other Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
02:36:00 | 02:36:00 | 05:17:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | DAILY | LONG DISTANCE | 1046 | |
05:10:00 | 05:10:00 | 08:23:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | SUNDAY ONLY | LONG DISTANCE | 1040 | |
05:10:00 | 05:10:00 | 08:17:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | MONDAY TO SATURDAY | LONG DISTANCE | 1040 | |
06:15:00 | 06:15:00 | 08:52:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | DAILY | LONG DISTANCE | 1030 | |
06:30:00 | 06:30:00 | 09:47:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | DAILY | LONG DISTANCE | 1036 | |
10:40:00 | 10:40:00 | 14:02:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | DAILY | LONG DISTANCE | 1024 | |
15:00:00 | 15:00:00 | 17:36:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | DAILY | LONG DISTANCE | 1010 | |
15:30:00 | 15:30:00 | 18:55:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | DAILY | LONG DISTANCE | 1020 | |
16:50:00 | 16:50:00 | 19:25:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | SATURDAY AND SUNDAY | LONG DISTANCE | 1032 | |
17:30:00 | 17:30:00 | 20:05:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND HOLIDAYS | LONG DISTANCE | 1032 | |
18:35:00 | 18:42:00 | 21:27:00 | KANDY | COLOMBO FORT | DAILY | LONG DISTANCE | 1008 |
Train Ticket Rates | ||
1st Class | 340.00 LKR (View in USD) | |
2st Class | 190.00 LKR (View in USD) | |
3st Class | 105.00 LKR (View in USD) |
Telephone Contact Number and Distance | ||
Kandy | 081-2222271 | 120.737 Km from FORT in Matale Line |
Colombo Fort | 011-2434215 | 0.000 Km from FORT in Main Line |
Telephone Contact Number of Stations
-by Crescle
-Source Sri Lanka Railway and Railway Stations
-For Sri Lanka Bus Service Online Schedule
-Contact us For Request Your Station Time Table or Correction
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Train No | Name | Departure Station Time | Arrival Station Time | Frequency | Service |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 | Podi Menike | Colombo-Fort 5:55 | Badulla 16:20 | Daily Runs via Kandy | A, B, E |
6 | Podi Menike | Badulla 9:10 | Colombo-Fort 19:45 | Daily Runs via Kandy | A, B, E |
9 | Inter City Express | Colombo Fort 7:00 | Kandy 9:35 | Daily | C, E |
10 | Inter City Express | Kandy 15:00 | Colombo-Fort 17:35 | Daily | C, E |
15 | Udarata Menike | Colombo-Fort 9:45 | Badulla 19:05 | Daily | A, B, E |
16 | Udarata Menike | Badulla 5:55 | Colombo-Fort 15:30 | Daily | A, B, E |
19 | Express | Colombo-Fort 10:30 | Matela 16:15 | Daily | A, B |
20 | Express | Kandy 15:40 | Colombo 18:55 | Daily | A, B |
23 | Express | Colombo-Fort 12:40 | Hatton 20:00 | Daily | A, B |
29 | Inter City Express | Colombo-Fort 15:35 | Kandy 18:05 | Daily | C, E |
30 | Inter City Express | Kandy 6:25 | Colombo-Fort 9:00 | Daily | C, E |
35 | Express | Colombo-Fort 16:55 | Kandy 20:00 | Daily | A, B |
36 | Express | Matale 5:15 | Colombo-Fort 10:10 | Daily | A, B |
39 | Express | Matale 13:15 | Kandy 21:00 | Daily | A, B |
40 | Express | Kandy 5:25 | Matale 13:15 | Daily | A, B |
45 | Night Mail | Colombo-Fort 19:40 | Badulla 6:30 | Daily | A, B |
46 | Night Mail | Badulla 17:45 | Colombo-Fort 4:40 | Daily | A, B |
47 | Night Mail | Colombo-Fort 22:00 | Badulla 8:45 | Daily | A, B, D, F |
48 | Night Mail | Badulla 19:50 | Colombo-Fort 5:50 | Daily | A, B, D, F |
50 | Night Mail | Matara 18:30 | Trincomalee 8:45 | Daily | A, B |
51 | Night Mail | Trincomalee 17:00 | Matara 7:15 | Daily | A, B |
56 | Gaalu Kumari | Maradana 13:40 | Matara 18:40 | Monday to Friday | A, B |
57 | Gaalu Kumari | Matara 7:25 | Maradana 11:50 | Daily | A, B |
58 | Ruhunu Kumari | Maradana 15:50 | Matara 19:30 | Daily | A, B |
59 | Ruhunu Kumari | Matara 5:40 | Maradana 9:20 | Daily | A, B |
77 | Yaldeve | Colombo-Fort 5:45 | Vavuniya 11:50 | Daily | A, B, G |
78 | Yaldeve | Vavuniya 13:15 | Colombo-Fort 19:20 | Daily | A, B, G |
81 | Express | Colombo-Fort 6:15 | Trincomalee 14:10 | Daily | A, B |
82 | Express | Trincomalee 9:45 | Colombo-Fort 17:45 | Daily | A, B |
