Sri Lanka’s main attractions are accessible by train. If you consider the journey as an adventure, you’ll have fun enjoying the awesome scenery, and the people you meet.

There have been trains in Sri Lanka for 150 years, and some of the rolling stock is pretty old so don’t expect the efficient luxury of train travel in Europe, North America or Australia.

While steam engines were phased out several decades ago, some of the diesel locomotives and their rickety passenger carriages have been in service for more than 30 years. These run on the same lines as sleek, modern Chinese, Indian or Korean power sets, so you’ll need to do some research to catch the best.

Buying a ticket is simple. Turn up at the station at least 10 minutes before the train is scheduled to depart (or earlier so you can secure a seat if you’re boarding the train at its originating station), join the queue at the ticket office, buy a ticket, then wait patiently for the (often late) train to arrive.

It’s best to board the train at the nearest carriage, and then work your way along the aisle to find a vacant seat. If there is 2^nd class available, buy a ticket for that as it doesn’t cost much more than 3^rd class and the chance of getting a seat is better.

Some trains have seats bookable not more than 10 days in advance through Colombo Fort Railway Station. Privately run luxury, air-conditioned carriages with comfortable seats attached to some trains can be booked on line (www.rajadhani.lk & www.exporail.lk).

There is an efficient on-line railway timetable service run on www.gov.lk which gives train times and fares.

Here is our brief guide to Sri Lanka’s best train trips.

Colombo to Kandy

For a day trip, opt for the Intercity Express (ICE) that leaves Colombo Fort at 07.00 and rattles through lowland plains before climbing to reach the plateau crowning the former Kandyan kingdom at 09.30, a rail journey of 118km. The train leaves for the return trip at 15.00, arriving Colombo at 17.36.

There is also a morning ICE train leaving Kandy at 06.15 reaching Colombo at 08.52 and returning from Colombo at 15.35, reaching Kandy at 18.06. All the ICE trains have an observation saloon as well as a privately maintained, luxury air-conditioned carriage.

Colombo to Badulla

Real rail enthusiasts have a choice of traditional train travel or going to the hill country by the modern Chinese-built power sets that have air-conditioned 1^st class as well as 2^nd & 3^rd class compartments. These smart new trains leave Colombo at 05.55 and 09.45 daily to reach Badulla, a distance by rail of 290km (via Kandy), at 16.06 and 19.23 respectively.

A train with older carriages hauled by a diesel locomotive makes a departure daily from Colombo Fort at 08.30, by-passing Kandy to arrive at Badulla at 17.55. As well as an observation saloon, it also has 2^nd & 3^rd class carriages and air-conditioned luxury, privately maintained carriages. This train leaves Badulla daily at 08.30, reaching Colombo at 18.57.

The hill country rail journey is scenically impressive, with the most dramatic section of plunging valleys and misty mountains viewable as the train climbs to the track’s summit of 1,911m (6,266ft) above sea level at Pattipola (223 rail km from Colombo) on the journey from Nanu Oya to Haputale.

Colombo to Anuradhapura

The Northern Line is being extended to Jaffna and is popular for tourists visiting the ancient city of Anuradhapura. Scenically the journey is not as dramatic as a hill country trip as the train speeds across plains, but it delivers a fascinating insight into rural life.

Fast trains have an air-conditioned observation saloon while the 16.20 departure from Colombo Fort which arrives at Anuradhapura at 20.06 has a privately-operated luxury carriage. That train returns from Anuradhapura at 06.40 arriving Colombo Fort at 10.25.

Colombo to Trincomalee

At present only one train a day (and that’s overnight) runs between Colombo and the prominent East Coast port of Trincomalee, a journey of about 295km by rail. The journey begins as the train follows the Northern Line route to the interior town of Maho and then branches off through forests and plains to the East.

The train has a privately-operated luxury air-conditioned carriage on Thursday, Saturdays and Sundays, with a return from Trinco on Friday, Sunday and Tuesday. It leaves Colombo Fort at 21.00; arrives Trinco at 05.10; and from Trinco at 19.30, reaching Fort at 04.05.

Colombo via Galle to Matara

This is a super trip by rail since the line runs alongside the West Coast beaches from Colombo to Galle, and then along the South Coast to Matara. There are several trains a day but only one (the 06.55 departure from Colombo, arriving Galle at 09.26; returning as the 14.10 departure from Matara and departing 15.30 from Galle) has seats bookable in advance on-line in a private air-conditioned luxury rail car.