85 | Rajarata Rajini | Matara 9:15 | Vavuniya 20:25 | Daily | A, B |
86 | Rajarata Rajini | Vavuniya 3:15 | Matara 14:15 | Daily | A, B |
89 | Night Mail | Colombo-Fort 21:30 | Vavuniya 4:25 | Daily | A, B, D, F |
90 | Night Mail | Vavuniya 21:30 | Colombo-Fort 4:50 | Daily | A, B, D, F |
94 | Intercity Train/Express | Colombo-Fort 16:45 | Galle 19:15 | Daily | C |
95 | Intercity Train/Express | Galle 7:40 | Colombo-Fort 10:00 | Daily | C |
96 | Express train | Colombo-Fort 15:55 | Vavuniya 20:40 | Daily | A |
97 | Express train | Vavuniya 5:45 | Colombo-Fort 10:25 | Daily | A |
Service Codes:
A β Unreserved 2nd and 3rd Class
B
β Restaurant/Buffet
C
β Reserved 2nd Class
D
β Reserved 2nd and 3rd Class Reclining Seat (Sleeperette)
E
β Reserved 1st Class Observation
F
β Reserved 1st Class Sleeping Berth
G
β Reserved 1st class Air-conditioned coach
Dambulla is 72km north of Kandy on the road to Anuradhapura. The Colombo to Trincomalee road meets this road 2km north of the cave temple, then splits off from it a couple of kilometres further north, leading to Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa.
Because Dambulla is on so many major routes, plenty of buses pass
through with varying frequency. However, the nearest train station is at
Habarana, 23km to the north, from where you can catch a Kandy-bound bus to get to Dambulla.
By bus it takes 1Β½ hours to get to Polonnaruwa (Rs 40, 66km), two hours to Anuradhapura (Rs 40, 68km), and two hours to Kandy (Rs 40). There are buses to Sigiriya
(Rs 14, 40 minutes) roughly every 30 minutes. Touts will tell you
otherwise to get you into a three-wheeler. The bus takes four hours to
get to Colombo (normal/air-con Rs 85/170).
You can flag buses plying this busy route to go between the two parts of Dambulla, or take a three-wheeler for Rs 50.
http://www.feelsrilanka.com/travel-plan-cultural-triangle-tour.html
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End of Program |
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List of Buddhist Temples in Sri Lanka
Anuradhapura
Lovamahapaya, Anuradhapura
click |
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Watch Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu_rdi27wrc
Dambulla
Kandy
Kelaniya
Madampe
Panadura
This is the last kingdom of the country. Since it was conquered by the
British only around 1815 you can still see the living traditions.
Kandyans are usually proud of their heritage. Since the western elements
has played a comparatively little role in the city most Kandyans are
upholding Buddhist values. Since it is in the cultural triangle the
authorities try to retain this values as much as possible. Situation had
changed recently because of many immigrants coming from other parts of
the country. So don’t expect to find the honest Kandyans they describe
in the colonial literature now. Be careful with your belongings and the
people whom you associate with. But this is a peaceful city compared to
most other parts of the country with a lesser crime rate.
Kandy Express ( Metered Taxi Company In Kandy)
The Kandy district has large number of known treks. Within the
Kandy city the short walk of Asgiri Maha Viharaya via Bahirawakande
hill is an interesting. Udawattakelle forest reserve in within the city
limit, gives valuable walking in nature. The secret Walkers Forest upper
Hantane trek is on special permission from the Municipal Council of
Kandy. The famous Western Shrines of Kandy Gadaladeniya, Lankathilake
temples and Embakke shrine are connected by a very scenic footpath.
Other part of the west of Kandy, a part of Portuguese War Route, via
Ihalakotte railway station to Dodanwala Devale shrine is passing forest
reserves, Alagalle Mountain, tea estates and kandyan traditional
villages. East of Kandy city the temples Gangaramaya, Galmaduwa,
Degaldoruwa temple are well known for paintings, sculptures and
architectural techniques.Knuckles mountain range and its forest trails
are the most suitable for trekking in Sri Lanka. It has many nature
trails cleared trough the forest by forest department with campsites.
For example Mini worldβs end trails in the west and east, Pitawala
pathena trail, Ash cave trail, Nitre cave trail, Knuckles summit trail
are very exciting. Also there are interconnected footpaths of cardamom
planters, toddy tappers, tea plantation workers, farmers and villages.
Traditional villages of the Knuckles foothills with so mach of treks and
short walks such as Last King of Kandy, Sri Wikrama Rajasinheβs
(1798-1815) hideout place, Rathna water fall trek, Sitakotuwa limestone
cave and waterfall trek, etc.South of Kandy the longest rice field
scenery of the island, Lamasuriyagama the rice field was belonging to
royal court of Kandy a very spectacular trek. It is undisturbed from
electricity wires for photographs and with terrace rice fields by a
Loggaloya river with watch huts of farmers. Loggaloya riverine forest
trail to Victoria β Randenigala β Rantambe sanctuary is also a very
interesting trekking.
There are lots of cheapish guest houses to the south and east of the
lake, all a only a short walk from the town centre, and generally clean
and friendly.
This article or section does not match our manual of style or needs other editing. Please plunge forward, give it your attention and help it improve! Suggested fixes: This should be sorted into two distinct Mid-range and Splurge sections. |
List of Major Hospitals and health care centers:
http://www.seat61.com/SriLanka.htm#.URtQroXleS4
Train |
Sri Lanka Government Railways. |
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Time zone: |
GMT + 5Β½ all year. |
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Dialling code: |
+94. |
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Currency: |
Β£1 = approx 200 rupees, |
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Tourist |
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Hotels: |
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Visas: |
Until the end of 2011, UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian & NZ citizens do not need a visa |
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Page last |
13 January 2013. |
After many years of being cut off from each other, a new ferry service
started between Colombo in Sri Lanka and Tuticorin in India
in June 2011, website
www.flemingoliners.com. The modern cruise
ferry ‘Scotia Prince’ started sailing twice a week in
each direction, leaving at
18:00 and arriving at 08:00 next morning, although
sailing days changed from week to week. All
passengers got a sleeping berth in a cabin, fares ranged
from 2,243 Indian rupees (about Β£47 or $77) in an economy
class single-berth cabin to 2,760 Indian rupees (Β£58 or
$95) in a super deluxe single-berth cabin, all fares
included a non-alcoholic ‘welcome aboard’ drink and a
fixed-menu dinner. They had aspirations to make
it a daily service in due course. However, due to
a dispute over money owed to the caterers(!), the ferry
was impounded in December 2011,
and isn’t currently running. The operator isn’t sure when
(or if) it
will resume. A second ferry service, between Rameswaram and Talaimannar
was rumoured to be starting by
the end of 2011, but again no details are available and
nothing seems to have happened. So currently no
ferries at all link India with Sri Lanka.
The view from the train: The view from the morning
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Once in Sri Lanka, trains are a cheap, safe and
enjoyable way to get around. Trains link the major
cities and have several classes:
1st class sleeper. 1st class sleeping-berths are available on
a few overnight
trains. The cars have lockable 2-berth
compartments with separate toilet and washbasin.
Bedding is provided.
1st class observation car. The 1st class
observation car is highly recommended. It’s available on the best
daytime trains on the amazingly scenic route from
Colombo to Kandy and Badulla. The observation car
is normally at the rear of the train (occasionally
behind the locomotive) and has
comfortable (if slightly grubby) armchairs facing a
large window looking back along the track. Seats
must be reserved before departure. Seats can be
reserved within 10 days of departure, but book early as
the observation car is very popular and gets booked up
fast, especially during school holidays. You can
reserve from outside Sri Lanka via
www.reddottours.com.
1st class air-conditioned seats car. Only available
on one or two InterCity Express trains between Colombo &
Vavunia and Colombo & Batticaloa.
2nd class seats, available on all trains. These come in several versions,
depending on the train: (1) unreserved seats,
where you buy a ticket, hop on and sit in any available
seat, (2) reserved
seats where you must make a reservation and you get an
allocated seat, and (3) reserved ’sleeperette’ reclining seats
which are available on most overnight trains and recline
to about 45 degrees for sleeping.
2nd class seats are the recommended option on trains with no 1st
class.
3rd class seats, available on most trains. These come in several versions,
depending on the train: unreserved seats, reserved
seats, and reserved ’sleeperette’ reclining seats.
3rd class is very basic and gets very crowded, and it is not generally
recommended for visitors.