Using this train it’s possible to make a day trip of 62km by rail to Bentota (for the beach) or 116km to Galle (for the irresistible charm of the old walled Fort). It’s an easy and enjoyable trip, even though you’ll have to get up early.

 If you are planning your first visit to Sri Lanka, this is a sensible question because this is a country with so many diverse attractions.

Obviously a lot will depend on whether you are young and fit and want to try something extreme like white water rafting (that’s at Kitulgala, 100km east of Colombo) or you’re more mature and relish great cuisine as well as a chance to unwind as you enjoy a carefree holiday.

Beaches

The island’s lush beauty is a result of generous rainfall so if you want to avoid the bliss of daily cooling rain showers, try a holiday on the West Coast beaches from October to April, and on the East Coast ones from April to October. For sunbathing, swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving and boat trips, base yourself in one of those coastal resorts on the West Coast, like Beruwala (58km south of Colombo), Bentota (62km), and Hikkaduwa (97km), or Trincomalee (257km from Colombo) on the East Coast in their seasonal months.

Take a Tour

Our tip for getting the best out of Sri Lanka is to combine a few days of relaxation at a beach resort and then move to the interior to see some of Sri Lanka’s varied attractions.

A stay in Kandy (116km from Colombo) would enable you to visit the revered Temple of the Tooth, enjoy a day at the nearby Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, and to make day tours to the surrounding tea country and colonial highlights of Nuwara Eliya.

By moving on to Habarana (100 km from Kandy) as your next base, you are within easy distance of some fascinating places to visit on day trips. There is Anuradhapura (60 km from Habarana), with its Bodhi tree, the oldest living tree in documented history being descended from the tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment.

There are ancient ruins at Polonnaruwa (just 45km from Habarna) and The Lion Rock at Sigiriya (30km from Habarana), a 5^th century Royal Citadel, that can be climbed by the hardy. At Dambulla (25km from Habarana) a rock temple dating from the 1^st century BC with 150 life-size images of Buddha, is an inspiring cultural experience.

Wild Life

Wild life enthusiasts have treats in store by visiting the island’s many National Parks, with the one at Yala (265km southeast of Colombo) being especially rewarding (but closed September to mid-October). Near Haputale (181km from Colombo via Ratnapura) in the hills, there is an unusual reserve alive with butterflies next door to a granite colonial mansion now a Novitiate, called Adisham.

It’s trees rather than animals that you want to see, near Habarana, you can visit Sri Lanka’s only dry-zone arboretum, savaged land returned to its natural state (Kandalama Road, Dambulla) or make a trip to the Sinharaja Forest while staying in the beach resorts of Hikkaduwa, Bentota or Beruwala and to the nearby, ornate but charming, private gardens of Brief and Lunuganga.

City Excitement

Perhaps the best destination, if this is your first visit to Sri Lanka, is Colombo. With the widening of boulevards, the tearing down of walls, the opening up of parks and playing fields, and the restoration of Victorian and Edwardian edifices to become leisure centres and shopping malls, Colombo is returning to its glorious reputation as “The Garden City.”

With top notch hotels offering super wining and dining, as well as swimming pools gymnasiums and spas, the city also has everything the shopaholic or night owl wants. There are casinos with modest stakes and free food and drink, sensational cocktail bars, lively pubs, independent restaurants and cafés offering cuisine of every ethnicity and shopping malls with the latest fashions at bargain prices, and irresistible souvenirs.

For the culture vulture there are several different museums as well as art galleries, and a street where local artists hang their painting on the railings. For the active, there are parks, jogging tracks, the Royal Colombo Golf Club, and for spectators, frequent cricket and even rugby matches to watch.

Day Trips

Colombo comes into its own as the ideal destination to use as a base because day trips from the city, either by train or hired vehicle, can easily be arranged. The Dehiwela Zoo (10km from the city centre) can be visited by bus, as can the suburban beach resort of Mount Lavinia (12km from Colombo). Further south, the beaches at Bentota (62km from Colombo) and Hikkaduwa (97km) beckon for a day in the sun, while it’s also possible to explore Galle Fort (116km) on day’s outing from Colombo.

The West Coast resort of Negombo, an hour’s drive north of Colombo via the new expressway and near to the airport, is a fun town, either to visit for the day, or to make your base for a beach holiday in a town that warms up at sunset with lively evening action.