New luxury ExpoRail carriage: Two trains a
day on the Colombo to Kandy & Badulla route now carry a
privately-run deluxe car with special fares, WiFi, power
sockets & inclusive meals, see
www.exporail.lk. A similar air-conditioned private carriage is now running on
other trains on the Colombo to Kandy & Badulla route,
and on the Colombo to Galle & Matara route, see
www.rajadhani.lk.
Colombo - Kandy -
Nuwara Eliya - Badulla
Colombo - Galoya - Polonnaruwa,
Batticaloa, Trincomalee
Colombo - Kurunegala - Anuradhapura
- Vavunia
The timetables on this page show the principal trains on
the most popular routes. There are many other
trains, stations and rail routes in Sri Lanka,
but
note that trains no longer operate to Jaffna or Talaimannar.
You can
check routes and train times at the new Sri Lanka
Railways website,
www.railway.gov.lk. There is also train
information at
www.slrfc.org/sri-lanka-railways-time-table.html
or
http://colombofort.com
or www.reddottours.com. If you visit Sri
Lanka,
feedback would be appreciated!
You cannot book online*, but it’s easy to buy tickets when you get to Sri Lanka,
there is a special ticket window for tourists in the 1st
& 2nd class advance booking office at the east end of Colombo
Fort station.
Reservations for trains with reserved seating such as
InterCity Express trains open 10-14 days in advance.
Other trains (shown as having ‘unreserved’ seats) don’t
require a reservation, you just buy a ticket on and hop
on. Seats in the 1st class observation car from
Colombo to Kandy can get fully-booked from time to time,
so book a few days ahead if you can, but you may well
find seats available on the day of travel.
If you
really want to pre-book a train before you get
to Sri Lanka, and are prepared to pay a booking fee, try
contacting a local travel agency (and
let me know if
you find a good one!) or even asking your hotel to
arrange tickets for you. If you want to book some
hotels or tours as well as train tickets, reputable
agency
www.reddottours.com will book train tickets for you if you’re
also booking Β£300 or more of other tours and accommodation with them.
* The special deluxe ExpoRail carriage Colombo-Kandy
can be booked online, at
www.exporail.lk.
Two |
This scenic train ride is the way to reach Kandy,
121 km by rail from Colombo, or the hill station at
Nuwara Eliya.
The ride onwards to Badulla, into the hill country, is
also wonderful, and probably the best train ride in Sri
Lanka. Travel in the 1st class observation car is
recommended, and if possible on an InterCity Express
train.
Colombo
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Km |
Notes: |
3 |
O,2,3,R,Lux,Raj* |
ICE,Lux |
2,3,R |
O,2,3,R,Raj** |
Sat, Sun.2,3 |
2,3 |
ICE,Raj |
Mon-Fri,2,3 |
2,3 |
Sleeper |
0 |
Colombo Fort depart: |
- |
05:55 |
07:00 |
08:10 |
09:45 |
08:50 |
12:40 |
15:35 |
16:35 |
17:45 |
20:00 |
115 |
Peradeniya Junc. arr/dep: |
- |
08:40 |
09:21 |
10:30 |
12:23 |
11:17 |
15:47 |
17:56 |
19:27 |
20:46 |
23:06 |
121 |
Kandy arrive: |
- |
09:00 |
09:31 |
10:38 |
| |
11:26 |
15:58 |
18:06 |
19:39 |
20:58 |
| |
121 |
Kandy depart: |
03:30 |
09:00 |
- |
10:50 |
| |
- |
17:00 |
- |
- |
- |
| |
173 |
Hatton (for Adam’s peak) |
07:07 |
11:00 |
- |
12:53 |
14:30 |
- |
19:52 |
- |
- |
- |
01:35 |
207 |
Nanu Oya (Nuwara Eliya) |
09:02 |
12:27 |
- |
14:00 |
15:55 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
03:03 |
246 |
Haputale arrive: |
11:49 |
14:09 |
- |
15:34 |
17:37 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
04:55 |
? |
Elle arrive: |
13:05 |
15:07 |
- |
16:30 |
18:31 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
06:05 |
292 |
Badulla arrive: |
14:10 |
16:00 |
- |
17:20 |
19:25 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
07:10 |
* This train is the PODI MENIKE. **
This train is the UDARATA MENIKE.
How to buy tickets
Hotels
in Sri Lanka
Lux = One or two privately-run ExpoRail air-conditioned
carriages are attached to these trains, with at-seat catering & WiFi
see
www.exporail.lk with online booking available.
See this news article with photos. The special
fare from Colombo to Kandy is 1,200 rupees (Β£7 or $11),
children aged 3-11 900 rupees. Colombo to Badulla
costs 2,250 rupees, children 1,700 rupees.
Raj = One or two privately-run Rajadhani
Express air-conditioned carriages with reclining leather seats are
attached to these trains. Special fare
Colombo-Kandy 950 rupees (Β£5.50 or $9), Colombo-Badulla
1,750 rupees, see
www.rajadhani.lk for more info & online booking.
It runs daily on the 15:35 Colombo-Kandy & 06:15
Kandy-Colombo. On the 05:55 Colombo-Badulla &
05:45 Badulla-Colombo it only runs on Tues, Fri, Sun.
On the 08:50 Badulla to Colombo it only runs on Mon,
Wed, Sat. On the 09:45 Colombo to Badulla it only
runs on Mon, Thur, Sat.
ICE = InterCity Express, with 1st class observation car with
reserved seats, 2nd & 3rd class reserved seats.
Sleeper = NIGHT MAIL, 1st class sleepers (2-berth compartments), 2nd & 3rd class reserved
sleeperettes (reclining seats), 2nd & 3rd unreserved seats, buffet
car.
O = 1st class observation car with reserved seats.
2 = unreserved 2nd class seats.
3 = unreserved 3rd class seats.
R = buffet/restaurant car.
You can check train times using the official Sri Lanka
Railways website,
www.railway.gov.lk, but please check all times
locally.
Additional Kandy trains on Saturdays & Sundays: Colombo
depart 08:50, Kandy arrive 11:26; Kandy depart
16:50 & 17:30, Colombo arrive 19:25 & 20:05.
Nuwara Eliya (City of
lights) is a colonial hill station 2,000 metres above
sea level, surrounded by tea plantations It’s easy
to reach by train. The station is Nanu Oya, 6 km
from central Nuwara Eliya, with plenty of taxis and
auto-rickshaws available. It’s also possible to
walk.
Peradeniya Junction
is 6km (3Β½ miles) from Kandy. Take a taxi or tuk-tuk
here to board
trains for Hatton, Nanu Oya, Elle & Badulla if they don’t call at Kandy.
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Notes: |
2,3,R |
ICE,Raj |
2,3 |
3 |
3 |
O,2,3,R,Raj** |
ICE,Lux |
2,3 |
O,2,3,R,Lux,Raj* |
3 |
2,3,R |
Sleeper |
Badulla depart: |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
05:45 |
- |
- |
08:50 |
10:30 |
11:50 |
18:00 |
Elle depart: |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
06:43 |
- |
- |
09:47 |
11:35 |
12:40 |
19:07 |
Haputale depart: |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
07:48 |
- |
- |
10:51 |
14:11 |
13:35 |
20:22 |
Nanu Oya (for |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
09:35 |
- |
- |
12:30 |
16:25 |
15:15 |
22:17 |
Hatton (for Adam’s Peak) |
- |
- |
- |
05:10 |
09:00 |
11:01 |
- |
- |
13:55 |
18:20 |
16:29 |
23:43 |
Kandy arrive: |
- |
- |
- |
07:59 |
12:16 |
| |
- |
- |
| |
22:02 |
18:35 |
02:36 |
Kandy depart: |
05:10 |
06:15 |
06:30 |
- |
- |
| |
15:00 |
15:30 |
| |
- |
18:42 |
02:36 |
Peradeniya Junction arr/dep |
05:22 |
06:25 |
06:43 |
- |
- |
13:03 |
15:10 |
15:48 |
16:40 |
- |
18:27 |
02:20 |
Colombo Fort arrive: |
08:17 |
08:52 |
09:47 |
- |
- |
15:40 |
17:36 |
18:55 |
19:35 |
- |
21:27 |
05:17 |
|
||||
One-way adult fares.. |
3rd class
reserved |
2nd class
reserved |
1st class observation car |
1st class sleeper |
Colombo-Kandy by InterCity Express |
Rs.150 (Β£1/$2) |
Rs.220 (Β£1/$2) |
Rs. 360 (Β£2/ $3) |
Rs. 360 (Β£2/ $3) |
Colombo-Kandy by normal train |
Rs.105 (50p/$1) |
Rs.190 (Β£1/$2) |
- |
- |
Colombo-Badulla |
Rs.270 (Β£2/$3) |
Rs.450 (Β£3/$5) |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Children under 12 pay half
fare, children under 3 travel free.