Whether you are in search of solitude in the sun, a cultural high, an eco-experience, or relentless action among the madding crowd, Sri Lanka is the destination.

Getting around in Sri Lanka for the independent traveller is easy…and by following these tips it becomes even easier.

Luggage

1.Before you even get on the plane to fly to Sri Lanka, cut down on your luggage. You really won’t need all those clothes you plan to bring. Concentrate on a few lightweight cotton garments. Knee-length shorts are fine (but not skimpy ones) for daytime travelling around.

2.In Sri Lanka, you can buy mosquito coils to burn at night, and anti-diarrhoea pills for tummy upsets as well as local herbal lotions for sun tanning, so you don’t have to pack those things either.

3.Bottled mineral water is sold throughout the country but you might like to bring a sturdy travelling water bottle to fill before long journeys.

4.Luggage with wheels are a nuisance when trying to move through crowds or board trains and buses. A simple backpack is best, but take care not to swipe fellow passengers with it when you move about.

Valuables

5.Keep your eye on your bag whenever you travel; keep valuables (such as passport and money) in a hidden, zippered pocket or money belt. Make photocopies of all valuable documents and keep them separate from the originals.

6.Change traveller’s cheque or cash into local currency at the banks on arrival at the airport as rates in hotels are not so good. ATMs are in all towns and accept foreign credit cards for cash loans. Inform your credit card company that you’ll be using your card in Sri Lanka, so it won’t get blocked.

Transportation

7.There is no dedicated bus or train service for flight passengers from the Bandaranaike International Airport, but Bus Route Number 187 (cross the main road outside the terminal to the bus stop) goes to Colombo, a journey of 32km that takes more than an hour.

8.Taxis can be pre-booked and paid for before you leave the airport terminal building, or you can check the price to your destination at the taxi desk and then negotiate with the freelance drivers outside.

9.The smart way to travel for a long journey is to fly. Cinnamon Air (www.cinnamonair.com) operates fixed wing, single engine air taxi flights from the airport to Kandy, Sigiriya, Trincomalee and the south. Helicopters can also be chartered.

Touring

10.Yes, you can hire a self-drive car but, when you see the idiosyncratic way people drive in Sri Lanka (such as overtaking on the inside), you may decide it’s less stress to hire a vehicle with a driver who is experienced in local driving skills, than to drive yourself.

11.Actually, the easiest way to see Sri Lanka is to hire a car, or a mini-van, with a knowledgeable driver, so you can tour independently to your own itinerary. This can be arranged in advance through tour operators or by making personal contact with licensed guides and drivers outside your hotel.

12.There are reputable radio taxi services (as well as hotel limousines) operating in Colombo and these can be hired for city tours (or for out-of-town journeys at a discount), at a daily or per kilometre rate. There are no taxi ranks, except at five-star hotels.

13.For thrills, try the open-sided three wheeler taxis known as tuk-tuks, which can be hailed kerbside. Some have meters with rates beginning at Rs50 per km. In country areas, where tuk-tuks lurk at every corner, negotiate the price before boarding.

Buses

14.There are four kinds of buses operating in Sri Lanka, distinguished by their coloured destination boards: yellow is Normal Service at the normal fare; blue is Semi Luxury at 1.50 times the normal fare; green is Luxury at twice the normal fare; purple is Super Luxury at three times the normal fare.

15.Both private and state buses operate islandwide, and serve even the most isolated villages.

16.In Colombo buses begin from the Central Bus Stand in Pettah, close to the railway station. Air conditioned buses cost more but stop less so the journey is less arduous. Meal and toilet breaks are made on long journeys.

Trains

17.When planning to use public transport, for better comfort make your journey outside the daily rush hours when commuters travel into Colombo in the morning and out in the evening.

18.Trains with 2^nd and 3^rd class carriages serve major destinations, with some seats bookable in advance at Colombo Fort Railway Station.

19.Apart from the luxury carriages attached to some trains to Kandy, Badulla, Anuradhapura and Matara run by private companies, trains are generally crowded and not very comfortable. Check timetables on www.gov.lk

Do it yourself

20.Motorbikes, scooters, pedal bicycles, mountain bikes, and even horses, can be hired for independent travel. Trekking is possible in the hill country too with knowledgeable guides available in the locality.

Enjoy!