Traveller Antony Smith reports “All the
windows in the 1st observation car opened fully so,
though it was a baking hot day, the carriage was
wonderfully breezy and naturally cooled. And yes there
are only two pairs of seats with uninterrupted views
through the rear observation window, but to be honest
the best views are to the sides anyway rather than back
down the track. And there’s a great child-like
pleasure to be had from sticking your head out of an
open side window, which you can’t do in the seats
directly in front of the rear observation window. I do
agree about not wanting to be locked into a ‘tour bus’
environment with only other tourists for company, but
passengers in the 1st observation car on the day we
travelled were a real mix of Westerners and Sri Lankans.
We took a peek at the ExpoRail ‘luxury’ carriage (which
now also does the train we were on, the 05.55 ‘Podi
Menike’ from Colombo). It is undoubtedly
comfortable, though not luxurious in my opinion, and has
the advantage of online booking and on-board catering.
But it lacked the old-fashioned charm of the 1st
observation car and looked to be a 100% tourist only
experience, mostly tour groups.”
Traveller
Graeme Thorley reports “I thought the observation car to
Kandy was okay although it requires you to travel
backwards (in my case at least) which is not to
everyone’s taste. It also got incredibly hot (36Β°C
at one point) due to the large window and there were
only a limited number of seats that had a really good
view. Rather irritatingly on my outbound trip two of
these were occupied by people who slept for most of the
trip..! The other point is that the carriage was
occupied almost entirely by Westerners - this might be
considered a good thing but personally I felt it left me
more remote from the travelling experience. On the
train to Anaradhapura several locals stopped to chat,
practise their English, exchange complaints about the
delays etc. I also bumped into one of the families I had
met on the train whilst sightseeing (they recognised me)
and we had another chat. I find that sort of thing an
important part of travelling.”
Traveller Paul White reports “Donβt panic if you
canβt get a ticket for the 1st class air conditioned
trains to Kandy. 2nd class is more than adequate,
but do try & get a window seat. The best side to sit on
for scenery is the right hand side as you face forward
from Colombo to Kandy, as this will give you the best
views once you get past Rambukkana. Do be brave
and try the food on the trains! Many vendors will wander
up and down selling cold drinks, fruit, spicy snacks and
so on at reasonable prices.”
Also see
www.bootsnall.com
for a good account of this trip…
Above: |
1st class observation car at the rear of the train, |
The photos above courtesy of |
Above: |
Ordinary 2nd class seats on a |
Above: |
Looking back along the track from the 1st class |
A great way to reach the cities of
Galle and Matara, by train along the coast… 2nd class
is the recommended option, as 3rd class gets too crowded. The
Colombo-Galle fare is
only about Rs.65 (Β£0.50/$1) one-way in 2nd class for the
116 km.
Colombo to Matara is about Rs.90 2nd class.
ENGINEERING WORK NOW OVER!
Until April/May 2012, a temporary bus
service replaced the train for part of the journey, while
track was replaced on much of this route following tsunami
damage. However, it’s now reported that the work has
been completed and trains are running normally again all the
way from Colombo to Galle and Matara.
Colombo
|
|||||||||||
Km |
Notes: |
2,3,Raj |
2,3 |
2,3 |
2,3 |
2,3 |
Mon-Fri, |
3 |
Mon-Fri, |
Sat, Sun, |
3 |
0 |
Colombo Maradana depart: |
06:30 |
- |
- |
14:15 |
15:40 |
16:40 |
17:20 |
17:50 |
17:50 |
18:45 |
2 |
Colombo Fort depart: |
06:55 |
08:35 |
10:30 |
14:25 |
15:50 |
16:45 |
17:25 |
18:00 |
17:55 |
19:30 |
116 |
Galle arrive: |
09:26 |
11:49 |
12:42 |
16:31 |
17:34 |
18:37 |
20:03 |
20:23 |
21:26 |
22:55 |
159 |
Matara arrive: |
10:53 |
11:50 |
13:50 |
17:48 |
18:20 |
19:30 |
- |
21:33 |
- |
- |
There’s
no 1st class on this route. Unless shown
otherwise, trains run every day.
How to buy tickets
Hotels
in Sri Lanka
2 = unreserved 2nd class seats;
3 = unreserved 3rd class seats;
Raj = Daily except Thursdays, a privately-run Rajadhani
Express air-conditioned carriage with reclining leather seats
is
attached to this train. Special fare
Colombo-Matara 990 rupees (Β£5.50 or $9), see
www.rajadhani.lk for more info & online booking.
You can check train times using the official Sri Lanka
Railways website,
www.railway.gov.lk, but double-check train times
locally.
Matara
|
|||||||||
Notes: |
Mon-Fri, |
Sat, Sun |
3 |
Mon-Fri |
2,3 |
2,3 |
2,3 |
2.3 |
2,3,Raj |
Matara depart: |
- |
- |
- |
04:55 |
06:05 |
06:10 |
10:15 |
13:35 |
14:10 |
Galle depart: |
03:40 |
04:15 |
05:00 |
05:50 |
06:55 |
07:25 |
10:55 |
14:45 |
15:30 |
Colombo Fort arrive: |
07:00 |
07:46 |
07:47 |
07:51 |
08:43 |
09:30 |
13:30 |
17:20 |
18:05 |
Colombo Maradana arrive: |
06:58 |
07:35 |
07:48 |
07:57 |
08:49 |
09:36 |
- |
17:25 |
18:12 |
|
|||
One-way adult fares.. |
3rd class
reserved |
2nd class
reserved |
1st class seat |
Colombo - Matara |
Rs.130 (Β£1/$1) |
Rs.230 (Β£1/$2) |
|
Children under 12 pay half fare,
children under 3 travel free.
2nd class is recommended on this route, as 3rd class is
too crowded. The Colombo-Trincomalee is 296 km.
Colombo βΊ Trincomalee,
|
|
Trincomalee, Batticaloa βΊ Colombo
|
|||||||||
Km |
Daily: |
2,3,R |
2,3 |
Sleeper |
Sleeper |
Daily: |
2,3 |
2,3,R |
Sleeper |
Sleeper |
|
0 |
Colombo Fort depart: |
06:05 |
(06:05) |
19:15 |
21:00 |
Trincomalee depart: |
07:00 |
- |
19:30 |
- |
|
227 |
Galoya arrive/depart: |
11:19 |
15:30 |
00:30 |
02:54 |
Batticaloa depart: |
| |
07:15 |
| |
20:15 |
|
260 |
Polonnaruwa arrive: |
12:08 |
| |
01:34 |
| |
Polonnaruwa depart: |
| |
| |
| |
22:25 |
|
350 |
Batticaloa arrive: |
14:20 |
| |
04:00 |
| |
Galoya |
08:50 |
10:15 |
21:55 |
23:20 |
|
296 |
Trincomalee arrive: |
- |
17:20 |
05:10 |
Colombo Fort arrive: |
(15:25) |
15:25 |
04:05 |
04:52 |
(06:10) = Depart Colombo 06:10, arrive Galoya 11:19,
change trains, depart Galoya 15:30 for Trincomalee.
(15:25) = Arrive Colombo at 15:25, having changed at
Galoya, arrive 08:50, depart 10:15.
ICE = InterCity Express. On this route ICEs have 2nd & 3rd class reserved seats
& buffet car, plus a first class reserved seat
car.
Sleeper =
1st class sleepers (2-berth compartments), 2nd & 3rd class reserved
sleeperettes (reclining seats), 2nd & 3rd
unreserved seats, buffet car.
You can check train times using the official Sri Lanka
Railways website,
www.railway.gov.lk, but please
double-check all train times locally.
|
|||
One-way adult fares |
3rd class
reserved |
2nd class
reserved |
1st class sleeper berth |
Colombo-Trincomalee |
Rs.205 (Β£1/$2) |
Rs.370 (Β£2/$3) |
Rs. 750 (Β£5/ $7) |
Colombo-Batticaloa |
Rs.230 (Β£2/$2) |
Rs.420 (Β£3/$5) |
Rs. 900 (Β£6/ $9) |
Colombo-Batticaloa by ICE |
Rs.320 (Β£2/$3) |
Rs.500 (Β£3/$5) |
Rs. 900 (Β£6/ $9) |
Children under 12 pay half
fare, children under 3 travel free.
Trains link
Colombo with Anuradhapura and Vavunia. However, since
1990 trains no longer operate
as far as Jaffna or Talaimannar Pier (previously the ferry
terminal for India) because of the security problems in that
area.
Colombo βΊ Vavunia
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Km |
Daily: |
2,3 |
2,3 |
2,3 |
ICE,Lux |
Sleeper |
Daily: |
2,3 |
ICE,Lux |
2,3 |
2,3 |
Sleeper |
|
0 |
Colombo Fort depart: |
05:45 |
06:50 |
13:45 |
16:20 |
22:30 |
Vavunia depart: |
03:20 |
05:45 |
13:30 |
15:10 |
22:00 |
|
205 |
Anuradhapura arr/dep: |
09:40 |
10:02 |
18:40 |
20:06 |
03:40 |
Anuradhapura arr/dep: |
05:00 |
06:40 |
14:35 |
16:00 |
23:30 |
|
254 |
Vavunia arrive: |
11:21 |
10:50 |
20:11 |
21:16 |
05:08 |
Colombo Fort arrive: |
10:10 |
10:25 |
18:35 |
19:15 |
04:35 |
Lux = A privately-run luxury ExpoRail air-conditioned
carriage is attached to this train with at-seat catering
& WiFi,
see
www.exporail.lk with online booking available. The special
fare is around 1,600 rupees one-way (Β£10 or $16).
ICE = InterCity Express. On this route ICEs have 2nd & 3rd class reserved seats
& buffet car. The 16:20 from Colombo & the 05:45
from Vavunia also have a 1st class air-conditioned car
with reserved seats.
Sleeper = NIGHT MAIL, with 1st class sleepers (2-berth compartments), 2nd & 3rd class reserved
sleeperettes (reclining seats), 2nd & 3rd unreserved seats, buffet.
1 = 1st class air-conditioned seats car with reserved seats;
2 = unreserved 2nd class seats;
3 = unreserved 3rd class seats;
R = buffet/restaurant car;
You can check train times using the official Sri Lanka
Railways website,
www.railway.gov.lk.
How to buy tickets
Hotels
in Sri Lanka
Multi-website hotel search… |
ββββ Search all the
|
www.tripadvisor.com
is the place to find independent travellers’ reviews of all
the main hotels.
www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking
system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison
system). It has a simple interface, a good
selection in most countries worldwide, useful online
customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices,
usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as
taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one
price, then charge you another!).
www.hostelbookers.com: If you’re on a tight budget,
don’t forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelbookers
offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in
backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
To get the best from Sri Lanka, you’ll need a good guidebook.
For independent travellers, the best guides are probably either the
Rough Guides or Lonely Planets.
Buy
Rough Guide to Sri Lanka online at Amazon.co.uk
|
Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable
insurer, with at least Β£1m or preferably Β£5m medical cover. It should also cover
cancellation and loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings.
An annual
multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip
policies even for just 2 or 3 trips
a year (I have an annual policy myself). Here are some suggested insurers.
Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these
links.
In
the UK, try
Columbus Direct or use
Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many
different insurers.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65
(no age limit), see
www.JustTravelCover.com.
If
you’re resident in
Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try
Columbus Direct’s other websites.
If you’re resident in the USA or Canada, try
Travel Guard USA.
It costs nothing to take out an extra credit card.
If you keep it in a different part of your luggage so you’re
not left stranded if
your wallet gets stolen, this is a form of extra travel insurance in itself. In addition,
some credit cards are significantly better for
overseas travel than others. Martin Lewis’s
www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money
explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency
exchange commission loadings when you buy something
overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use
an ATM abroad. Taking this advice can save you quite a
lot on each trip compared to using your normal high-street
bank credit card!
You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a
Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their
multi-currency ‘Global Traveller’ Visa Card, see
www.caxtonfx.com for info.
Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you’re
not careful you can return home to find some huge bills
waiting for you. I’ve known people run up a Β£1,000 bill
in data charges just by leaving their iPhone connected during a
simple trip to Europe. However, if you
buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company
such as
www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85% and
limit any damage to the amount you have pre-paid. It
cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide,
and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries. It’s pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills
when you get home. It also works for laptop or PDA data
access. A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn’t
expire if it’s not between trips, unlike some
others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your ‘global phone
number’ for life.
Below is a picture taken in 2008 in Sri Lanka. The monk in the picture
saved those cows from slaughter. And after he saved their lives, this
was what one grateful cow did.
Ven. Porwagama Somalankara
Nayaka Thero.
Ven. P.
Somalankara Nayaka Thero.Tel : 0094-91 3783802
0094-91 7913524
0094-716648703
[1] The revival and survival of Buddhist nuns. Ven Bhikkhuni Gotami. [2] A path less travelled. Atiya Achakulwisut [3] Her holiness. Atiya Achakulwisut. [4] A nun’s life has limited appeal. Sanitsuda Ekachai. [5] The Dhammananda controversy. Sanitsuda Ekachai. [6] Women in Buddhism: Planting the Seed of Peace. Aree Chaisatien. [7] A New Dawn for Womenβs Rights. Hsi Lai Temple, California, USA [8] Revival of the Bhikkhuni Order in Sri Lanka. D. Amarasiri Weeraratne. [9] Women’s Ordination. Bhikkhu Punnadhammo. |